MAM
upGrad turns unicorn with $1.2 billion valuation
Mumbai: Homegrown online higher education provider upGrad has become the newest unicorn from the country after it closed a series of raises from Temasek, IFC (International Finance Corp, a sister organisation of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group), and IIFL. The ed-tech startup has raised a total of $185 million at a value of $1.2 billion.
“We are very focussed on our path to being in the top three to five companies globally in ed-tech and serving the one billion workforces across the age group of 18 to 60 years,” said upGrad chairperson and co-founder Ronnie Screwvala. “We are pleased with the investor interest ever since we opened up for a fundraise, and had our maiden raise from Temasek, followed by IFC and IIFL in the last 60 days.”
“We will announce further updates on M&As, and unlocking value as they unfold. Yes, the last value was at $1.2 billion, but as I keep saying, we are not a fan of the tag name unicorn – for us, it is only a means to a much larger goal,” Screwvala added.
upGrad has always been promoter-funded with the founder group still owning 70 per cent plus in the company. It is reportedly in advanced talks for a $400 million fundraise at a valuation of $ four billion.
MAM
Deep Chhabria steps up to APAC creative lead at Netflix
Veteran marketer expands role from India+SEA to oversee creative across Asia-Pacific after four-plus years at streamer.
MUMBAI: Deep Chhabria is levelling up at Netflix proving that when it comes to creative partnerships, he’s got the whole binge-watching region on speed dial. The streaming giant has elevated Chhabria to APAC creative lead, expanding his remit beyond his previous focus on India, South East Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Having clocked over four years with Netflix, he’s been the mastermind behind some of the platform’s most talked-about brand tie-ups in the region.
Standout collaborations under his watch include the Stranger Things 5 x Instamart mash-up, the cheeky Ba***ds of Bollywood activations with Boat and Airtel, Squid Game 2 hook-ups featuring Knorr, 5 Star, and Swiggy, plus the 4700 BC x Netflix play. He’s also driven key distribution deals like Netflix on Vi and Airtel Prepaid, blending content buzz with real-world accessibility.
With roughly 14 years in the game, Chhabria’s CV boasts stints at top agencies such as BBH India, Ogilvy & Mather, and Saatchi & Saatchi honing the craft that makes ads feel less like sales pitches and more like must-watch episodes.
Outside the office, he’s no stranger to the spotlight, a tutor at Miami Ad School in Mumbai, where his students have scooped gongs at Portfolio Nights, The One Show, and D&AD. Oh, and he’s a stand-up comedian who’s notched over 500 gigs across India and the US, even landing spots on Comedy Central India because apparently juggling global campaigns and killer punchlines is just another day at the desk.
The promotion underscores Netflix’s push to keep its APAC creative edge sharp amid fierce competition in the streaming wars. For Chhabria, it’s less a step up and more a wider canvas ready to script the next chapter of binge-worthy marketing magic across the region.
