Goa Gets a Startup Spotlight: WaveX Brings AVGC-XR Innovators to IFFI 2025

As the sun begins to dip behind the palm trees along the Mandovi river and the red carpet is rolled out across Panaji’s film festival grounds, a new kind of hum is stirring beneath the familiar glamour of cinematic premieres. It’s the buzz of creation and innovation. This year, nestled in the heart of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 — one of South Asia’s most prestigious film festivals — is an invitation that reaches beyond filmmakers, actors and producers. It’s an open call to the rising stars of India’s creative-tech boom: media-tech entrepreneurs, AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics) visionaries and XR (Extended Reality) innovators.

The national accelerator WaveX — run by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Government of India — has announced its latest initiative: the WAVES Bazar. From 20th to 24th November 2025, it will present an exclusive startup showcase zone within IFFI Goa’s celebrated market space, offering a rare stage where technology, storytelling and business intersect. Press Information Bureau+2wavex.wavesbazaar.com+2

A home for the creative-tech entrepreneur

For years, IFFI has drawn film legends, festival premiers, and cinematic connoisseurs. But this edition marks a subtle shift — the convergence of creative-tech entrepreneurship with global film business. The heart of the converge is WAVES Bazar — a zone dedicated not to final-cut films, but to the tools, platforms, experiences and startup ideas that will shape the future of entertainment.

WaveX is turning the “market” walkable area of IFFI into an immersive startup experience, inviting early-stage AVGC-XR and media-tech ventures to set up shop, showcase their innovations and connect with the world. wavex.wavesbazaar.com+1

Why this matters: The AVGC-XR segment is poised for growth in India — fueled by rising demand for immersive gaming, metaverse experiences, storytelling via XR, and content-rich platforms. By placing startups amidst film producers, global studios, international buyers and investors, WaveX bridges a gap: creative ideas meet business opportunity.

The offer on the table

What exactly does WaveX offer participating startups?

• Startup booths are available in the WAVES Bazar zone for a nominal cost of ₹30,000 per stall (on sharing basis). Press Information Bureau

• Participating startups receive a package:
  • 2 delegate passes to IFFI’s market events
  • Lunch and high tea during the event days
  • Evening networking opportunities with global film / media / production professionals
  • “Direct visibility” within an ecosystem of film, media & tech leaders. Press Information Bureau

• Interested startups can register via the website wavex.wavesbazaar.com. Queries are handled at wavex-mib[at]gov[dot]in. Stalls are limited, allocation is first-come, first-served. Press Information Bureau

This structure packs serious value: for a relatively modest investment, startups get access to a high-visibility venue, curated industry delegates, and the chance to position themselves in the intersection of storytelling and technology.

Timing + Location: Power duo

The 56th edition of IFFI kicks off on 20th November and runs through 28th November 2025 in Goa (Panaji). Press Information Bureau+1
For WAVES Bazar, the selected period is 20th to 24th November—a window when the festival’s business side is in full swing. The bazar will be located “in the vicinity of Film Bazaar,” the festival’s prime networking hub for filmmakers, producers and media professionals from across the world. Press Information Bureau+1

That location is no accident. Film Bazaar is where deals are struck, co-productions are born, and global scripts meet Indian studios. Positioning startups in that ecosystem means they’re not on the periphery—they’ll be in the room where it happens.

What this signals for India’s creative economy

The initiative reflects some broader themes in India’s startup landscape — in particular for the creative-tech sector:

• The government is proactively promoting AVGC-XR as a core pillar of India’s creative economy. WaveX, as a national accelerator under MIB, highlights this push. Press Information Bureau+1

• Startups are no longer just coding apps — they are working at the intersection of storytelling, immersive tech, gaming, animation, and media platforms.

• By bringing them into film-festival marketplaces, the boundary between “entertainment” and “tech startup” is blurring. This convergence is crucial for future growth: it opens new business models for Indian creators beyond traditional films.

For a startup founder focused on XR, gaming, immersive media or content-tech, this could be a strategic moment. A booth at WAVES Bazar doesn’t just mean visibility—it means potential partnerships with studios, co-production deals, pilot-projects, and even global distribution opportunities.

Who should consider this? And how to make the most of it

If you’re a founder in India working on one of the following: animation, gaming, comics, VFX, extended reality, immersive media, or a media-tech platform that serves storytellers or creators—then this is for you.

Here are a few tips to maximise the opportunity:

• Prepare a compelling demo or prototype: Given the audience of producers and global media companies, a live demo or strong visual showcase is key.

• Come with business narrative: Be ready to explain not just “what we build” but “how we monetise” and “why now”.

• Network actively: Use the delegate passes and evening networking slots to introduce yourself to producers, studios, investors.

• Leverage the festival vibe: Being in Goa, surrounded by filmmakers, creators, festival goers—use the environment. Host informal meet-ups, invite people to your stall, tell your story.

• Secure your slot early: Stalls are limited and are allocated first-come, first-served, so don’t wait. Register via the portal.

With IFFI 2025 as the stage and WaveX’s WAVES Bazar as the spotlight, the message is clear: India’s media-tech startup wave is ready to roll. The question for founders is: will you ride it—or watch it pass?

For many in the AVGC-XR ecosystem, this is a moment of convergence: where immersive experiences meet content creation, where gaming worlds meet cinematic narratives, where “made in India” tech meets global reach.

In the next week of November, in Goa, you might just find the future of media-tech taking shape—one booth at a time.