Applications
2D animation firm SideFX raises Rs 55 mn from PE firm
MUMBAI: Pune-based 2D animation production company SideFX Entertainment has raised an undisclosed sum from US-based Das Star Ventures. Candle Acendo were the exclusive financial advisors to the transaction.
While the investment amount was not revealed by SideFX or Das Star Ventures, the figure floating around is Rs 55 million.
With this new investment backing, SideFX plans to augment its hi-tech, 2D animation production capacity, targeting lucrative markets worldwide for animated TV and Film content.
SideFX Entertainment Founder and CEO Amit Rathor said, “We are delighted to receive investments from Das Star Ventures. With our world-class competency and expertise in the 2D animation category, the investment from Das Star Ventures will further strengthen our global footprint and provide top-notch service to the client.”
He added, “This transaction is unique for it being the only VC investment in the organized 2D animation sector in recent years.
Das Star Ventures Founder and CEO Durga Das said, “We at Das Star Ventures are very specific in selecting our portfolio companies, partnering only with those who show the highest standards of excellence and potential. SideFX is without a doubt among our most promising ventures. We are very excited to work with such talented people in the exploding 2D animation industry.”
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
