Comic Con India has signed a groundbreaking MoU with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) to revolutionize talent development in India’s Animation, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sector. This first-of-its-kind partnership was formalized during the IICT-NFDC Campus inauguration in Mumbai, marking a significant milestone for India’s creative industries.
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Strategic Partnership Details at a Glance
| Partnership Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Signatories | Comic Con India (Shefali Johnson, CEO) & IICT (Ashish Kulkarni, Board Member) |
| Venue | IICT-NFDC Campus inauguration, Mumbai |
| Focus Sectors | Animation, Gaming, Comics, Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) |
| Target Audience | Students, emerging creators, industry professionals |
| Market Size | AVGC-XR sector: $3.9B (2023) → $6.8B (2026) |
| Job Creation | 160,000+ annual jobs, 2M+ direct jobs by 2030 |
Key Collaboration Highlights
This strategic alliance brings together Comic Con India’s massive pop culture platform—reaching over 330 million digitally and attracting 200,000+ enthusiasts annually—with IICT’s national mandate to foster creative talent.
The partnership will deliver dedicated IICT Creative Showcase zones at Comic Con events, masterclasses by industry professionals, and hackathons promoting original IP development. Students will gain internship opportunities and behind-the-scenes access to India’s largest pop culture celebration.
Industry Impact and Vision
IICT, established as India’s creative excellence center following the IIT-IIM model, represents the government’s commitment to building global AVGC-XR capabilities. The institute operates from its Phase 1 campus at NFDC premises, Mumbai, with plans for a state-of-the-art 10-acre permanent campus in Filmcity, Goregaon.
“This collaboration creates meaningful pathways for students to engage directly with the industry,” said Shefali Johnson, CEO of Comic Con India. The partnership emphasizes grassroots creator ecosystem development, focusing on youth engagement, fan art, and indie content production.
Building Indigenous IP Ecosystem
With India’s AVGC-XR sector representing nearly 20% of the broader media and entertainment industry, this collaboration addresses the critical need for skilled professionals and original content creation. The partnership aims to develop transmedia storytellers, innovators, and cultural ambassadors who can compete globally while promoting Indigenous Intellectual Property.
The MoU reflects India’s ambitious vision to become a global creative content hub, supported by cutting-edge infrastructure including Animation labs, VFX studios, Gaming facilities, and Virtual Production capabilities at IICT’s Mumbai campus.
FAQs
What makes this MoU unique for India’s creative sector?
It’s the first partnership combining pop culture platforms with institutional excellence, creating direct industry-academia pathways.
How many jobs will India’s AVGC-XR sector create by 2030?
The sector is projected to generate over 2 million direct jobs by 2030.
