Sankari Studios
Sankari Studios, PBC is a California benefit corporation that builds KATOA, a Unity-powered freemium mobile game translating in-game actions into real dollars for conservation NGOs, serving climate-conscious mobile gamers globally via the iOS and Android app stores.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSan Mateo, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Sankari Studios does
Sankari Studios, PBC is a California-domiciled public benefit corporation that develops mobile games designed to convert digital gameplay into real-world climate and conservation outcomes. Its flagship product, KATOA (KATOA Oceans), is a Unity-powered, cross-platform (iOS and Android) mobile game in which players build and nurture living in-game ecosystems, explore 3D biomes, collect fauna, defend habitats against a toxic "Blight," and earn "impact points" that are underwritten by Sankari, sponsors, and philanthropic partners and converted into real dollars directed at player-selected conservation projects. The game globally launched in 2024 and was featured as "Best New Game" by Apple.
The business model is freemium and hybrids consumer monetization with philanthropic underwriting: end-user players download and play KATOA at no cost, while revenue and conservation funding flow through sponsorship, conservation-NGO partnerships (e.g., Earth Day, Conservation International, UN ACTNOW, World Ocean Day), philanthropic grants (including a 2021 Unity Impact Grant), and emerging impact-investment channels. Go-to-market is product-led and community-led via the iOS App Store, Google Play, and an organic social presence (X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok). The studio is based in San Mateo, California, and is led by a four-person executive team (CEO Victoria Raiser, CCO Christian Rossi, CSO Rexanne Martin, COO Simon Mathew) drawn from Google, Marvel, EA, Activision, and Niantic. Beyond gaming, Sankari has signaled expansion into adjacent verticals via a September 2024 partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts on the Regent Residences Dubai development.
Sankari Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sankari Studios
- Legal name
- Sankari Studios, PBC
- Website
- https://sankaristudios.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sankari Studios, PBC is a California benefit corporation that builds KATOA, a Unity-powered freemium mobile game translating in-game actions into real dollars for conservation NGOs, serving climate-conscious mobile gamers globally via the iOS and Android app stores.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sankari Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Gaming (Climate Conservation)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios (MPAFAAAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Social/UGC & Sandbox Game Studios (Roblox-like) (MPAFAAAF)
Keywords
Where Sankari Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Mateo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sankari Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Impact Points System with Philanthropic Underwriting: Players earn impact points through gameplay that are underwritten by Sankari Studios, sponsors, and philanthropic partners. Points turn into real dollars directed to conservation projects chosen by players.
- Sponsorships and Conservation Partnerships: Revenue generated through partnerships with conservation organizations and sponsors who underwrite the impact points earned by players and support specific conservation projects.
- Unity Impact Grant: Received 2021 Impact Grant from Unity Charitable Fund to support development of KATOA and mission to save the world from climate change.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free gameplay with impact points earned through engagement |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Sankari Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sankari Studios develops and operates KATOA (KATOA Oceans), a freemium mobile conservation game available on iOS and Android via app stores. Players build and nurture virtual ecosystems, explore 3D biomes, collect fauna, complete quests, and defend habitats from threats, with in-game actions mirrored by real-world conservation projects. Players earn impact points through gameplay that are underwritten by Sankari, its sponsors, and philanthropic partners, and are converted into real dollars directed to player-chosen conservation projects.
Product overview
Sankari Studios offers a single mobile gaming product called KATOA (KATOA Oceans), a conservation-themed mobile game available on iOS and Android. The game allows players to create and maintain virtual habitats, attract wildlife, defend against threats called 'Blight,' and participate in a global community working toward climate solutions. KATOA serves as an 'education through play' platform that connects virtual gameplay to real-world conservation outcomes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KATOA: A mobile game that merges gaming with climate action, allowing players to build and nurture habitats while driving real-world conservation impact.
Products and services
- KATOA (KATOA Oceans) A freemium mobile conservation game for iOS and Android in which players build and nurture living virtual ecosystems, explore 3D biomes, collect fauna, complete daily and weekly quests, defend habitats from a toxic 'Blight' threat, and join a global community that converts in-game progress into impact points underwritten by Sankari, sponsors, and philanthropic partners, then into real dollars for player-selected conservation projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- Featured as 'Best New Game' by Apple within weeks of KATOA launch
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sankari Studios
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sankari Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature1 record
Sankari Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, minor and core.
- IHG Hotels & Resorts / Regent ResidencesflagshipIHG and Sankari announced a partnership to launch the world's first upper luxury standalone Regent Residences in Dubai - a twin-tower branded residential development designed by Foster + Partners. This marks IHG's expansion into standalone luxury residential segment and Sankari's entry into real estate/hospitality sector.
- Earth Day NetworkmajorEarth Day is a partner organization supporting the heroes saving our planet through KATOA gameplay. Players can direct their impact points to Earth Day projects.
- Conservation InternationalmajorConservation International supports KATOA as a conservation partner. Each partner supports a specific project that needs player help - from restoring seagrass to preserving ocean life.
- World Ocean DaymajorWorld Ocean Day is a partner organization in the KATOA ecosystem, supporting ocean conservation projects that players can fund through gameplay.
- Saving PenguinsminorSaving Penguins partners with KATOA to support penguin conservation projects that players can help fund through in-game actions.
- DICT (East London), South AfricaminorDICT (Developing ICT Solutions) based in East London, South Africa is a KATOA partner supporting conservation initiatives in Africa.
- Global Youth CoalitionminorThe Global Youth Coalition is a partner supporting KATOA's mission to engage youth in climate action through mobile gaming.
- National Cleanup DayminorNational Cleanup Day partners with KATOA to support cleanup initiatives that players can contribute to through gameplay.
- Save the Waves CoalitionminorSave the Waves Coalition is a KATOA partner focused on protecting coastal and wave ecosystems worldwide.
- World Cleanup DayminorWorld Cleanup Day partners with KATOA to support global cleanup efforts through the platform's gamification.
- United Nations ACTNOWmajorUN ACTNOW is a KATOA partner, promoting climate action through the platform and connecting players to United Nations sustainability initiatives.
- Unity TechnologiescoreKATOA is built using Unity game engine technology. Sankari Studios is a Unity Impact Grant recipient and proudly displays Unity branding as a sponsor on their Unity partnership page.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sankari Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Niantic: Mobile gaming developer behind Pokémon GO and Ingress, focused on real-world engagement through gameplay. Closely comparable to Sankari in cross-platform mobile game development, real-world impact framing, and veteran team pedigree (Niantic itself was founded by ex-Google staff).
- Scopely: Mobile gaming studio with a portfolio of community-driven, freemium titles and live-ops depth. Comparable to Sankari in mobile-first social/community gameplay mechanics and reliance on in-game events and partnerships to drive engagement.
- Wildlife Studios: Brazil-based mobile game developer behind casual and social titles (e.g., Tennis Clash, Zooba). Comparable to Sankari in mobile-casual game design, free-to-play monetization, and studio scale targeting global audiences.
Broad incumbents
- Rovio Entertainment: Owner of the Angry Birds franchise and a major mobile game publisher with comparable freemium, character-driven mobile IP. Relevant as a peer in mobile casual gaming at similar scale, but with a much broader IP portfolio and global brand.
- Supercell: Finnish mobile game studio behind Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars. Comparable as a mobile-first, freemium game studio with community-driven live-ops, though substantially larger and more profitable than Sankari.
- King: Mobile game developer behind Candy Crush and a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard. Comparable to Sankari in mobile casual gameplay and free-to-play monetization, but operating at far greater scale with established live-ops.
- Zynga: Major mobile and social game publisher (now part of Take-Two) with a portfolio of casual, community-driven titles. Comparable as a mobile-social game publisher, though far larger and broader in IP than Sankari's single-title model.
- Playrix: Mobile game developer behind Homescapes and Gardenscapes. Comparable to Sankari as a mobile casual, free-to-play studio with strong retention mechanics and global user base.
- Wooga: Berlin-based mobile game studio focused on story-driven casual games such as June's Journey. Comparable to Sankari as a mobile casual studio with narrative and collection-based gameplay, though at greater scale and with established IP.
Others
- Conservation International: Global environmental NGO and existing KATOA conservation partner. Not a competitor, but a strategic counterparty and ecosystem participant whose funding priorities and project pipeline directly shape Sankari's impact-point economics.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sankari Studios social profiles
Digital presenceSankari Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sankari Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Sankari Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sankari Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sankari Studios
What does Sankari Studios do?
Sankari Studios develops and operates KATOA (KATOA Oceans), a freemium mobile conservation game available on iOS and Android via app stores. Players build and nurture virtual ecosystems, explore 3D biomes, collect fauna, complete quests, and defend habitats from threats, with in-game actions mirrored by real-world conservation projects. Players earn impact points through gameplay that are underwritten by Sankari, its sponsors, and philanthropic partners, and are converted into real dollars directed to player-chosen conservation projects.
Is Sankari Studios a public or private company?
Sankari Studios is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sankari Studios founded?
Sankari Studios was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sankari Studios based?
Sankari Studios is headquartered in San Mateo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sankari Studios make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Impact Points System with Philanthropic Underwriting is the primary driver. The others are sponsorships and Conservation Partnerships and unity Impact Grant.
Who are Sankari Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Niantic, Scopely and Wildlife Studios. Broad incumbents are Rovio Entertainment, Supercell, King, Zynga, Playrix and Wooga. Conservation International is listed as an others.
Does Sankari Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sankari Studios.
What industry is Sankari Studios in?
Sankari Studios's product category is Mobile Gaming (Climate Conservation). Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAK, Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAAAF, Social/UGC & Sandbox Game Studios (Roblox-like). Its SIC code is 7900.