MAM
Novak Djokovic signs up with IMG
MUMBAI: IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, has signed ATP World No. 1 player Novak Djokovic for exclusive worldwide management and representation.
Under the terms of the exclusive multi-year agreement, IMG will represent Djokovic in developing a brand building strategy through marketing, endorsements, appearances and licensing along with select global business initiatives.
Djokovic‘s addition will help IMG to offset the loss of Tennis legend Roger Federer, who had earlier this year refused to renew his contract with the agency.
In making the announcement, IMG chairman and CEO Mike Dolan said, “Novak Djokovic is a superbly talented tennis player, and world-class competitor who demonstrates a very strong character through his passion and commitment to his game. I believe he has the ability to translate those qualities into achieving great success working with global brands in the marketplace.”
“I‘m very happy with how my career has been advancing these past few years. Working with IMG will continue to build off of that momentum. IMG‘s expansive global footprint will offer me a truly unique set of resources to explore business opportunities that simply do not exist anywhere else in the industry,” added Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic has won five Grand Slam singles titles — 2008, 2011 and 2012 Australian Open, the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2011 U.S. Open Champion.
In 2011 he became the sixth player in history to win three grand slam titles in a one year period. He is also the first male Serbian tennis player to win a major singles title and the youngest player in the open era to have reached the semifinals of all four Grand Slam events, separately and consecutively.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
