MAM
ICC announces Upstox as Official Partner
Mumbai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced a major long-term partnership with the homegrown investment platform Upstox.
The association, which runs to the end of the ICC’s current commercial rights cycle, begins with the inaugural ICC World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand at Southampton, UK from 18 June to 23 June. The partnership will encompass all ICC events until the end of 2023.
Established as RKSV securities in 2009, Upstox has grown rapidly over the years to become one of the largest online investment platforms in India. With four million+ customers onboard, this collaboration with ICC will be pivotal in taking Upstox to the next phase of growth. Engaging with millennials has been the focus of Upstox’s strategy, and the brand said it continues to execute its vision of making financial investing easy, equitable, and affordable for all.
ICC chief commercial officer Anurag Dahiya said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Upstox as an Official Partner of the ICC. As our marquee events around the world continue to attract a wide and passionate fanbase, this association provides Upstox with an unrivalled platform to educate and engage both existing and new customers. We look forward to supporting Upstox’s next phase of growth throughout 2021-23, a period in which the ICC will host no fewer than five senior-level World Cups across Men’s and Women’s cricket.”
Commenting on the partnership, Upstox co-founder & CEO Ravi Kumar said: “There are parallels that can be drawn between various facets of cricket and investing. Just like a consistent and determined performance in cricket gets the team winning, the same attributes in investing can help to build a stronger investment portfolio. Upstox’s collaboration with the ICC will play a significant role in spreading financial awareness and building an equity investment culture in India. We want to empower our customers by helping them maximize the potential of their investments with our tech-enabled and intuitive platform.”
Besides the ICC World Test Championship Final 2021, the events covered under the partnership are: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for 2021 & 2022, ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022, ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 & T20 World Cup 2023, followed by the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023. It also includes the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 and the World Cup 2023 matches.
MAM
One Hand Clap acquires Agenseed to enter distribution space
Creative agency expands into full-stack services with strategic buyout.
MUMBAI: One Hand Clap has decided to stop just clapping for great ideas now it wants to make sure they actually travel. The leading new-age creative agency and production house has acquired Agenseed, a seeding and distribution firm, marking its formal entry into the distribution segment. The move is aimed at expanding its role across the entire marketing value chain and unlocking new growth opportunities.
One Hand Clap expects the new distribution vertical to contribute up to 15 per cent of its overall revenues over the next 12–18 months, signalling a clear strategic shift beyond pure creative services.
Agenseed, founded by Monish Hardasani and Akram Malik, will function as the agency’s dedicated distribution arm. This acquisition strengthens One Hand Clap’s position as it aims to become a full-stack creative and distribution company in India’s rapidly growing digital advertising market.
With over 90 million posts shared daily on Instagram and brands allocating 25–35 per cent of their digital budgets to distribution and creator-led reach, amplification has become critical to campaign success. By integrating distribution early into the creative process, the agency hopes to help campaigns gain stronger cultural traction and momentum.
One Hand Clap founder Aakash Shah said, “The future of advertising is not just about executing great ideas, but about placing them intelligently. By owning both storytelling and distribution, we can drive greater impact for brands while opening up new revenue streams.”
Agenseed co-founder Monish Hardasani added, “The future belongs to ideas designed to travel. This partnership allows us to integrate distribution thinking at the source.”
Founded in 2019 by former AIB leaders Aakash Shah and Naveed Manakkodan, One Hand Clap has worked with major brands including Swiggy, Google, Netflix India, Crocs, Duolingo, CRED, Bumble, BGMI and Chetak. The agency also secured investment from Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath last year.
In an increasingly fragmented attention economy, this acquisition reflects a broader industry shift where agencies are building end-to-end capabilities to stay competitive. One Hand Clap is clearly clapping louder and ensuring its ideas now reach much further.
