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A23-parent Head Digital Works acquires Adda52 for Rs 491 Cr

EntrackrEntrackr ยท 6m ago
A23-parent Head Digital Works acquires Adda52 for Rs 491 Cr
Medial

A23-parent Head Digital Works acquires Adda52 for Rs 491 Cr Online gaming company Head Digital Works (HDW), the parent company of gaming firm A23, has acquired Deltatech Gaming, the operator of online poker platform Adda52. HDW announced in a press release that the acquisition aims to strengthen its online poker portfolio. The transaction will take place in two phases for a total consideration of Rs 491 crore ($57.5 million). Initially, Head Digital Works will acquire a 51% stake in Deltatech Gaming following the merger. Post-merger, DeltaCorp Limited will retain a 5.7% stake in Head Digital Works. Through this acquisition, HDW aims to leverage Adda52โ€™s expertise and technological capabilities to accelerate its growth in the online gaming market. Launched in 2011, Adda52 offers a poker experience with various game formats, tournaments, and cash games, attracting both casual and professional poker players across India. According to HDW, the acquisition will enhance the gaming experience, drive technological advancements, and cater to evolving user preferences. The company plans to expand its poker business, explore new growth avenues, and build a comprehensive and diversified skill-gaming platform for its customers. A23 claims to have over 75 million registered users across India and operates five games - rummy, fantasy, poker, carrom, and pool. A23โ€™s net revenue stood at Rs 841 crore in FY24, compared to Rs 839 crore in FY23. Despite the flat revenue, controlled expenditures and increased other income helped A23 achieve a 24% rise in net profits to Rs 72 crore in FY24. In November last year, A23 also completed its first-ever employee stock options (ESOP) buyback program worth $3 million.

Whatfix rolls out $58 Mn liquidity event for employees and investors

EntrackrEntrackr ยท 11m ago
Whatfix rolls out $58 Mn liquidity event for employees and investors
Medial

Whatfix, a digital adoption platform (DAP), has introduced a $58 million liquidity program for its employees and investors. This marks the companyโ€™s fourth buyback of employee stock options (ESOPs). The Bengaluru-based company stated that eligible current and former employees now have the chance to sell a portion of their vested units at a premium over the earlier Series D valuation. This announcement comes on the heels of the companyโ€™s recent $125 million Series E funding round, led by Warburg Pincus, with contributions from existing investor SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Consequently, the firmโ€™s valuation increased to $900 million from $600 million during Series D fundraise. It has raised over $265 million to date Whatfix introduced its first employee stock ownership plan or ESOP buyback scheme worth $4.3 million in July 2021. The firm did not announce the other two buybacks in the media. Founded by Khadim Batti and Vara Kumar, Whatfix provides in-app guidance and performance support for web applications and software products. Its tools are used by large companies to drive efficiency. The company asserts that it has been awarded five patents by the US Patent Office, with an additional 18 patents in the works. Despite facing macroeconomic challenges over the past two to three years, Whatfix claims to have kept its cash burn low while sustaining growth. The firm has doubled its workforce to over 960 employees, and has opened four new offices in Singapore, Germany, Australia, and India since its Series D funding round. This is the second largest ESOP buyback in 2024. In July, IPO-bound food delivery and quick commerce firm Swiggy announced an ESOPs liquidity programme worth $65 million. In the ongoing calendar year, Urban Company, MyGate, Classplus, Meesho, The Sleep Company, XYXX, Purplle, Dehaaat, Leverage Edu, Pocket FM and Adda247 bought back ESOPs from their employees.

A23 parent lays off 500 employees following RMG ban: Report

EntrackrEntrackr ยท 12d ago
A23 parent lays off 500 employees following RMG ban: Report
Medial

Head Digital Works, the parent company of A23 Rummy, A23 Poker, and Cricket.com, has laid off approximately 500 employees, nearly two-thirds of its workforce. The move comes after India enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which imposes a blanket ban on real-money online gaming. Last week, A23 also filed a petition before the Karnataka High Court challenging the newly enacted law. The next hearing is scheduled for September 8 at 2:30 PM. โ€œAt Head Digital Works, our people have been central to our growth and it was with careful consideration that we took the decision to let go of a significant part of our workforce. We will ensure that this transition is handled with responsibility, providing meaningful severance and support to those impacted, and we remain grateful for their contributions. While recent regulatory changes necessitated this step, we are confident that a balanced framework will evolve over time, and we remain committed to building a resilient future and exploring new opportunities for the company," said Siddharth Sharma, CEO, Head Digital Works. The decision was announced in a company-wide town hall, and the firm now has about 200 employees focused on key teams. Meanwhile, Head Digital Works is evaluating new business opportunities beyond gaming to build a sustainable future. Head Digital Works further highlighted the broader impact on the sector, warning of job losses affecting over 200,000 people and threats to foreign and domestic investments in Indiaโ€™s booming Rs 23,440 crore online skill gaming industry. Following the ban, more layoffs are expected across real-money gaming platforms. Recently, Bengaluru-based unicorn MPL was in the news for cutting about 60% of its staff in India, roughly 300 employees.

The Sleep Company rolls out second tranche of ESOP buyback for 105 employees

EntrackrEntrackr ยท 1y ago
The Sleep Company rolls out second tranche of ESOP buyback for 105 employees
Medial

Comfort-tech brand The Sleep Company has announced the second tranche of ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) buyback for its employees. The current buyback will benefit a total of 105 employees, including 50% of women employees. After securing Rs 13.4 crore in pre-Series A, and Rs 177 crore in a Series B round led by Premji Invest and Fireside Ventures, the company recently secured Rs 184 crore in Series C Funding. The Sleep Company has rolled out the second tranche of the programme in just four years since its inception, which is set to benefit employees irrespective of their seniority. The company rolled out its first ESOP buyback programme in 2023 worth Rs 83.47 lakh. Founded by Priyanka and Harshil Salot, The Sleep Company offers premium products with technology rooted in developments in material science and sleep science. In June 2022, the platform marked its foray into offline retail with the launch of its first store in Bengaluru, to open over 150 stores by end of 2024. The firm claims to have achieved significant growth with its revenue growing 2.6 times over the last 12 months, reaching Rs 130 crore in sales in 2023. Through its omnichannel model, the company has over 70 stores across the country and is well on its way to opening 150 stores by the end of 2024. Last month, audio series platform Pocket FM announced its first ESOP buyback worth $8.3 million. As per data compiled by TheKredible, the total EOSP buyback/payout/liquidity stood at nearly $802 million in 2023. In 2021 and 2022, the buyback amount was recorded at $440 and $200 million respectively. In 2024, MyGate, Classplus and Meesho also completed their ESOP buyback scheme.

Flipkart announces new ESOP liquidity worth $50 Mn

EntrackrEntrackr ยท 2m ago
Flipkart announces new ESOP liquidity worth $50 Mn
Medial

Flipkart announces new ESOP liquidity worth $50 Mn This announcement follows Flipkartโ€™s record $700 million payout to employees in 2023, one of the largest ESOP buyback events in Indian startup history. Flipkart has announced a fresh ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan) liquidity opportunity for its employees, according to an internal note from the companyโ€™s chief executive officer Kalyan Krishnamurthy. As per the note, eligible employees will be allowed to liquidate up to 5% of their vested ESOPs as of July 5, 2025, at a buyback price of $174.32 per option. Payouts will be made in August 2025 under the Flipkart Stock Option Plan 2012. An ET report estimates the size of the ESOP buyback at $50 million, with 7,000 to 7,500 employees expected to benefit from the liquidity program. Flipkart is currently valued at around $36 billion. Krishnamurthy also added that if key performance goals are met by the end of 2025, another 5% liquidity window could open in early 2026. A Flipkart spokesperson confirmed the development to Entrackr. This announcement follows Flipkartโ€™s record $700 million payout to employees in 2023, one of the largest ESOP buyback events in Indian startup history. Media reports indicate the firm plans to launch its IPO with a valuation of $60-$70 billion. The companyโ€™s board has already approved the process to shift its holding structure from Singapore to India. In 2025, a clutch of startups including Darwinbox, Rapido, Univest, Deserve, and Even Healthcare have implemented ESOP buyback, liquidity, and payout programs worth around $67 million. In 2024, more than 20 startups implemented $200 million. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, the ESOP buyback or liquidity amount stood at $802 million in 2023, $440 million in 2021, and $200 million in 2022.

Pocket FM completes its first ESOP buyback worth $8.3 Mn

EntrackrEntrackr ยท 1y ago
Pocket FM completes its first ESOP buyback worth $8.3 Mn
Medial

Audio series platform Pocket FM announced that the company has completed its first ESOP buyback worth $8.3 million. The buyback of stock comes soon after $103 million Series D funding announced by the Bengaluru-based company. Former and existing employees, holding vested stocks in the company, participated in this process, the company said in a press release. The company was valued at $750 million during the latest fundraise and has been growing at a high speed. According to PocketFM, it surpassed $150 million (Rs 1,250 crore) ARR, and is growing at 57% QoQ. In 2023, it processed over 20 million transactions and claimed that its US revenue crossed $100 million in average revenue run rate (ARR) during the last calendar year. The buyback has come at a time when Pocket FM is reportedly in late-stage conversation to raise a new round which would catapult it to the unicorn club. Pocket FM is the fourth growth stage company that has announced stock buyback in 2024. Recently, e-commerce company Meesho rolled out its largest ESOP buyback worth $25 million for 1,700 employees (past and current). Community management app MyGate and edtech company Classplus also announced their employee stock buyback program earlier this year. As per data compiled by TheKredible, the total EOSP buyback/payout/liquidity stood at nearly $802 million in 2023. In 2021 and 2022, the buyback amount was recorded at $440 and $200 million respectively. Pocket FM claims 2,000 exclusive audio series and more than 400,000 episodes across genres and languages. While the companyโ€™s real financial picture could be decoded when it discloses full-fledged FY24 results, Pocket FMโ€™s revenue zoomed 8X to Rs 148.7 crore in the fiscal year ending March 2023. The firm also improved unit economics and reduced its losses by about three-fourths in the last fiscal year.

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