Mumbai: Orangutan is a multi-faceted organisation operating in three verticals – e-sports, talent management and apparel. The e-sports division includes competitive teams in BGMI, Valorant and Free Fire, which will compete to win tournaments and championships while creating niche gaming content. The talent management vertical has a diverse pool of content creators and influencers who collaborate with the company’s partnered brands to create, produce, and promote unconventional content. Orangutan will eventually launch its premium line of apparel and merchandise.
Indiantelevision.com caught up with Orangutan Gaming co-founder Jai Shah to find out more. Born and raised in Mumbai, Shah is an entrepreneur and an e-sports enthusiast. Right from building a state-of-the-art e-sports training facility to having competitive teams in five different games, he has built Orangutan as a premier e-sports organisation from day one. With a goal to have a globally loved organisation, he works towards it every single day. His love for finance, along with his passion for e-sports, has helped him build successful partnerships with some of the best brands in e-sports.
Edited Excerpts:
On the market gap
The gaming industry in India is still at a very nascent stage, and the industry is growing at each stage. Pre-covid, only a few organisations or brands were engaged with the e-sports industry. But post-covid due to the penetration and expansion of the internet in India, it has played a major role in the success of the industry. With the growing interest and intrigue that arose during this period, we, as an organisation, determined that now was the time to enter the market and disrupt it. In 2021, there were many e-sports organisations, but this period also gave rise to a new era in the industry with the entrance of even more competitive teams, tournament organisers and brands, showing the true potential that e-sports could achieve in the near future.
On the brand name Orangutan Gaming
Orangutans are the smartest apes to exist after humans. They are known to lead troops fearlessly. Our players represent the spirit of orangutans in the true sense. Our facility is named The Forest, which is synonymous with smart, wild, raw, powerful, and fearless. Our facility was built keeping in mind these principles. E-sports are just as challenging as any other traditional sport. To put things into perspective, we approach e-sports like a common man would approach cricket in India. The motto of every sport is "come and conquer."
On its USP vis-à-vis competition
I will lie if I say that everyone in the e-sports industry is not into the verticals that we exist in, but what sets us apart is the keen eye for quality along with a premium touch to it. At Orangutan, we stand for quality in whatever we do, and it is our top priority, be it with our e-sports vertical, talent management, or apparel. At each stage of the organisation, we have never let go of that and have embedded the needs of each of our followers, people associated with brands, etc., but with a keen eye towards disrupting the industry and going over and beyond what one has seen.
On the strategy
E-sports, even though they are such a dark horse, have various monetising factors, and such opportunities are possible in various ways. On the surface, it appears that there are only a few handfuls, but with the right minds working together, you will be surprised at the opportunities to capitalise on the resources that are available in the industry. We at Orangutan have cracked the code and are striving towards new heights, and this wouldn’t have been possible without the team and people who are actively striving to achieve this milestone.
On 5G, contributing to the growth of e-sports hype
The e-sports industry is null and void without the internet. The existence of the internet is the most crucial factor for anyone associated with this industry. During covid, the penetration of the internet in tier II and tier II markets in India boosted e-sports as a whole. The upcoming wave of 5G and its mere introduction have shown nothing but the true potential of what e-sports could achieve with quality and seamless gaming opportunities.
On the talent rosters
Our talent rosters for BGMI, Free Fire, Valorant, and PokemonUnite are nothing less than prodigies. Our players are carefully recruited with the help of our e-sports heads from all over the world. There are many fish in the sea, but finding the right one is always difficult, as each and every game that we participate in is a multiplayer game. It is more important to select the right team player than the right player.
On how Inox and Star Sports are helping make esports more mainstream
It is a classic example of brand positioning. Most traditional sports enthusiasts are also interested in learning about e-sports if they are not already fans. Star Sports is the official broadcasting partner of all sports in India. Likewise, theatres have the resources to provide live screenings in comfort. Star Sports and Inox Cinemas, to further expand and reach out to an untapped or newer audience, have started to participate in this industry. Another example from Orangutan’s end is our collaboration with Too Yumm in helping them foray into sports. E-sports is an upcoming market that big brands today are identifying, and they are aware of the gap that they are missing out on.
On the company's goals for 2023
At Orangutan, we have three baskets: e-sports, talent management, and apparel. For our plans in 2023, we plan on introducing our new vertical, ApeLabs. This has been introduced as a strategic decision, as today no person can game, compete, or interact with their fans without the existence of a PC. At ApeLabs, we want to foray into providing the most seamless process for getting a PC for any need, from gaming to business to anything. Along with this, we plan on providing PCs on rent for events and tournaments. Along with PCs, we would also be selling add-ons such as mice, keyboards, microphones, and headphones from well-known and trusted brands, as well as the best in class service.
