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FanDuel gets $275 million funding from KKR, Google Capital, Time Warner
MUMBAI: FanDuel Inc, the one-day fantasy sports operator, has closed $275 million in Series E financing, bringing total capital raised to $363 million.
The oversubscribed round was led by global investment firm KKR with Google Capital and Time Warner Investments, together with Turner Sports, also joining.
A number of NFL and NBA team owners participated in the round along with previous investors, including Shamrock Capital, NBC Sports Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Bullpen Capital, Pentech Ventures and Piton Capital.
The company continues to grow rapidly with paid active users growing 300 per cent from the same period last year. The financing will be used to increase customer acquisition efforts across the US, accelerate the introduction of new products, features and growth initiatives to serve the company’s mission to create the ultimate fan experience, and to build out its industry-leading management team.
“Having partners like KKR, Google Capital and Time Warner/Turner Sports invest in FanDuel underscores the way this company is transforming sports entertainment. This roster of investors, with expertise across finance, technology, advertising and sports entertainment, is committed to the growth and success of FanDuel as a game-changer for the sports industry,” said FanDuel CEO and co-founder Nigel Eccles.
“We are thrilled to support FanDuel’s next phase of growth given the company’s leading position in the daily fantasy market, model operating principles, highly efficient customer acquisition capabilities, and visionary management team. FanDuel is poised to become the most engaging digital entertainment platform for sports fans around the world,” added KKR’s Ted Oberwager.
The news comes even as FanDuel hired an experienced team of over 40 developers based in Orlando, Florida focused exclusively on sports and mobile gaming and finalizing exclusive, multiyear partnerships with 13 NBA teams and 16 NFL teams.
Mesa Global, which was recently acquired by Houlihan Lokey, served as FanDuel’s investment banker.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
