iWorld
Virat Kohli gets into overdrive with social media venture Sport Convo
MUMBAI: Cricketers today are also proving to be smart businessmen, whether it’s the Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni or the cricket sensation Virat Kohli.
When he’s not busy hitting boundaries and sixes on field, he’s busy eyeing business ventures that catch his fancy. Kohli, who invested in the social media start-up Sport Convo last year, is of the opinion that sport benefits greatly from social media, which is one of the reasons why he invested in the London-based company. What’s more, Sport Convo, which aims to bridge the gap between sports stars and fans, has got off to a good start.
The ICC World Cup 2015 and the on-going Indian Premier League (IPL) raked in numerous impressions on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, where fans discussed various important moments that changed the course of the game. With social media proliferation, niche websites such as Social Convo, catering to specific fields are likely to crop up sooner rather than later.
The Indian cricketer, who has more than 30 million fans on social media platforms, will be using his fan base to promote the venture. Catering to a niche, the sport-specific social media – Sport Convo’s website promises exciting gifts for fans who register in the initial stages. Additionally, Kohli also tweeted that one lucky fan will receive a bat signed by him.
You guys are awesome! What a response for @sportconvo! Giving away a signed bat so if you haven't registered do so at http://t.co/vm7Rf4f0cI
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 15, 2015
Kohli was quoted in media reports as saying, “Sport Convo was particularly attractive to me as my belief is sport benefits greatly from social media. It provides fans with the opportunity to showcase their opinion and passion for the game. It also allows me to communicate with my fans quickly and efficiently, which is important because as a professional cricketer, I am always on the go. Sport Convo stood out for me and delivers all of this and beyond and that’s why I opted to back this business venture.”
The website also has a ‘Shop’ link, signifying that Sport Convo will not just be limited to conversation but will also venture into the merchandising business. Currently the website only features one product – a ‘Convo’ branded cap, which can be purchased anytime soon. Kohli has been spotted wearing a similar cap on numerous occasions.
Apart from Kohli, the venture has also roped in England hard-hitting batsman Alex Hales, who would be endorsing the brand. Hales will be sporting the Sport Convo’s logo on his bat.
Sports Convo is also looking at roping in more sports stars on board and the conversation will not be restricted to cricket.
So far the company, founded by Vishal Patel, Amrit Johal, Praveen Reddy and Jasneel Nagi, is a sports star driven social media platform, which will also have an e-store for fans to buy products promoted by their sports heroes.
Observers believe that the merchandising business which the site has flagged off might well explode into a lucrative one. However, they doubt whether enough fans will get on to the social media platform to chat and connect with each other because of the growth and growth of Facebook. Another social media platform in the US fanbase.com recently announced that it would shut because it had not managed to crack a business model to monetise on the 15 million sports lovers who were logging on every month.
A sports journo however begs to differ. “Fanbase.com was founded by two young entrepreneurs with investors. They did not have any sports person backing them online to drive conversation. SportConvo however has Virat with his feet firmly entrenched in the venture. And he is driving it through his social following, posting videos, tweets and doling out give aways. I can only see it being a winner all the way in every way.”
It now remains to be seen if the briskly scoring Kohli succeeds to drive enough fans to Sports Convo and turn it into a resounding success.
Guys my 2nd business venture @sportconvo launches in 48 hours! Register now on our website: http://t.co/eWQ9jpvNln
https://t.co/joKjbEsqkp
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 12, 2015
Gaming
IICT signs three MoUs to boost AVGC-XR and esports
Partnerships with Zenfluencers, Yologram and Eruditio at Chennai Gaming Show 2026 strengthen education, XR innovation and nationwide talent outreach.
MUMBAI: IICT has just levelled up the game in a big way. The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies signed three strategic Memorandums of Understanding on 17 April 2026 at the CII Summit FX – India Gaming Show in Chennai, forging alliances with The Zenfluencers, Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. and Eruditio Consultants to accelerate India’s AVGC-XR ecosystem.
The tie-ups combine IICT’s strengths in education, skilling and research with specialist expertise across esports, immersive technologies and large-scale outreach.
- With The Zenfluencers, IICT will roll out globally benchmarked esports programmes, including joint certification courses, industry workshops, tournaments and masterclasses, creating clear career pathways across the full esports value chain.
- The partnership with Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. focuses on gaming, immersive storytelling and extended reality (XR), delivering industry-aligned curriculum, faculty mentorship, student showcases and collaborative research in immersive AI and virtual production.
- Collaboration with Eruditio Consultants targets awareness, accessibility and career alignment, with nationwide counsellor training, institutional engagement and structured guidance frameworks to reach students beyond Tier-1 cities.
IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar said, “As the AVGC-XR sector evolves at a rapid pace, strong collaborations between industry and academia are essential. These partnerships will create meaningful impact across education, innovation and outreach.”
Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. founder Aditya Mani added, “AI-driven creator worlds are transforming games into engines of culture, commerce and careers. Together we aim to empower a generation to build immersive futures.”
Eruditio Consultants founder Indrajit Ghosh noted, “This is not just about awareness, it is about building a structured ecosystem that connects aspiration with opportunity.”
The Zenfluencers CEO Atharva Gupta said, “This MoU is a big unlock moment for the esports ecosystem in India. We’re building a structured pipeline for talent across the full stack.”
By bringing together academia, industry leaders and ecosystem players, IICT is creating scalable models that blend cutting-edge skills with real-world relevance. In a sector racing toward the future, these three partnerships ensure India’s next generation of creative technologists won’t just keep up, they’ll set the pace.
