Gaming
Infinite Reality secures $3 billion investment to drive immersive technology innovation
MUMBAI: Immersive technology and digital media innovation firm Infinite Reality (iR) has closed a landmark $3 billion equity investment from a private investor specializing in global technology and real estate. The funding underscores confidence in iR’s vision for the next generation of the internet, leveraging extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI).
The investment positions iR as a major player in the rapidly growing immersive technology sector, projected to reach nearly $1 trillion by 2030. CEO John Acunto emphasised the company’s commitment to empowering businesses and creators with tools to craft immersive digital experiences while retaining full ownership of their data and customer relationships.
“This fundraise validates our mission to build an immersive platform that powers the next era of the web,” said Acunto. “Our customers can now seamlessly transition from 2D websites to immersive spaces, optimising their operations and unlocking new revenue opportunities.”
IInfinite Reality plans to leverage the funding for continued expansion, including acquisitions, partnerships, and product development. Key recent milestones include:
* The significant expansion of iR’s MENA presence through partnerships with both public and private sectors. This rapid growth is highlighted by multiple high profile collaborations, including the development of advanced digital twin technologies for practical applications such as interactive training and safety demonstrations for the UAE ministry of finance, as well as the recent unveiling of the digital twin of the DMCC Crypto Centre. The momentum will continue to build with upcoming prominent projects across the region including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and beyond, encompassing initiatives with government entities, tourism authorities, and premier real estate developers.
* The $450 million purchase of Dubai-based Landvault (now iR Enterprise) which has built over 1.2 million square feet of virtual experiences for countless high-profile brands including Mastercard, Standard Chartered, Hershey, a Cannes Lion-winning Heineken campaign with Dentsu, groundbreaking activations with Hershey in Decentraland, and the innovative World of Women experience in The Sandbox.
* The closing of multiple acquisitions, including the $250 million acquisition of the Drone Racing League, the $75 million purchase of Ethereal Engine, Action Face, and Stakes. These deals strengthened iR’s capabilities in computer vision and spatial web technology, gaming, robotics, and more.
* Continued work with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, including the launch of the FIM SGP-VERSE app, the world’s first socially interactive and fully immersive speedway experience with features such as customisable camera streams, an exclusive pit reporter feed and on-demand video content.
In addition, iR is advancing its Florida innovation hub, transforming a former Superfund site into a state-of-the-art headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, expected to create thousands of jobs and bolster the region’s technological leadership.
Co-founder Amish Shah noted that the investment, secured as equity without debt, allows iR to execute its vision without restrictions. “This partnership provides us with unparalleled resources to grow through innovation, acquisitions, and global market expansion.”
Infinite Reality’s iR Studio, a no-code immersive SaaS platform, will see further enhancements to democratise access to XR technology. By combining AI and proprietary tools, the company aims to make immersive digital experiences accessible and scalable for brands and creators worldwide.
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
