iWorld
SonyLIV announces six sponsors for ‘Shark Tank India’
Mumbai: SonyLIV has signed six sponsors for “Shark Tank India,” which is set to premiere on 20 December. The streaming platform has partnered with upGrad, Acko General Insurance, Black Dog Drinking Soda as the ‘co-presenting’ sponsors, Cashfree Payments as ‘payments’ partner, Flipkart as ‘digital’ partner and Dell Technologies as ‘technology’ partner.
SonyLIV has sold out almost 75 per cent of its ad inventory two months before the show goes on-air. It has generated the maximum interest from categories like BFSI, e-commerce, ed-tech, digital payments, consumer durables, and technology brands. “With the launch of the India edition of Shark Tank, we will be adding to our library of diverse, engaging content,” said Sony Pictures Networks India senior vice president and head of ad revenue Ranjana Mangla. “The show has a unique proposition that has attracted brands from across categories such as e-commerce, ed-tech, beverages, consumer durables, handset, auto and BFSI. Currently, we have managed to sell over 75 per cent of our ad inventory and onboarded six sponsors for the show.”
Based on the business reality show “Shark Tank,” the show will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas, business prototypes or active businesses to business experts aka ‘The Sharks.’ The show will be telecasted on Sony Entertainment Television channel.
The ‘Sharks’ that will appear on the show include Ashneer Grover (BharatPe founder and managing director), Vineeta Singh (Sugar Cosmetics CEO and co-founder), Peyush Bansal (Lenskart founder and CEO), Namita Thapar (Emcure Pharmaceuticals executive director), Anupam Mittal (Shaadi.com – People Group founder and CEO), Ghazal Alagh ( Mamaearth co-founder and chief mama) and Aman Gupta (boAt co-founder and chief marketing officer). The show will be hosted by Rannvijay Singha who will act as a guide for the pitchers on the show and the audience alike.
“We at Acko definitely understand what it takes to turn a dream into a successful venture. So, we are excited to be associating with the first-ever season of Shark Tank India, a show that we believe can help boost India’s start-up ecosystem and encourage entrepreneurship across India,” said Acko executive vice president marketing Ashish Mishra.
“At upGrad, it is our aim to support professionals in their lifelong learning journey and equip them with evolving skills required to venture out into the professional world, which shall also help them survive the market roller-coaster,” said upGrad chief executive officer Arjun Mohan. “This is similar to what Shark Tank India aims to do with the aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking forward to creating successful businesses for a better future of our country.”
“We are elated to associate with Shark Tank India, in their bid to support budding entrepreneurs and the rapidly-growing Indian start-up ecosystem,” said Cashfree Payments co-founder and chief executive officer Akash Sinha. “We look forward to nurturing this partnership, which will help us contribute towards the development of a favorable business environment to foster innovation in the startup space.”
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
