Date-wise news. Prior to this appointment, Taneja was associated with Cox & Kings As the superstar turns 61 on November 2, his enduring appeal to advertisers offers a glimpse into how celebrity branding has evolved in India With premium CTV placements commanding festive price rise of up to 30% in some cases, advertisers are weighing the value of scarce inventory against measurable returns. Yet brands are not cutting back As Microsoft and Amazon confront their own AI bills, the latest earnings season raises an uncomfortable question: can yesterday's business models afford tomorrow's ambitions? The impact of broadcaster-led layoffs is expected to become more visible after Diwali, when networks are likely to begin implementing cost-cutting measures Maharashtra Fisheries and Ports Development Minister Nitesh Rane's clarification follows criticism from citizens, environmentalists and political leaders His experience spans media, advertising, technology, marketing and business development Bavishi most recently served as Senior Manager, Corporate Development at Dream Sports Most recently, he served as General Manager, Unilever Ice Cream, overseeing the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Russia Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by Perion's Board of Directors, the Company's shareholders will receive cash consideration of $11.70 per share

Dream Sports CTO Amit Sharma quits to launch AI startup. By hemlata July 8, 2026 4 Mins Read Dream Sports CTO Amit Sharma has stepped down after nearly a decade at the sports technology company to launch his own artificial intelligence startup. Sharma, who played a key role in building Dream Sports' technology infrastructure and scaling its engineering teams, announced that he is now working on a new AI venture operating in stealth mode. His departure comes at a crucial time as Dream Sports, the parent company of Dream11, continues reshaping its business following regulatory changes that significantly impacted India's real-money gaming industry. Dream Sports CTO Amit Sharma announces exit. In a LinkedIn post, Dream Sports CTO Amit Sharma confirmed that he has left the company to pursue entrepreneurship in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence sector. According to his LinkedIn profile, Sharma has been working on his AI startup since last month, although details about the business, product, and target market have not yet been disclosed. The venture remains in stealth mode, a common approach adopted by startups developing products before making public announcements. A decade of building Dream Sports' technology. Dream Sports CTO Amit Sharma joined the company in 2016, when Dream Sports was still in its early growth phase. Over the next several years, he helped build the company's engineering organization almost from scratch while overseeing technology that supported millions of users across its digital platforms. Before joining Dream Sports, Sharma worked in engineering leadership roles at: * Netflix * Yahoo His experience in large-scale technology infrastructure played an important role in strengthening Dream Sports' product and engineering capabilities. Dream Play shut down earlier this year. Apart from serving as Chief Technology Officer, Sharma also co-founded Dream Play, a sports analytics platform developed under the Dream Sports ecosystem. Dream Play focused on analyzing player performance in sports such as Padel, offering AI-powered recommendations to help users improve their gameplay. However, the platform was shut down last month after operating for less than two years, as part of Dream Sports' broader portfolio rationalization. Dream Sports continues business transformation. The departure of Dream Sports CTO Amit Sharma comes during one of the most significant transitions in the company's history. Following regulatory changes affecting real-money online gaming, Dream Sports diversified into several new business verticals beyond fantasy sports. Its current portfolio includes: * FanCode, a sports streaming platform * Dream Horizon, an enterprise SaaS platform * Dream Street, an AI-assisted stockbroking platform * Sports infrastructure initiatives * Digital content businesses The company also transformed Dream11 into a watch-along platform where users can follow sports creators and live content instead of participating in fantasy contests. However, not every expansion has been successful. Dream Sports recently shut down: * Dream Play * Dream Money (its wealthtech platform) The closures reflect the company's efforts to focus resources on businesses with stronger long-term growth potential. The growing AI startup ecosystem has also witnessed experienced entrepreneurs launching new ventures, including Bhavin Turakhia's latest AI startup, highlighting increasing momentum around artificial intelligence innovation. Healthcare technology is seeing similar investor interest, with startups such as Metago building AI-driven healthcare solutions and expanding India's deep-tech startup ecosystem. GST challenges continue for Dream Sports. Alongside business restructuring, Dream Sports continues facing regulatory challenges. The company is reportedly dealing with GST demands exceeding ₹20,000 crore after the Supreme Court upheld the government's decision to levy 28% GST on the full face value of bets placed through real-money online gaming platforms. The ruling has significantly impacted India's online gaming sector, forcing several companies to rethink their business models and long-term growth strategies. Why Amit Sharma's exit matters. The decision by Dream Sports CTO Amit Sharma to launch an AI startup reflects a broader trend across India's technology ecosystem, where experienced executives are increasingly leaving established companies to build AI-first businesses. Artificial intelligence has become one of the fastest-growing segments within India's startup landscape, attracting both investors and senior technology leaders looking to develop next-generation products across enterprise software, automation, developer tools, and consumer applications. Sharma's background in scaling large technology platforms could provide a strong foundation as he enters the highly competitive AI startup market. According to NASSCOM, India's AI ecosystem continues to expand rapidly, driven by enterprise adoption, digital transformation, and increasing investment in artificial intelligence technologies. Conclusion. The exit of Dream Sports CTO Amit Sharma marks the end of a significant chapter for one of India's leading sports technology companies. After helping build Dream Sports' engineering capabilities over nearly a decade, Sharma is now embarking on a new entrepreneurial journey with an AI startup operating in stealth mode. As Dream Sports continues navigating regulatory changes and business transformation, Sharma's move highlights the growing appeal of artificial intelligence entrepreneurship among experienced technology leaders in India's rapidly evolving startup ecosystem.