iWorld
Affle launches AI-driven ad tech solutions for SMEs, targeting connected TV growth
MUMBAI: Affle India, celebrating its 20th anniversary at the Bombay Stock Exchange, has announced the launch of new AI-powered advertising technology solutions aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Founders Anuj Khanna Sohum and Anuj Kumar presented the company’s long-term strategy, focusing on innovation, impact, and intelligence, during the event.
Key platforms introduced include OpticksAI for hyper-local creative generation and CTV AI, designed to facilitate ad campaigns for SMEs on connected television (CTV). The company also showcased 100 AI agents developed to enhance team productivity.
“We are targeting a tenfold growth over the next decade, with a planned increase in manpower from 600 to 1,000,” stated Sohum.
The CTV AI platform aims to provide SMEs with affordable access to television advertising within geographically defined areas.
“Shopkeepers and SME business owners can utilise these platforms to advertise on connected TVs,” explained Kumar. “Both platforms feature user-friendly interfaces.”
Sohum elaborated, “Many small business owners desire television advertising at an accessible cost. Our CTV AI service enables them to achieve this at a significantly lower expense compared to traditional satellite and national television in a performance advertising format for bite sized ad campaigns.”
Kumar highlighted the potential market growth, noting, “Currently, there are approximately 12,000 television advertisers out of a total of 250,000 advertisers across various mediums, indicating substantial growth potential.”
Affle intends to deliver approximately a billion hyper local and hyper contextual creatives annually through OpticksAI and onboard one million SMEs globally. “We are focusing on the vernacular vertical, addressing language and localisation needs for ad creation and delivery,” emphasised Sohum.
The company is exploring various strategies to reach and onboard smaller advertisers, including the potential use of agents spread all over the country.
Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
