iWorld
Shark Tank India: iDreamCareer bags Rs 1.10 crore deal from Ritesh Agarwal & Aman Gupta
Mumbai: Shark Tank India Season 3, which debuted on 22 January 2024, remains a riveting watch, showcasing a dynamic array of entrepreneurs and their compelling pitches.
The latest episode of Shark Tank Season 3 witnessed iDreamCareer founder Ayush Bansal & co-founder Squadron Leader N Praveen Kumar bagged a deal of Rs 1.10 crore from Ritesh Agarwal & Aman Gupta. The founders introduced the sharks about the need for career guidance among students. With the vision to help more young students achieve their career goals, it is the first-ever career counselling platform that took the stage of Shark Tank India 3.
iDreamCareer is India’s leading career counseling brand that offers comprehensive career & college guidance to students in schools & colleges. It has empowered one million plus students and has partnered with top corporates, private schools, and government institutions to make career guidance accessible for students, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds.
During their pitch, the sharks were impressed by the social impact created by the company. However, Peyush Bansal (founder of Lenskart) was not convinced by the business model of the company and that the company should look at expanding one of the business models.
Sharks Aman & Ritesh resonated strongly with the problem that iDreamCareer is solving; to give career & college guidance to young students.
Later the company got a deal of Rs 1.10 Crore at 60 crore valuation from Aman Gupta (founder of boAt) & Ritesh Agarwal (founder of OYO). The deal comprised Rs 60 lakh equity and the rest of Rs 50 lakh as eight per cent interest debt for two years.
iDreamCareer’s last funding round was in 2022 where it raised Rs 12.50 Crore from Menterra Social Impact Fund, Gray Matters Capital & Artha Impact.
Gaming
Nodwin Gaming partners with Runestone for esports data and integrity solutions
South Asian esports leader joins forces with Czech tech firm to enhance tournament operations.
MUMBAI: Nodwin Gaming has just levelled up its game by bringing in a specialist to keep the scoreboard honest and the fans fully engaged. The leading South Asian esports and gaming company has announced a strategic partnership with Runestone, a Prague-headquartered esports technology firm specialising in real-time data and engagement solutions for tournament organisers and publishers.
The collaboration aims to strengthen competitive integrity, improve operational oversight, and deliver more interactive viewing experiences across Nodwin’s properties. It will initially focus on the Nodwin Clutch Series for Counter-Strike 2, a Tier 2 tournament that provides emerging teams with consistent competitive opportunities and helps build the talent pipeline.
The latest edition of the series recently concluded with Big defeating ECSTATIC 2–1 in the grand final of the $50,000 online event.
Nodwin Gaming chief business officer at MENA and global head of data monetization Teemu Koski said, “Integrity and transparency are fundamental to sustainable esports ecosystems, especially in Tier 2 competition where the next generation of talent emerges. Runestone’s expertise complements our experience in building scalable esports IPs.”
Runestone head of partnerships Michael Schwartz added, “Nodwin Gaming has built one of the most dynamic esports ecosystems across emerging markets. We’re thrilled to collaborate on supporting tournaments with greater transparency, deeper fan interaction, and scalable tools.”
Both companies are exploring opportunities to extend the partnership across additional titles, including mobile-first competitive ecosystems, and to develop new products for publishers, tournament operators, and event promoters.
In the rapidly growing world of esports, where fair play and fan excitement are equally crucial, Nodwin Gaming and Runestone are teaming up to ensure every match is not only competitive but also transparent and engaging. This alliance could well become a game-changer for Tier 2 tournaments across South Asia and beyond.
