Gaming
Jio launches ultra-low broadband plan on the heels of IPL
Mumbai: The IPL 2023 is not too far away, and Jio is all in for it. The scenario only seems to be getting hotter with Reliance Jio Infocomm announcing a new broadband back-up plan at a monthly rate of Rs 198 rupees for unlimited data at 10 Mbps; this would slash entry-level rates by half.
As per reports, the plan also offers unlimited landline voice calls, and is meant to be a backup connection to help homes with unreliable broadband connection and assured supply of data at an affordable price.
Jio is committed to connectivity and uninterrupted streaming and this strategic decision comes in ahead of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League which starts on 31 March and would available free on the JioCinema app. The new broadband connectivity plan will be available from 30 March i.e. a day prior to the start of the tournament.
Currently, the company offers a broadband plan starting at Rs 399 a month with unlimited data at 30 Mbps. Rival brand Bharti Airtel’s broadband plan starts at Rs 499 with a speed of 40 Mbps.
Jio’s new broadband plan has upgrade options to higher speeds with one , two, and seven-day options. For an additional Rs 100-200 a month, subscribers to the plan can get live TV channels, OTT platforms and other gaming apps as well. The plan is available for a minimum of five months at Rs 1,490, which includes Rs 500 of installation charges.
Jio is at the forefront among the home broadband service providers with over 7 million subscribers closely followed by BSNL and Bharti Airtel.
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.
