Remember all those video games you used to play as a kid? Well, for one young entrepreneur they have become the way to make big bucks! Indeed, who knew the world of business could be so much fun?
Gaurav Mirchandani, alumni of Lehigh University, is the co-founder and CEO of ChaYoWo Games (CHAnging YOur WOrld), a company that offers game development outsourcing solutions, and also operates the popular online gaming portal GameZindia.com, where gamers from around the world can play flash games for free.
So how did a PricewaterhouseCoopers accountant-turned venture capitalist- turned entrepreneur get into the world of gaming startups, outsourcing and India, raising over $ 3 million for projects?
Mirchandani, who is a New Yorker, first founded Maxa Group which raised the funds from private investors to seed innovative projects and entrepreneurs in India, and ChaYoWo Games and its portal GamezIndia were one of the flagship ventures.
“We are a gaming studio that offers full service game development outsourcing solutions,” says Mirchandani. “We also develop our own games of which we own the IP, such as the popular flash game called Parking Lot.” In fact, this very hands-on game has had over 10 million plays on a single site within six months. Says Mirchandani: “It’s very addicting – kids love it because it gives teenage audiences the experience of parking a car before they actually even learn to drive!”
ChaYoWo Games, with sales offices in Bangalore, London and New York, has its development center in Kochi, Kerala which is managed by co-founder and managing director Jugul Thachery. The company is focused on the casual gaming space, developing flash, PC and Mac games for publishers and producers internationally.
The big opportunity now, says Gaurav Mirchandani, is in advergaming – promoting brands or causes through interactive games. The company has developed over a hundred flash games, including training tools for banks, green technology, and games promoting brands like Nissan. He is currently developing new games for the I-Phone. So let the games begin and winner takes all!
