Google International has invested Rs 10 crore in Rigi, the Bengaluru creator economy startup. The investment gives Google its first holding in the company, a 1.43 percent stake. It values Rigi at around Rs 670 crore.
Regulatory filings show Rigi’s board approved the allotment of 1,543 preference shares to Google International at Rs 61,796 each. The allotment brings fresh capital into the company. Google has not previously appeared among Rigi’s shareholders.
From creator tools to micro-dramas
Rigi was founded in October 2021 by Swapnil Saurav and Ananya Singhal. Saurav is the chief executive and Singhal is the chief operating officer. The platform began by helping creators earn from their audiences through paid communities on WhatsApp and Telegram.
Creators on Rigi manage subscriptions and sell digital products such as online courses, webinars and one-to-one mentorship sessions. Rigi earns fees on the transactions that pass through its platform. The model gives creators income beyond brand deals and advertising.
Founders who have sold a startup before
Saurav and Singhal are BITS Pilani alumni who previously built HalaPlay, a real-money fantasy sports platform. They sold HalaPlay to Nazara Technologies and Delta Corp in 2020. Their work with influencers on that platform led them to build Rigi.
Rigi last raised a large round in January 2023, when it collected around Rs 100 crore in a round led by Elevation Capital. Accel, Stellaris Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital took part, alongside angel investors including cricketer MS Dhoni. Google’s investment ends a gap of more than three years since that round.
The company has since moved into entertainment with Rigi TV, a short-form video app built around original shows and micro-dramas. Rigi TV is free to watch and earns from advertising and in-app purchases. Rigi’s own website lists more than 10 million Google Play downloads and a 4.7 rating for the app.
The business behind the bet
Rigi reported revenue of Rs 19.92 crore for the year ended March 2025, with a net loss of Rs 20.5 crore. It has not yet filed results for the year to March 2026. The figures show a business still spending to grow.
Why a small cheque matters
Rs 10 crore is a modest sum for a company of Google’s scale, and a 1.43 percent stake buys no control. What it buys is alignment. Google runs the video and search platforms where India’s creators find their audiences, and Rigi is betting its future on short-form video.
Rigi is also looking beyond India, with plans to expand globally starting in Indonesia. A shareholder that understands creator discovery and video distribution fits that plan. For now the deal is best read as a strategic toehold, not a takeover in waiting.
