Brands
Sharad Gupta launches brand advisory firm WNN-WHYNOTNOW
Mumbai: Sharad Gupta, former vice president & lead-corporate communications at Escorts Kubota Ltd, has unveiled his new venture, WNN-WHYNOTNOW, a brand advisory firm dedicated to transforming the landscape of marketing and strategic brand development.
Drawing upon a distinguished career spanning more than 25 years in brand strategy, integrated marketing, and public relations, Gupta has occupied significant leadership positions at reputable organizations such as Escorts Kubota Ltd, TATA Infomedia, Xerox India, Wunderman, Solutions, and 141 Worldwide. Before launching his new venture, Gupta spent nearly a decade at Escorts Kubota, formerly known as Escorts Limited, leading brand strategy, end-to-end communication campaigns, integrating marketing, PR, and digital efforts to achieve cohesive and impactful brand messaging.
In addition to his various brand & marketing roles with corporates, Gupta served as the ex co-chair of CII Regional Start-up Council, demonstrating his commitment to fostering entrepreneurship.
With a wealth of experience advising various mainframe and SME brands in sectors like advertising, media, public relations, manufacturing, IT, FMCG, consumer durables, education, and peripherals, Gupta positions WNN uniquely to address the specific needs of Start-ups, SMEs, and Unicorns. The firm offers strategic branding, MarTech solutions, and PR strategies to enhance their optimal value. Gupta asserts that strategic, cost-effective branding can empower these businesses to not only appear appealing but also contribute positively and propagate goodness.
Speaking on the new venture, Gupta stated, “With WNN, our unwavering commitment is rooted in empowering businesses to transcend their potential by offering unparalleled expertise in marketing, strategic communication, and creative innovation. WNN hopes to be a beacon for start-ups, SMEs, and unicorns, catalysing their journey towards success. As India emerges as one of the largest ecosystems for startups globally, boasting over one lakh startups, WNN is poised to play a pivotal role in supporting their GoToMarket and business journey, specifically focusing on marketing push and brand development to ensure their success. Our mission is to foster a collaborative synergy that propels our clients’ business goals, ensuring they not only survive but thrive in today’s fiercely competitive marketplace.”
Brands
Aman Gupta’s OFF/BEAT secures Rs 100 crore seed funding round
Bessemer backs new venture betting on AI and India’s digital shift
MUMBAI: Aman Gupta has raised Rs 100 crore in seed funding for his new venture OFF/BEAT, with Bessemer Venture Partners leading the round as it bets on a new wave of AI-led, consumer-first businesses in India.
The funding marks an early but significant push for OFF/BEAT, which is positioned to tap into a rapidly evolving market shaped by a digitally native generation and advances in artificial intelligence. The venture aims to build at the intersection of culture and technology, where brand identity and innovation increasingly go hand in hand.
Gupta, best known for co-founding boAt and scaling it into a Rs 3,000 crore-plus business, is now looking to apply those learnings to a new playbook. His focus this time is not just on building a consumer brand, but on leveraging AI and global networks to accelerate growth.
OFF/BEAT founder Aman Gupta said, “Having built from scratch before, I know what capital can do and what it cannot. This time, I was looking for partners with a global perspective who can help me leverage technology and AI, because that is where the future lies. Bessemer’s track record with companies like Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn says it all.”
The choice of investor reflects that ambition. Bessemer Venture Partners has backed global technology players such as Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn, bringing not just capital but strategic support and global reach.
Bessemer Venture Partners partner Anant Vidur Puri said, “We back founders who see around corners. Aman saw how a new India would come to think about aspiration, identity and quality, and built boAt as proof. He is now applying that same instinct to a market being reshaped by AI and by a generation with entirely new expectations.”
The investment comes at a time when India’s startup ecosystem is being reshaped by both consumer behaviour and technological disruption. Founders are increasingly expected to understand not just products, but the cultural shifts that drive adoption.
For OFF/BEAT, the journey is just beginning, but the signal is clear. In a market where attention is fleeting and expectations are rising, building something truly distinctive may be the only way to stay on beat.
