Startup Atlas · AdTech

VerSe Innovation Unicorn

Ver Se Innovation Private Limited ● Bengaluru, Karnataka ● Founded 2007 ● verse.in ↗

Bengaluru-based local-language content-technology company founded in 2007 by Virendra Gupta. Best known for its news and content aggregator Dailyhunt (rebranded from Newshunt in 2015) and short-video app Josh, serving hundreds of millions of monthly users across 14+ Indian languages; became India's first unicorn in local-language tech in December 2020.

Virendra Gupta · Founder Umang Bedi · Co-founder
$1.68 BnTotal funding (tracked)
14Funding rounds
7 Feb 2024Last round

VerSe Innovation: Funding Rounds

Date Round Amount Investors Source
7 Feb 2024 Debt $6.25 Mn (₹50 Cr debt) Alteria Capital source
6 Apr 2022 Series J $805 Mn CPP Investments Baillie Gifford Luxor Capital Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board Sofina Group Sumeru Ventures source
21 Jan 2022 Series I $28 Mn CPP Investments source
12 Aug 2021 Series I $450 Mn+ Baillie Gifford Carlyle Asia Partners Siguler Guff B Capital Qatar Investment Authority Sofina Group source
8 Feb 2021 Series H $100 Mn+ Glade Brook Capital Qatar Investment Authority Canaan Valley Capital Sofina Group source
22 Dec 2020 Series H $100 Mn+ Falcon Edge Capital Google Lupa Systems Microsoft Corporation Sofina Group source
1 May 2020 Series G3 $35.6 Mn Lupa Systems source
18 Apr 2020 Series G $23.5 Mn Falcon Edge Capital Advent Capital Management ByteDance Goldman Sachs Sofina Group source
18 Feb 2019 Series F $60 Mn Goldman Sachs Investment Partners source
21 Dec 2018 Series E2 $3.45 Mn (₹24.6 Cr) Omidyar Network Renu Sehgal Trust Sequoia Capital India source
3 Sep 2018 Series E $6.39 Mn (₹45.49 Cr) Falcon Edge Capital source
15 Oct 2016 Series D $25 Mn (₹168 Cr) ByteDance Falcon Edge Capital Omidyar Network Sequoia Capital India Z47 source
6 Feb 2015 Series C ₹120 Cr Falcon Edge Capital Omidyar Network Sequoia Capital India Z47 source
22 Sep 2014 Series B ₹100 Cr (~$16.4 Mn) Sequoia Capital India Omidyar Network Z47 source

Acquisitions

DateAcquirerAcquiredAmountSource
28 Aug 2024 VerSe Innovation Valueleaf Group Undisclosed source
18 Apr 2024 VerSe Innovation Magzter Undisclosed source
1 Mar 2021 VerSe Innovation Vebbler Undisclosed source
15 Mar 2012 VerSe Innovation Eterno Infotech Undisclosed source

Recent Signals

  • 9 Apr 2026 · org-team
    VerSe Innovation appoints Prasanna Prasad as Chief Product and Technology Officer to accelerate AI-driven push toward profitability source
  • 31 Mar 2026 · org-team
    VerSe Innovation appoints P.R. Ramesh, former Deloitte India Chairman, as Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair source
  • 30 Sep 2025 · financial
    VerSe Innovation posts 88% revenue growth in FY25, cuts EBITDA burn 20%, eyes group-level profitability in H2 FY26 source
  • 19 May 2025 · org-team
    VerSe Innovation to lay off ~350 employees amid AI-driven strategic overhaul source
  • 30 Apr 2025 · regulatory
    Deloitte issues clean audit opinion on VerSe Innovation's FY24 financials despite flagging internal-control weaknesses source
  • 30 Aug 2024 · financial
    Investor 360 One marks down VerSe's valuation 42% to $2.9B in internal note source

News on VerSe Innovation

No coverage of VerSe Innovation linked yet.

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FAQs on VerSe Innovation

Who founded VerSe Innovation?

VerSe Innovation was founded by Virendra Gupta, Umang Bedi in 2007.

How much funding has VerSe Innovation raised?

VerSe Innovation has raised $1.68 Bn across 14 tracked funding round(s), most recently on 2024-02-07. Figures are compiled from cited public sources.

Who are the investors in VerSe Innovation?

Investors in VerSe Innovation include Alteria Capital, CPP Investments, Baillie Gifford, Luxor Capital, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, Sofina Group, Sumeru Ventures.

What does VerSe Innovation do?

Bengaluru-based local-language content-technology company founded in 2007 by Virendra Gupta. Best known for its news and content aggregator Dailyhunt (rebranded from Newshunt in 2015) and short-video app Josh, serving hundreds of millions of monthly users across 14+ Indian languages; became India's first unicorn in local-language…

Where is VerSe Innovation headquartered?

VerSe Innovation is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

What is VerSe Innovation's business model?

VerSe Innovation's core value proposition centers on Hyperlocal content in 16+ languages, Best-in-class short-video engagement via Josh, Premium, ad-free subscription content.

How does VerSe Innovation make money?

VerSe Innovation's cited revenue streams include Advertising, Subscriptions, Programmatic AdTech (NexVerse.ai).

Sources & corrections. Every fact on this page is compiled from cited public sources — follow the "source" links beside each entry. Profile sources: cloud.google.com · Last verified 5 Sep 2026. · Report a correction