Brands
Techugo appoints Akshay Gupta as vice president for global IT
NOIDA: Techugo, the global mobile application development and digital transformation firm, has appointed Akshay Gupta as vice president, IT for global markets, signalling its intent to sharpen technology leadership as it scales across borders.
In his new role, Gupta will lead Techugo’s global IT strategy, with a focus on building secure, high-performance and scalable technology frameworks that support worldwide operations. His mandate is clear: align technology with business outcomes, strengthen global delivery, and help power the company’s next phase of international growth.
Gupta joins Techugo from Global Innovations, where he served as chief business officer and steered revenue planning, operations and cross-functional teams across markets. He played a key role in driving business transformation through technology-led initiatives.
Over the years, he has held senior leadership positions at AdCrest Media LLC, Digital Cappuccino and Ackrolix Innovations, contributing to market expansion and operational growth in the digital space. His career also includes consulting stints with global brands such as HP, HCL Technologies, Google ETO, OLX Group and Unacademy, giving him a rare blend of enterprise scale exposure and startup agility.
What sets Gupta apart is his unconventional journey. He began in sales, marketing and P&L leadership before moving steadily into IT operations, infrastructure planning and digital systems. That transition has shaped his belief that technology works best when it speaks the language of business.
Commenting on the appointment, Techugo CEO and co-founder Abhinav Singh said, “Akshay understands both sides of the table. He has driven revenue and quietly built IT strategy behind the scenes. As we expand globally and invest deeper in enterprise and AI-led solutions, his leadership will be critical in creating a robust and future-ready IT ecosystem.”
Gupta said he was excited to join Techugo at a pivotal moment. “My journey from business leadership to IT strategy has reinforced one simple truth: technology must enable growth, efficiency and scale. Techugo is at an exciting stage globally, and I look forward to working with teams across regions to build secure, efficient and innovative systems that deliver real value to clients.”
With this appointment, Techugo continues to position IT not as a support function, but as a strategic engine for global growth.
Brands
Hocco crosses Rs 530cr revenue in two years
Sauce.vc-led Rs 100cr raise values ice cream brand at Rs 2,500cr pre-money as quick commerce hits 20 per cent of sales.
MUMBAI: Hocco has just scooped a seriously sweet milestone crossing the Rs 530 crore revenue mark in just two full years of operations. The fast-growing Indian ice cream and indulgence brand announced it has raised Rs 100 crore in fresh capital led by Sauce.vc. The round values the company at Rs 2,500 crore pre-money and underscores investor confidence in its rapid scale and distinctive India-first approach.
Founder Ankit Chona said the brand’s success stems from solving real Indian challenges extreme summer heat, fragmented cold chains and culturally rooted tastes. “In India, product development doesn’t end in the lab. It only ends when it survives the street,” he noted. This philosophy has produced viral hits such as Aamchi mango ice cream, BIX cake-sponge sandwiches, the Oh cone and culturally relevant collaborations like Haldiram’s Barfi and festive Modak specials.
Hocco currently operates manufacturing facilities in Ahmedabad and Panipat with a production capacity of approximately 3 lakh litres per day, running near full capacity in peak season. The fresh capital will help expand this to around 4.5 lakh litres per day.
Quick commerce has emerged as a major growth engine, now contributing ~20 per cent of overall business and growing nearly 2x year-on-year. The channel has boosted product discovery, increased consumption frequency and helped extend ice cream beyond its traditional seasonal limits.
Sauce.vc founder Manu Chandra said, “At Sauce, we believe that when you chance upon an outlier business, you double down with stronger conviction. We see Hocco as just that.”
With a strong innovation pipeline, deeper distribution and continued focus on cultural relevance, Hocco is entering its third year aiming to capture even more mind space and market share. In a category long dominated by legacy players, this young brand is proving that the coolest way to win is to build for India’s realities, one scoop, one street and one satisfied craving at a time.
