“There’s no shortcut to credibility. In any industry, especially one as young as esports, consistency, patience, and clarity of purpose matter more than quick wins.”
Based out of Mumbai, founder and CEO of Upthrust Esports, Kartik Sabherwal, began his entrepreneurial journey with the belief that he could reshape how people experience esports in India and South Asia. Today, Upthrust is leading esports tournament organisers and production houses in the region, operating across mobile, PC, console, and VR all across India, providing professional-quality events for both grassroots and top-tier players.
Initial Inspiration
The initial idea to start Upthrust Esports came from a frustration of not having enough support for the vast talent in India’s gaming community. Kartik reveals,
“Esports felt either underproduced or completely out of reach for so many deserving players. I wanted to change that. Coming from a small town like Jhansi, this wasn’t some easy leap. Back then, gaming was still seen as a distraction, not a path.”
He looks back at a time when he had to juggle the unreliability of the internet and the pressure to find a real purpose. He reflects and says,
“What kept me going was knowing that this was real, the passion, the grind, the potential. So we started small. Community events. Learning fast. Failing faster. Building relationships. Reinvesting everything back into the scene. Now it’s been five years. And looking back, it’s wild to see how far we’ve come. What started as a stubborn belief has grown into something bigger than any of us.”
For Kartik today, Upthrust Esports is much more than tournaments or prize pools; he takes pride in building ‘a space where talent, no matter where it comes from, finally gets a shot.’
The Edge
What makes Upthrust Esports stand apart from the competitors is that they are doing more than running tournaments by building a full-stack esports engine. The services they provide vary from end-to-end media production and event management to influencer marketing and brand integration. Kartik adds,
“Our IPs like Pro Showdown, India Rising, and Diwali Battle are built with that same mindset: quality, consistency, and connection with the community. We’re also one of the few in India offering both white-label and branded esports production at scale.”
Rewarding Journey
One of the initial troubles Kartick faced was building credibility. Around the time they started, there was hardly any trust in esports. He further notes,
“The community didn’t trust organisers who over-promised and under-delivered. We overcame that by staying focused on execution, delivering clean, professional events and being transparent with players, sponsors, and partners. Shark Tank India helped give us a national platform, but our growth came from consistency and building trust over time.”
Despite the initial struggles they had, they have prevailed due to a simple belief in continuous growth, their impact on the community, and their partnerships with industry leaders.
So far, they have been featured on Shark Tank India, built a team of 30+ people, and worked with brands like Samsung, AMD, and iQOO. Other accomplishments include winning “Best Tournament Organizer of 2024” at the IFES Esports Community Summit.
A New Dawn
Looking ahead, Upthrust Esports plans to scale in three key areas. The first goal is to expand its own IPs into international markets, bringing their signature events to new audiences. They also aim to do more brand collaborations by creating esports marketing that reaches beyond traditional gaming circles and resonates with broader communities.
The other plan is to invest in technology and tools to empower creators and organisers behind the scenes, making every event smoother and more professional. Kartik shares,
“WCG 2025 India National Showdown is a big step forward for us; it shows we’re ready for the global stage. Achieving all this means continuing to invest in talent, infrastructure, and partnerships.”
Reflecting on his journey, Kartik has learned that there is no shortcut to credibility; one needs to understand consistency, patience, and clarity of purpose to find such credibility. As he signs off, he says,
“Build something real, deliver on your promises, and keep listening to your community. And for entrepreneurs: don’t wait for perfect timing. Just start. You’ll figure it out along the way, and every mistake is a step forward if you treat it that way.”
