Why WAVES 2025 Matters for India's Creative Economy

The Indian media and entertainment industry is at a critical turning point. With technology reshaping how content is created, consumed, and monetised, the sector is witnessing a deep transformation. In this moment of change, the Government of India is stepping in to spark fresh dialogue, global collaborations, and innovation through a first-of-its-kind platform—WAVES 2025.

Scheduled to take place in Mumbai from May 1 to 4, the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) is not just another event on the calendar. It marks a strategic effort by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to bring together the full spectrum of the industry—from veteran filmmakers and global OTT players to rising Indian startups and media-tech innovators. The idea is to create an ecosystem where the future of Indian entertainment is discussed, debated, and built together.

Why WAVES 2025 Is a Defining Moment for the Industry

India’s entertainment sector has always been a vibrant mix of languages, cultures, and formats—from Bollywood to regional cinema, from folk art to AI-generated music. But today, the industry is no longer operating in silos. Boundaries between tech, content, distribution, and monetisation are blurring fast.

WAVES 2025 is significant because it recognises this shift. It offers a national and international platform to converge creative minds, policymakers, business leaders, and most importantly—startups. The summit is expected to kick off new collaborations, drive investment conversations, and help India strengthen its presence in the global entertainment economy.

Startup Spotlight: WAVEx Platform Creates Real Opportunities

One of the most exciting components of the summit is WAVEx—a dedicated platform for startups working in content, media, gaming, audio-tech, creator tools, AR/VR, and more. This is where the future of Indian entertainment innovation will be showcased.

The inclusion of startups is not symbolic—it’s strategic. Today’s media landscape is being reshaped by agile, tech-driven young companies. WAVEx provides these startups a rare chance to pitch to industry leaders, meet investors, and forge meaningful partnerships.

Warmup Ventures, one of the venture capital firms associated with the summit, has already announced plans to scout for promising startups at WAVEx and possibly back them financially. Their interest reflects a growing appetite among investors for scalable, tech-enabled entertainment solutions built in India.

More Than Glamour: Addressing Real-World Challenges

WAVES also aims to become a serious platform for policy dialogue and industry problem-solving. Several sessions during the summit will focus on tackling ongoing challenges such as:

• Piracy and digital rights management

• Content regulation and ethical standards

• Revenue models in OTT and social platforms

• Use of AI in creative content

• Data protection for media consumers

These discussions are expected to shape future regulations and industry frameworks that keep pace with innovation while protecting creators and audiences.

Global Stage, Indian Focus

WAVES 2025 isn’t just about India talking to itself—it’s about India talking to the world. The summit will host international delegations, entertainment companies, and digital platforms who see India as a massive content market and talent pool.

By promoting Indian creativity on a global stage, the summit will also help export Indian narratives, creators, and IP to global audiences. It’s a soft power opportunity that combines culture and commerce.

The Government’s Strategic Push

In organising WAVES, the Government of India is sending out a clear message: the media and entertainment sector is not just about culture—it’s about economic growth, innovation, and global influence. This aligns with India’s broader vision of becoming a global startup hub and creative economy leader.

The timing is also key. As the world looks for diverse voices and stories, India is uniquely positioned to offer both scale and soul. WAVES is designed to channel this potential into real action.

WAVES as a Catalyst for Change

The Indian entertainment sector has often been driven by talent. Now, it's being backed by vision. WAVES 2025 has all the ingredients to become a catalyst for India’s emergence as a global force in entertainment and media innovation.

For creators, it’s a gateway to global exposure.
For startups, it’s a platform to be discovered.
For investors, it’s a preview of the next big idea.
And for India—it’s a bold step towards becoming not just a market for content, but a maker of global creative benchmarks.

The entertainment revolution is already underway—and WAVES is the current pushing it forward.

Author: Rajesh Joshi is a Venture Partner at Warmup Ventures and a seasoned Startup Catalyst, Innovation Evangelist, Serial Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, and Policy Advisor.