A new sports, esports, and gaming accelerator is set to launch in India through a collaboration between LegaXy, the Enterprise Incubation Centre (EIC) at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, and cricketer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. This initiative marks India's first sportstech, esports, and gaming startup accelerator, with the aim of nurturing early-stage ventures in the rapidly growing intersection of sports technology, gaming, esports, and new-age media.

The accelerator will operate from IIM Lucknow’s EIC, integrating academic research with business mentorship and industry partnerships. The program is designed to identify and support startups that are developing technologies to enhance athletic performance, enrich fan engagement, and strengthen India’s competitive gaming and esports ecosystem.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, stating that it will fuel innovation and help startups transform sports, gaming, and fan experiences, positioning India as a global leader in "sportainment". Yamini Bhushan Pandey, MD & CEO of IIM-Lucknow - EIC, said that the Sportstech Acceleration Program aims to empower startups that are redefining the intersection of sports, technology, and new-age media.

Participating founders will gain access to structured mentorship, guidance from IIM-Lucknow EIC experts, and opportunities to collaborate with leading sports organizations. The accelerator will also serve as a research and experimentation platform for studying innovation within the sports, media, and technology sectors.

The first batch of the accelerator will consist of a curated cohort of 10 startups. Applications for participation will open in the first quarter of 2026. This program will support early-stage ventures by combining academic research with business mentorship and industry partnerships.