VerSe Innovation

Name

VerSe Innovation

Legal name

VerSe Innovation Private Limited

Website

https://verse.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vernacular Digital Media & Content Platform

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (51321), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Social, Community & Creator Platform Feeds (HDAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multimodal Generation (Text-Image-Video-Audio) & Creative Toolchains (HDAAACAG), Enterprise Foundation Model Integration & APIs (Connectors, Governance, Deployment) (HDAAACAO), Prompt Engineering, Orchestration & LLMOps Tooling (HDAAACAD), AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services (BPAEAHAF)

Keywords

• Vernacular content platform
• Short video app
• Programmatic ad tech exchange
• Premium digital newsstand
• Creator economy platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Primary revenue driver historically — vernacular digital advertising across Dailyhunt and Josh, including brand advertising, performance marketing and integrated campaigns; AdTech engine NexVerse.ai is enhancing advertiser ROI and data-driven insights at scale.
2. Subscription (Dailyhunt Premium / Magzter): Subscription-based revenue from Dailyhunt Premium (powered by Magzter) offering 8,500+ premium magazines and newspapers across 60+ languages and 40+ categories to Indian consumers. Expands the revenue model beyond pure advertising.
3. Programmatic AdTech (NexVerse.ai): Programmatic advertising revenue through VerSe's AI-powered AdTech engine NexVerse.ai, including ad-retargeting and exchange-style monetisation across the Dailyhunt/Josh audience base.
4. Influencer / Creator marketplace (VerSe Collab): Marketplace monetisation via VerSe Collab, a tech-driven, full-stack influencer marketplace enabling brands to manage creator campaigns with precision and reach.
5. Enterprise digital marketing services (Valueleaf): B2B digital marketing solutions revenue following the Aug 2024 acquisition of Valueleaf Group, contributing an expected ~$100 million in additional revenue and 10% EBITDA margin by FY25.
6. Data and AI-led monetisation: Emerging revenue stream via AI-led monetisation: VerSe expects AI to contribute over 30% of monetisation within the next year and become dominant within three years, including AI products Spark AI and NexVerse.ai.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VerSe Innovation operates India's leading AI-powered local-language content platform through its family of apps — primarily Dailyhunt (news and content aggregation in 15+ Indian languages) and Josh (short-video app with 100M+ downloads). The proprietary AI/ML technology stack powers 350 million+ monthly users consuming personalised content, and the company monetises via advertising, premium subscriptions (Dailyhunt Premium powered by Magzter), programmatic ad-tech (NexVerse.ai), an influencer marketplace (VerSe Collab) and enterprise digital marketing services (Valueleaf).

Product overview

VerSe Innovation operates a platform-plus-modules architecture rather than a single unified product. At the core is its proprietary AI/ML and deep learning technology platform that powers 350+ million users to consume content in their local language on Dailyhunt and on Josh (India's #1 short-video creators app). Built around this core engine, VerSe has assembled an integrated portfolio of AI-first products and ad-tech — including NexVerse.ai (agentic AI-led programmatic ad-tech exchange), Spark AI (AI-driven content creation), WISE (Generative AI platform), Dailyhunt Premium (subscription premium content powered by the Magzter acquisition), Josh Audio Calling & Audio Stories, and VerSe Collab (influencer marketplace) — which collectively target consumers, creators and advertisers across India and Bharat markets. Sub-brands and acquired platforms such as OneIndia, Magzter, Valueleaf Group, Josh Studios and HappyTopia extend the offering across news aggregation, premium newsstand content, kids entertainment, creator production and digital marketing solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dailyhunt: India's #1 local language content platform offering news, infotainment and creator-driven content in 15 languages with 350M+ MAUs; VerSe's flagship news aggregation product.
• Josh
• NexVerse.ai
• Dailyhunt Premium
• VerSe Collab
• Magzter
• OneIndia

Products and services

• Dailyhunt

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% YoY revenue growth in FY25 (revenue from operations grew from ₹1,029 Cr to ₹1,930 Cr)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability13 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered major acquisition, international content collaboration, brand-marketing partner, movie marketing tie-up, event partnership, content collaboration, major marketing partner, public-health campaign partnership, social-impact campaign partner, event co-sponsor, regional content collaboration, acquisition / capability build, strategic tech integration, strategic government partnership and disputed commercial counterparty.

• Valueleaf Groupmajor acquisitionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 August 2024VerSe Innovation acquired a majority stake in Valueleaf Group (Bengaluru-based digital marketing solutions provider) in a cash-and-stock deal in August 2024; expected to add ~$100 million in revenue and 10% EBITDA margin by FY25, creating an ad exchange to boost performance and revenue.
• Magztermajor acquisitionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2024VerSe Innovation acquired Magzter — the world's largest digital newsstand with 8,500+ premium magazines and newspapers across 40+ categories and 60+ languages — and launched Dailyhunt Premium to offer subscription-based premium content (Time, Newsweek, Forbes, Vogue, etc.). Co-founders Girish Ramdas and Vijayakumar Radhakrishnan joined VerSe.
• DW Hindi (Deutsche Welle)international content collaborationGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 March 2024Josh and DW Hindi launched a new season of the 'Vibecheck with DW' series in March 2024, making waves in Bharat audiences.
• TVS Motor Companybrand-marketing partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 July 2022Josh collaborated with TVS in July 2022 to promote the TVS StaR City+ motorcycle via the Josh platform.
• Janhit Mein Jaari (film)movie marketing tie-upGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 June 2022Josh partnered with the Bollywood film 'Janhit Mein Jaari' in June 2022 to launch the #JanhitMeinJaari challenge promoting the movie on the platform.
• International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awardsevent partnershipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2022Josh provided users an opportunity to be part of IIFA Awards 2022 in June 2022 — co-branded event content partnership.
• Brut (Brut India)content collaborationGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 May 2022Josh and Brut collaborated in May 2022 to co-create short format content on the Josh app.
• Manchester City Football Clubmajor marketing partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 February 2022Josh supported Manchester City's #SameGoals initiative in February 2022, leveraging the global football club's reach for a co-branded campaign targeting Indian youth.
• MASH Project / Fortispublic-health campaign partnershipGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 February 2022Fortis National Mental Health Program reached 139 million on Josh through its association with MASH Project, demonstrating the platform's scale for healthcare campaigns.
• Paint It Redsocial-impact campaign partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 February 2022Josh, Paint It Red and Mash Project collaborated in February 2022 on the #50Daysofschool campaign to empower the girl child.
• CoinDCXevent co-sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2022CoinDCX and Josh were official partners powering the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2022.
• Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awardsevent partnershipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2022Josh was an official partner of the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2022.
• Shemaroocontent collaborationGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 January 2022Josh and Shemaroo collaborated in January 2022 to deliver entertaining challenges to Josh users leveraging Shemaroo's content library.
• SVF (Bengal content/film production company)regional content collaborationGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 November 2021Bengaluru-based Josh collaborated with SVF in November 2021 to promote Bengali content creators on the platform.
• GolBol (Indian social networking app)acquisition / capability buildStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2021Acquired by VerSe Innovation in October 2021; GolBol's team focuses on enhancing Josh Cam and boosting AI/ML capabilities for discovery initiatives.
• D-IDstrategic tech integrationTechnology or Integration · 6 August 2021Josh collaborated with D-ID to bring facial animation technology to India's short-video app users — a new feature for creators on the Josh platform.
• Ministry of Ayush (Government of India)strategic government partnershipGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 June 2021Josh teamed up with India's Ministry of Ayush in June 2021 to promote health and wellbeing through a co-branded campaign on the Josh platform.
• Builder.aidisputed commercial counterpartyTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2020Over five years VerSe engaged Builder.ai for hyperscale cloud deployment, system migration, customized app development and software solutions (USD 80 million cumulative spend); Builder.ai in turn engaged VerSe Innovation for advertising services (USD 53 million total payment to VerSe). VerSe has categorically denied all allegations of revenue manipulation/round-tripping with Builder.ai.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• Times Internet: Times Internet is India's largest digital media house (TOI, ET, MX Player) and competes with Dailyhunt on news/content aggregation and with VerSe's ad-tech stack for brand advertising budgets.
• Alphabet (YouTube / Shorts): YouTube and YouTube Shorts are broad incumbents in long- and short-form video competing for the same Indian users, creators and advertisers, leveraging a global infrastructure that VerSe must match on engagement and CPMs.
• Snap Inc. Snap is a global short-video and AR-camera platform whose Spotlight, Lens and creator-economy products are directly comparable to Josh's short-video and Josh Cam offerings.
• Meta Platforms (Instagram / Facebook): Instagram Reels and Facebook compete with Josh for short-video attention and with Dailyhunt for Indian advertiser spend, but operate as part of Meta's global portfolio rather than specialising in Indian vernacular content.
• ByteDance: ByteDance invented the short-video category with TikTok/Douyin and remains a benchmark for VerSe's Josh product and AI-driven recommendation algorithms, even though TikTok is currently blocked in India.

Direct peers

• Pinterest: Pinterest is a content discovery and recommendation platform powered by AI/ML personalisation, closely analogous to Dailyhunt's recommendation feed in terms of feed-driven discovery and ad monetisation.
• Glance / InMobi: Glance (InMobi) runs a vernacular, AI-driven content discovery and lock-screen content platform in India, directly comparable to Dailyhunt's local-language content and ad-tech proposition.
• Mohalla Tech (ShareChat / Moj): ShareChat/Moj is the closest direct competitor to VerSe's Dailyhunt and Josh, operating India's leading vernacular social network and short-video app across regional languages with a comparable creator-monetisation stack.

Regional players

• Zee Digital / ZEE5: ZEE5 is an India-focused regional-language streaming and digital content platform that competes with Dailyhunt and Josh for vernacular video audiences and brand advertising in India.
• Eros Media / Eros STX: Eros operates a Bollywood content library and OTT distribution comparable to VerSe's vernacular content library and Magzter premium content play, with a regional (Indian) focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat8 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dailyhunt_india
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verse-innovation
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialjoshapp
• Facebookfacebook.com/VerseInnovation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds24 records

Investors28 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A5 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VerSe Innovation