iWorld
BQ partners Nasscom, T-Hub & Karnataka Govt for startups to ‘ScaleUP’
MUMBAI: With a view to encourage startups and emerging companies, Bloomberg Quint has tied up with industry body NASSCOM, T-Hub and the government of Karnataka (GoK) to launch an initiative called ‘ScaleUP’. It will focus on startups in the fields of BFSI, healthcare, consumer retail and education.
As part of a six month schedule, the program will help participant companies showcase and promote their products, skill-up in areas required to scale further and access business opportunities and strategic advice.
Speaking on this, Bloomberg Quint CEO Anil Uniyal said, “We believe lack of ‘scale’ in strategy and execution is one of the biggest reasons young companies struggle in their growth journeys. As a program, ScaleUP has been designed to offer real, meaningful business value to companies. Whether it is highlighting their achievements or creating opportunities for business. And all of this will be spearheaded by an experienced set of partners and guides.”
The program will range from multi-format digital content to on-ground engagement with key players in the ecosystem including potential clients and venture funds. An advisory board will spearhead the vision for the program that shall include content showcases, mentoring sessions, buyer-seller meets, sectoral summits, funding pitches leading up to a grand finale for all participants.
Nasscom Product Council’s serial entrepreneur, investor and vice-chairperson Dr Somdutta Singh joins the board as the chief strategic advisor of BQ ScaleUP. Speaking about the launch, he said, “Business growth is possible only through business connects and cross platform visibility. One should be able to quickly grab a new/existing opportunity and grow their business. This will be possible through Bloomberg Quint ScaleUp. We will help bridge the gap and focus on real and sustainable growth for these emerging companies. Not just promises, our goal is to deliver.”
ScaleUP will be promoted and distributed for mass consumption on the Bloomberg Quint network spanning its own digital platform its network of content partners and top social platforms. The content created shall include elements such as videos, live streaming shows, articles and infographics apart from on-ground interactions.
GoK minister of IT, BT & Tourism Priyank Kharge commented, “Business connect isn’t just an art, it’s hard work. Every contact you build makes it easier for you to compete and scale. Karnataka’s start-ups’ association with Bloomberg Quint will be an enabler to this need. Our prime focus from the government is to collaborate with platforms that will enable every dream become a goal and action is taken towards its achievement.”
T-Hub COO Srinivas Kollipara added, “Ideas are easy, implementation is hard, and scale is even harder. Business connects are critical, and can be the difference between success and failure, but they’re hard to get. An initiative like Bloomberg Quint ScaleUp will deliver these. T-Hub is on a mission to scale start-ups and this initiative aligns with it. We are excited about this collaboration.”
Nasscom President R Chandrasekhar commented, “The start-up ecosystem has witnessed steady growth over the past few years and we have unwavering faith in the young and innovative minds of India that are driving the nation’s entrepreneurially rich ecosystem. As a part of our commitment to scaling this further, we believe that our collaboration with Bloomberg Quint to co-create ‘ScaleUp’ as a platform where start-ups can share knowledge, deepen linkages, sharpen their strategy will empower them to foster innovation and drive growth. Providing promising start-ups forums to improve their products, services, strategies and grow extensively in their domains is vital for their success in the demanding and saturated global arena. We are confident that this platform will provide start-ups which are participating, an experience that will truly help transform them.”
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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.
