Gaming
STAN surpasses 12 million downloads
Mumbai : STAN has reached a record download figure of over 12 Million + users. Furthermore, more than 2 million new users joined STAN in June 2024 alone, which makes it one of the key players in the gaming sector. This new user acquisition is as significant as half of Twitch’s and a quarter of Discord’s global growth in the same period.
A Sensor Tower report reveals that STAN is showing high growth rates that have exceeded all other Indian gaming platforms, indicating the platform’s increasing market leadership. The app has been occupying the place among top 5 applications in Google Play Store since November of 2023 and even topped the list in mid of June 2024. With an impressively high value of satisfaction and engagement, STAN has a 4.7-star rating.
Specifically, STAN’s platform allows gamers to interact and engage with content creators, and is fostering a community of more than 12 million gamers. The platform focuses on the creation of genuine connections between individuals with similar interests, which makes the app a global companion for gaming. Through partnerships, STAN works with over 200 games and partners, using its considerable community presence to improve the game-play.
Mr. Parth Chadha, Co-Founder of STAN, spoke regarding the achievement, “We are more than thrilled to have crossed 2 million new users in a month and achieve 12 million downloads. It’s a testament to the value we offer to our community. We are committed to offering the platform for gamers and creators, and these figures prove our commitment. We are excited about the future and our continued role in shaping the gaming landscape”
STAN has a very unique approach toward the user interactions and has features like STAN Clubs which enable micro and nano creators to easily interact with their followers. The platform aims to continuously evolve and already has more features planned for upcoming updates in regard to interactions between creators and gamers as well as monetization aspects.
STAN’s commitment to providing a dynamic and supportive environment is poised to have a significant impact on the Indian gaming sector. By providing a platform that focuses on creator empowerment, the platform is democratizing creation and distribution of content as more people will be able to enter into the gaming industry and share the benefits of it. It facilitates friendships and gaming groups, helping players find like-minded individuals, and reward them for their contributions, enhancing their experience.
Additionally, STAN supports developers with effective go-to-market strategies and user testing for game refinement, while offering brands access to a global gaming community, tools for monetizable communities, and actionable insights for strategic decisions.
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.
