Gaming
Kofluence secures investment from Nazara Technologies for influencer driven game discovery platform
Mumbai: Kofluence, the leading Social Media Influencer marketing tech platform in India announced a pivotal development in its growth trajectory as the board of Nazara Technologies Limited has officially sanctioned the acquisition of a 10.77 per cent stake in Kofluence.
As part of the share swap transaction, Nazara Technologies will issue 3,71,637 equity shares at a price of Rs 872.15/- per equity share, amounting to Rs 32,41,23,210 through a preferential issue on a private placement basis to the sellers.
Kofluence has established itself as India’s premier Social Media Influencer led marketing-tech platform, boasting a vibrant community of across platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The platform represents over 20 languages and operates as a full stack marketing platform, delivering performance metrics across the entire customer journey.
The collaboration between Kofluence and Nazara Technologies is geared towards the launch of an influencer-driven game discovery platform and community. This pioneering initiative aims to leverage the vast network of influencers on Kofluence to promote Nazara’s games across various social media platforms. Influencers with their ability to tailor content to their audience’s preferences, will generate excitement around new releases, boosting downloads and increasing visibility for Nazara’s gaming portfolio.
Nazara Technologies Jt. MD & CEO Nitish Mittersain expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Kofluence is pioneering creator economy led platforms and Sreeram’s extensive gaming experience is invaluable to create a pioneering influencer led game discovery platform and community. Our goal is to create an environment where gaming collaborates with the creativity of influencers, enriching the gaming experience for a global audience. Our new game publishing initiative ‘Nazara Publishing’ will particularly benefit from this new initiative”.
Kofluence co-founder, and CEO Sreeram Reddy Vanga, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “Nazara’s investment is a powerful validation of our joint mission to revolutionise the gaming industry. With our extensive network of creators, we’re well-positioned to greatly enhance the visibility and engagement of Nazara’s gaming portfolio. This partnership is not only expanding Nazara’s game reach but also reshaping game marketing dynamics, bringing every creator and user into an expansive and captivating gaming narrative.”
Kofluence co-founder Ritesh Ujjwal emphasised, “This strategic collaboration marks a pivotal moment in Kofluence’s journey. The gaming industry is swiftly asserting dominance in the handheld technology entertainment business sector, displaying relentless momentum. Moreover, with the surge of gaming influencers, brands have a unique opportunity to forge partnerships and connect with their dedicated followers. We are enthusiastic about the limitless possibilities that unfold as we seamlessly integrate influencer marketing and gaming innovation with Nazara Technologies.
Gaming
Dream Sports sees 100 plus exits after gaming ban forces overhaul
Company splits into eight units as real money gaming law hits revenue.
MUMBAI: For a company built on fantasy leagues, reality has suddenly rewritten the rulebook. More than 100 employees have exited Dream Sports, the parent of Dream11, after the company reorganised its operations following India’s ban on real money online gaming. The shake up came after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 came into force in August 2025, prohibiting games where users deposit money expecting winnings. The regulation struck at the heart of the fantasy gaming industry and dramatically affected Dream Sports’ core business, wiping out about 95 percent of its revenue and all of its profits.
In response, the Mumbai based company shifted into what chief executive officer Harsh Jain described as “startup mode”, splitting its operations into eight independent business units in December.
Around 700 employees were reassigned across these newly formed ventures based on their experience and interests. However, roughly 15 percent opted to leave the company.
A spokesperson for Dream Sports said many of those who exited were experienced professionals accustomed to running scaled businesses rather than early stage ventures.
“Since some of these employees were experienced with running high scale businesses and not startups, around 15 percent chose to leave and join other scaled companies or start ventures of their own,” the spokesperson said.
Despite the departures, the company noted that the attrition rate is only slightly higher than its earlier level of around 10 percent before the ban. Dream Sports now has close to 950 employees and is not currently hiring, choosing instead to focus on stabilising its existing workforce.
The restructuring has transformed Dream Sports from a fantasy gaming company into a broader sports entertainment platform. The eight units now operate independently, each focusing on different segments of the sports and technology ecosystem.
These include Dream11, sports streaming platform Fancode, sports travel service DreamSetGo, mobile game Dream Cricket and artificial intelligence initiative Dream Sports AI, which includes sports analytics platform Dream Play.
Other ventures include fintech product Dream Money, open source initiative Dream Horizon and the philanthropic arm Dream Sports Foundation.
As part of cost saving efforts, Dream Sports also relocated its headquarters from Bandra Kurla Complex to Worli earlier this year. The new office, called Dream Sports Stadium, brings teams from its various brands together under one roof to improve collaboration and operational efficiency.
Jain had earlier said the company removed bonus lock in timelines for employees hired in recent years, allowing those who wished to leave to exit with pro rata payouts.
“We want people who are fully into the startup mode and willing to work for it, and we will share that reward if it comes,” he said.
Founded in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth, Dream Sports was last valued at 8 billion dollars after raising 840 million dollars in 2021 from investors including Falcon Edge Capital, DST Global, D1 Capital Partners, RedBird Capital Partners, Tiger Global Management, TPG and Footpath Ventures.
The new gaming law has forced several companies in the fantasy gaming sector to either shut down or pivot their business models, signalling a significant reset for one of India’s fastest growing digital entertainment industries.
