Applications
Percept launches Percept Knorigin with initial investment of $5 million
MUMBAI: Percept has announced the launch of Percept Knorigin – a tech media and service provider, with an initial investment $5 million. The company has roped in Viraj Malik to spearhead the new venture as managing director. Percept Knorigin will be focussed on servicing Indian and global clients by leveraging digital media technology like internet, mobile, gaming and 360 degree capabilities of Percept Group which has interests in entertainment, media and communication services with a capitalised billing of Rs 16.5 billion. The company plans to set up a delivery facility in Bangalore where it will be headquartered. It will also have offices in Mumbai and Delhi. Percept Knorigin is targeting revenues of $10 million per annum and will expand to a team of 100 within the next three years, according to a company statement. Percept Holdings vice-chairman and MD Harindra Singh said, “The Digital or New Tech Media is heavily matured in western countries like US and UK. Estimates predict that by 2010, India is slated to have the third largest mobile and internet user base worldwide. Digital/Interactive communication (Internal and external) in India is undergoing an evolution stage at a rapid pace. Viraj brings in a lot of experience with him in this domain and I am confident Percept Knorigin will deliver value in the area of ‘Tech Media‘ to our clients.” The company will also look at making investments in building ‘enabling platforms‘ for providing these services and solutions. Services bundled with ‘enabling platforms‘ will provide Percept Knorigin the capabilities to offer ROI based marketing solutions. Viraj Malik brings with him more than 12 years of experience in areas of strategic marketing and business development, which includes entrepreneurship experience within India and market development experience in Indian, European and US markets. His last assignment was with Infosys where he headed business development and led key client engagements for Infosys in the European & US markets for IT outsourcing business and was based in London and New York for the last 5 years.
Malik added, “We will be focusing on three broad areas, to create IP in digital advertising aggregation and build network of high quality online properties. Leverage Percept‘s content and network to build unique online and mobile assets. ROI linked marketing solutions to clients in India, UK and USA. Services which will include consulting, creative, operations and procurement services.”
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
