Gaming
30,000+ people attended India’s creator fest ‘Stanfest2024’
Mumbai: Stan platform organised “Stanfest 2024” on 24 November in Phoenix Palassio mall, bringing together India’s top 200+ creators, 30,000+ attendees, gaming enthusiasts, and fans in a one-of-a-kind gaming and creator event.
The event witnessed top creators and their die-hard fans (Stans), concluding on a high note and making Lucknow the new star in the gaming industry. The Stanfest witnessed a footfall of 30,000+ Fans and brought together top creators and gaming enthusiasts under one roof creating a sense of excitement. Among the key highlights was the participation of popular gaming and lifestyle creators and social media influencers, like Ashish Chanchalani, Fukra Insaan, Round2Hell, UK07 Rider, Mortal, Anurag Dwivedi, Shayar, Chill Gamer, Achanak Bhayanak Gaming and many gaming influencers, and more.
At Stanfest, CEO Parth Chadha revealed that the platform has now empowered over 500,000 creators. He also highlighted that the app’s early monetization features have enabled creators to collectively earn over $1 million in just the past six months. Stan is quickly establishing itself as a leading force in driving innovation and growth within the creator economy.
The event enabled the fans to meet their favourite creators, interact, capture moments and create unforgettable memories. It also offered Esports LAN tournaments, gaming awards, live music shows and other performances. The Cosplay section showcased award-winning artists bringing gaming characters to life. The crowd enjoyed a rousing live music performance bringing the night to a close.
“Engaging with such an enthusiastic and vibrant audience was an absolute thrill! I’m truly grateful for the warm welcome in Lucknow. I would like to thank the STAN team for making this experience unforgettable. Seeing all fans together is always an amazing experience. Looking forward to more moments like this!”says Ashish Chanchlani.
Different arenas with interactive experiences were enabled during the fest including custom games in BGMI and Free Fire and other mini games and a club-style gaming experience were also available. The event was full of fun and excitement, with activities like meet-and-greet sessions and mini-games. Participants could win prizes worth Rs 25 lakh, including big rewards like a Royal Enfield Bullet and a Mahindra Thar.
Speaking about the event, the co-founder & COO Nauman Mulla said, “ It was indeed a pleasure to receive so much love from Lucknow. We are elated to share that we have organised India’s biggest creator meet up in India with 200 + creators that has never been seen before in India but we finally made it happen . Stanfest is a major milestone for us, bringing together the brightest creators in a way that reflects the rapid growth of our community. This has been the largest yet, and we’re excited to introduce new experiences that will set the tone for the future of gaming and content creation in India.”
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
