Gaming
Winzo levels up, takes India’s gaming power play to the US market
MUMBAI: From Delhi to Dallas, Winzo has just hit its biggest checkpoint yet. India’s largest homegrown digital entertainment platform has officially launched in the United States, levelling up its ambition to export desi gaming tech, IP, and talent to global arenas. The move marks Winzo’s entry into the world’s largest gaming market by revenue, hot on the heels of its Brazilian foray in 2023. That places the company squarely at the crossroads of three of the planet’s top four mobile gaming markets India, Brazil and the US together worth an estimated 65–70 billion dollars with over 20 billion annual game downloads.
With a 250 million-strong user base back home, Winzo’s ecosystem already spans 100 plus competitive games across esports and social formats in 15 languages, backed by more than 100 tech patents. Among them: its Real-Time Game Engine, GenAI-powered vernacular companion, live streaming stack, one-click integration tech and AI-driven cybersecurity solutions.
The platform also brings financial muscle via its 50 million dollars Zo Fund, fuelling early-stage tech ventures and creating a pipeline of Indian innovation for global markets. Alongside gaming, Winzo is rolling out Zo TV, its new short-video format, aiming to be a one-stop hub for interactive entertainment.
“This is a proud milestone for India’s digital entertainment ecosystem,” said co-founders Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda, noting that the expansion represents “Tech Exports 2.0” where Indian developers can finally take culturally resonant games and esports to the most lucrative gaming market in the world.
While Winzo continues to expand abroad, it is also doubling down on its Indian audience, even as it responsibly rolls back select offerings impacted by regulatory shifts. For the company, the US debut isn’t just a market entry, it’s a statement that India’s gaming story is no longer just local, but truly global.
Gaming
Roblox appoints Sunil Rao as India managing director to drive growth
Former AWS leader to lead creator ecosystem, partnerships and local strategy
MUMBAI: Roblox has appointed Sunil Rao as managing director for India, as the company looks to deepen its footprint in one of its fastest-growing markets.
Rao, who will join in May, will serve as the senior-most representative for Roblox in India, leading local strategy, partnerships and day-to-day operations. His mandate includes strengthening the platform’s presence, supporting the creator ecosystem and aligning India’s market needs with global priorities.
A key focus area will be nurturing India’s growing community of developers and creators, enabling local studios to leverage Roblox’s tools for scaling and monetisation. Globally, the platform’s creator community earned over $1.5 billion in 2025, underlining the economic potential of user-generated content ecosystems.
“Roblox is at the forefront of enabling a new generation of creators and games. India’s scale, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy present a massive opportunity,” said Rao. “I’m excited to build a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem that empowers developers and creators across the country. Ensuring child safety and aligning closely with India’s regulatory framework will be among my top priorities.”
Welcoming the appointment, Roblox vice president international Zhen Fang said India represents a high-potential market for the company. “Sunil brings deep expertise in building operations across diverse markets, and his passion for community-centric platforms makes him the ideal leader to drive our next chapter of growth in the country.”
Rao brings over two decades of experience across technology platforms, venture capital and developer ecosystems. He was previously part of the leadership team at Amazon Web Services, where he led strategy and corporate business development across Asia-Pacific and Japan. He also served as a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, working closely with startups and founders.
Earlier in his career, Rao played a key role in building developer ecosystems at Symbian, Nokia and Google, contributing to the growth of major mobile and internet platforms.
With India’s large youth population and rapidly evolving digital landscape, Roblox’s latest leadership move signals a sharper focus on long-term growth, local relevance and creator-led innovation in the market.
