Bengaluru-based social gaming startup Matiks has raised $10 million (approximately ₹95.1 crore) in a pre-Series A funding round led by US venture capital firm General Catalyst, as it prepares to expand into international markets, particularly the United States.
The funding round also saw participation from entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala and existing investors Info Edge Ventures, Tanglin Venture Partners and Untitled Ventures. With this investment, Matiks has raised more than $13.5 million to date.
Founded in 2024, Matiks operates a digital gaming platform built around mathematics, memory, logic and puzzles. The company aims to make brain games more engaging through competitive formats, social interactions and short challenges that users can play against friends, other players or bots.
The fresh capital will be used to accelerate international expansion, develop new games and social experiences, strengthen engineering and product teams, and expand the company’s artificial intelligence capabilities.
US Expansion to Be a Key Priority
Matiks plans to prioritise the United States as its next major growth market before expanding into other international markets. Although most of its users are currently based in India, the company has reported early engagement from countries including the US, Japan and South Korea.
The startup also plans to localise its platform for markets such as Japan and South Korea to improve its international reach.
The expansion strategy will involve investments in product development, design, game development, engineering, AI and global distribution. The company also intends to increase creator partnerships to build awareness and attract new users across markets.
Platform Records Rapid Growth in User Engagement
Matiks has reported significant growth in user activity during 2026. Its daily active users increased from approximately 22,000 earlier in the year to more than 300,000 by September.
The platform recorded 2.2 million monthly active users in September 2026, during which users played approximately 48 million games, according to company figures.
The app offers multiple categories, including mathematics, puzzles, memory and logic. Users can participate in head-to-head duels, daily challenges, single-player games and competitive activities that reward points and maintain engagement through streaks and achievements.
The company is attempting to position mental challenges as a form of entertainment that combines the competitive aspects of gaming with activities designed to exercise cognitive skills.
AI-Powered Game Creation Platform in Development
A key part of Matiks’ expansion strategy is the development of an artificial intelligence-powered game creation engine that will allow users to build, publish and share their own brain games without writing code.
The company has already introduced an experimental version of this concept called Jelo. The platform is designed to allow users to create different types of games and make them available for others to play.
By enabling user-generated content, Matiks aims to expand the variety of games available on its platform and encourage greater participation from creators. The company believes AI-based tools can make game development more accessible to people without programming experience.
The new funding will support further development and scaling of this initiative as the startup expands its product offering.
Founders Aim to Make Mind Sports More Popular
Matiks was founded in September 2024 by Sudhanshu Bhatia, Mohan Kumar and Sushant Timmapur, who were college friends.
Bhatia, who has a background in competitive mental mathematics, began exploring the idea while working at American Express on anti-money laundering strategy. His experience with mental maths helped shape the company’s focus on making mathematical challenges more accessible and entertaining.
The founders aim to build a global social platform for mind sports, providing competitive players, puzzle enthusiasts and mental athletes with opportunities to participate, connect and gain recognition.
Commenting on the company’s vision, co-founder and CEO Sudhanshu Bhatia said the objective was to make using the brain as entertaining as other forms of digital entertainment. He also highlighted the potential of AI to enable people across the world to create brain games that can reach large audiences.
Funding to Support New Games and Social Experiences
The startup has so far focused primarily on building its user base and improving engagement. Its monetisation strategy includes in-game purchases that allow users to skip certain challenges, maintain streaks and increase experience points.
Matiks has also started testing a subscription offering that provides additional features, including game analysis, tips and tricks, practice options and other premium capabilities.
The company plans to expand these offerings while investing in new games and social features. Its growth strategy will depend on sustaining user engagement while developing revenue streams that can support its international operations.
General Catalyst Backs Matiks’ Growth Ambitions
General Catalyst led the latest funding round, reflecting investor interest in consumer technology platforms that combine gaming, social interaction and AI-powered experiences.
Existing investors Info Edge Ventures, Tanglin Venture Partners and Untitled Ventures also participated, alongside Ronnie Screwvala.
The investment comes as Matiks seeks to establish itself in the global mind-sports and casual gaming market. Its next phase will focus on expanding its international presence, developing its AI-powered creation platform and increasing the range of competitive and social gaming experiences available to users.
With more than 300,000 daily active users reported in September, the company is now looking to translate its growing engagement in India into a broader international gaming business.
Disclaimer: This report has been editorially prepared using publicly available information and official company disclosures. Readers are advised to refer to official company announcements and disclosures for further details.
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