ITV News
Schbang puts India on Cairns map with twin finalist teams
Four young creatives make Asia-Pacific shortlist, take on UN brief in a live showdown
MUMBAI: A Mumbai-born agency with no global network backing is punching above its weight. Schbang has landed two teams in the finals of Cairns Hatchlings 2026, sending four young creatives to compete at the Cairns Crocodiles festival in Australia this May.
The Asia-Pacific competition, a proving ground for emerging creative talent, has shortlisted 30 teams from across Australia, Japan and India. Two of those teams come from Schbang alone, a rare feat for a homegrown independent.
The finalists include Priyanka Gohil and Aman Aragonda in the digital category, and Beverly Coutinho and Sneiden D’souza in publishing. They will face a high-stakes, live brief from the United Nations Foundation, unveiled on stage by CMO David Ohana, with just 24 hours to respond. Flights and accommodation for all 60 finalists will be covered by the festival.
For decades, the global creative spotlight has centred on Cannes. But Cairns Crocodiles, now in its second year, is fast redrawing that map. This time, India is not just watching, it is competing at the table.
“What makes this moment remarkable isn’t just that Schbang has two teams in the finals,” the company said. “It’s that four young creatives from India earned their place at Asia-Pacific’s biggest creative table, backed not by a legacy global network, but by an agency that was born in Mumbai just a decade ago.”
Dipshika Ravi, national creative director at Schbang, said, “We are thrilled and excited to see our young Schbangers representing us at prestigious global events such as the Cairns Crocodile Awards. This completely aligns with Schbang’s goal of taking India to the global stage.”
She added, “When I saw the ideas, I knew they had merit and the potential to take them places. I am glad that not one, but four people from Schbang will get to experience the adrenaline-pumping energy of the industry, connect with great minds, and showcase their talent to the world while working on the 48-hour brief. Kudos to them, and here’s wishing them all the very best.”
The finalists, for their part, are already eyeing the global stage. “We believed in our work and seeing it stand tall on its own has been incredible,” said Gohil and Aragonda. “Representing India at a stage this big, on a brief from the United Nations Foundation, is something we never imagined when we started our careers. We’re ready for Cairns.”
Coutinho and D’souza struck a similar note: “Publishing is often overlooked for the role it plays in big brand campaigns, shaping how stories are understood and remembered. With our idea leading the way, the opportunity to fly to Australia and work on a live UN brief in 24 hours, that’s the kind of creative pressure we thrive on. Here we come, with one eye on the brief, and one on the crocs.”
Schbang, founded in 2015, has grown into a 1,200-strong creative, media and technology outfit with offices from Mumbai to London and Amsterdam, working with brands from Jio and Britannia to Philips and ASUS.
From a Mumbai startup to a double finalist on Asia-Pacific’s biggest emerging stage, the signal is unmistakable. The centre of gravity in global creativity is shifting, and this time, India is not on the sidelines.
ITV News
DSM Fresh Foods wins CII IPO Trailblazer 2025 recognition
Zappfresh honoured at CII Unicorn Summit 2026 for governance and growth
MUMBAI: From farm-fresh cuts to boardroom credibility, Zappfresh is clearly slicing its way into the big league. DSM Fresh Foods Limited, which operates Zappfresh, has been recognised as an “IPO Trailblazer 2025” at the CII Unicorn Summit 2026, an initiative by the Confederation of Indian Industry to spotlight high-growth companies demonstrating strong governance and long-term value creation. The recognition was awarded at a ceremony held at the Taj Mahal Hotel, attended by industry leaders, policymakers and business stakeholders. The honour was accepted by Prreya Manchanda, Director at DSM Fresh Foods.
The award category highlights startups and growth-stage firms that are not just scaling fast but are also building robust, compliant and future-ready businesses. For DSM Fresh Foods, it signals growing institutional confidence in its operating model within the fresh and processed food segment.
The company has been expanding its footprint through a customer-focused approach, strengthening quality-led operations and building an omni-channel distribution network to reach consumers more efficiently.
The recognition comes at a time when companies in the food-tech and fresh produce space are increasingly being evaluated not just on growth, but on governance standards and sustainability of operations key factors for any future public market journey.
For DSM Fresh Foods, the nod from CII adds another layer to its growth story, positioning it as a business that is not only scaling up but also shaping up for the long run.
