MAM
Santosh Kumar appointed new CEO of Digibooster
MUMBAI: B2B content marketplace, Digibooster has announced that it has appointed Santosh Kumar as its new CEO. Effective February 2019, he will be responsible for building a scalable global technology-enabled marketplace for short format content. Digibooster is setting its sights on becoming the "world's largest short-form content marketplace".
Kumar comes with 17 years of rich and varied experience in investment banking and IT global project management, retail venture, and tech startups. He has handled projects across geographies for large MNCs like Societe Generale, and Thomson Reuters.
Santosh has a strong background in building ventures from ground up. He was the co-founder and CEO of SpotPlay, a patent-pending travel entertainment product that had been actively deploying the product in Chile, India, and Thailand. He also co-founded Panache Silver in 2013, a silver omni channel venture which became the first silver brand to be launched on Flipkart and has expanded to 2 outlets in Bengaluru. He is an ardent sportsman and frequently participates in national and international cycling events.
Digibooster founder and strategic investor Nandini Mansinghka said, “We are very excited about Santosh coming on board as CEO. With Santosh leading Digibooster we are perfectly poised to build a fabulous product and marketplace targeting the fragmented seller and buyer universe in the short format content space.”
On his appointment, Kumar said, “I am happy to take up this new role as it felt like a perfect fit since I would get to build a video content marketplace given the video consumption explosion in India after Jio. Having co-founded 2 ventures and on the verge of exiting SpotPlay, I had a couple of offers to get back to corporate life or head an Incubator to mentor other startups. But that didn't seem exciting, given my penchant for building a product, build on a vision and execute and create new markets. My previous venture SpotPlay was closely linked to video content business and I always wanted to work in this industry.”
Digibooster already has a strong library of over 10,000 short form video content pieces on the platform. With over 9,000 highly curated global subscribers for their weekly newsletter; Digibooster is focusing on becoming the go-to place for anyone looking to buy short format content including content websites, brands, facebook pages, and Youtube aggregators and even individual influencers looking to build deeper engagement and traffic on their websites and pages.
Brands
Netflix acquires Ben Affleck’s AI film-tech firm InterPositive
Streaming giant picks up production startup to streamline digital filmmaking
LOS ANGELES: Netflix has officially acquired InterPositive, an AI film-technology startup founded by actor and director Ben Affleck. The move marks a significant investment by the streaming service into assistive AI tools designed to support the technical side of movie production. While many AI companies focus on generating new images or scripts, InterPositive focuses on the logistical challenges of filmmaking. The firm’s technology is designed to handle technical tasks that often delay post-production, such as correcting lighting inconsistencies and ensuring visual continuity across different takes.
The acquisition is not about replacing human actors or writers. Instead, Netflix intends to use the technology as a digital assistant for directors. The software understands cinematic logic, meaning it can automatically adjust background elements or environmental effects to ensure a film looks polished and consistent without months of manual editing.
In a Netflix post on Thursday, Affleck emphasised that the project was born out of a desire to support the craft rather than automate it. “I knew I had a responsibility to my peers and our industry, to protect the power of human creativity and the people behind it. In creating InterPositive, I sought to do just that,” Affleck wrote. “From the invention of the moving image to the transition to digital, from motion capture to virtual production, technology has evolved alongside the artists who use it. Our shared commitment to continuing this legacy makes joining together a natural next step.”
Netflix chief product and technology officer Elizabeth Stone said, “Our approach to AI has always been focused on meaningfully serving the needs of the creative community. InterPositive’s technology is purpose-built for filmmakers and showrunners to naturally support their visions. We’re excited to welcome the team to Netflix and continue building a future where technology enhances storytelling, while people remain at the core.”
Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria added, “New tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it. Ben and his team are part of a long tradition of artists leading innovation in storytelling. Their work gives filmmakers more choices, control, and protection for their vision.”
The deal coincides with a broader partnership between Netflix and Artists Equity, the production company led by Affleck and Matt Damon. Following the success of their recent projects on the platform, this acquisition cements Affleck’s role as both a creative and technical advisor to the streamer. Affleck noted that the partnership was a logical fit due to “Netflix’s decades of experience applying and scaling technology responsibly.” He will serve as a senioradvisor for the integration of the technology, ensuring the tools remain focused on helping filmmakers.
For the film industry, this acquisition signals a shift in strategy. Rather than just buying finished movies, Netflix is now owning the specialized technology used to build them. By bringing these tools in-house, the company aims to reduce the rising costs and lengthy timelines associated with high-budget original films while giving their productions a technical edge in speed and visual quality.
