MAM
College Rivals ropes in Acer and Sony to enhance the grand finale experience
Mumbai: College Rivals, Esports talent hunt, has partnered with gaming giants Acer as the co-powered sponsor and Sony as the official gaming headset partner for its highly anticipated grand finale, set to take place on 3 March at Nesco, Mumbai.
College Rivals, the pioneering intellectual property (IP) of Ampverse, Asia’s largest gaming communities, and IPs, in collaboration with DMI Finance, has harnessed the vast talent pool within college campuses nationwide by offering students an innovative platform to display their gaming skills
Being one of the world’s top ICT companies, Acer will elevate the stature of the LAN finale, contributing to its experiential appeal. Meanwhile the association of Sony, the multinational conglomerate brings an immersive gaming experience with their cutting-edge gaming headphones, Sony Inzone, elevating gameplay for all participants.
Sharing his thoughts on onboarding prominent Esports names for the one-of-a-kind finale, Ashwin Haryani, Country Head of Ampverse, India said, “We are delighted to join forces with Acer and Sony, whose shared vision of transforming India’s Esports landscape through College Rivals resonates with ours. College Rivals, as an impactful IP of Ampverse, is committed to establishing a sustainable ecosystem for the nation’s burgeoning gamers. With the backing of these industry leaders, we will be able to deliver an unparalleled experience for not only our finalists but for all attendees.”
TP-Link, the reliably smart global networking provider has joined the grand finale as the official Networking Partner. The brand’s expertise in providing top-notch networking solutions will ensure seamless connectivity and smooth gaming experience for all finalists.
The event boasts an impressive lineup of partners, including, Nostra as the Associate Partner, Jio Games as the Media Partner, Radiocity 91.1 FM as the Radio Partner, and Crepdog Crew as the Streetwear Partner.
This one-of-a-kind experiential event will feature 24 finalists selected from colleges nationwide, competing across five titles including BGMI, Road to Valor, Valorant, Tekken7, and FIFA 23 on three different platforms.
Distinguished Esports personalities including Naman Mathur (Mortal), Payal Dhare (PayalGaming), Tanmay Singh (ScoutOP), and others will grace the event, engaging with attendees.
In addition, prominent Esports organizations like Revenant Esports, Orangutan Esports, and Entity Gaming will be present at the finale, offering fans a chance to interact and learn from the best in the industry.
Adding to the excitement, music artists Seedhe Maut, Muhfaad, and Char Diwari will deliver electrifying live performances.
Attendees will also be able to enjoy arcade gaming zones, a cosplay competition, racing simulators, and various food and beverage options.
Fans can avail their tickets for the grand finale on BookMyShow, the event’s official ticketing partner.
For those who are unable to witness the action live, the grand finale will be streamed live on Youtube, Facebook Gaming, Twitch, Kick, Glance, JioGames, JioTV, Loco, and Rooter.
The production of the College Rivals grand finale will be handled by Gently Altered.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
