Gurugram: NODWIN Gaming, a global gaming, esports and youth entertainment company, has announced a series of strategic milestones aimed at accelerating its journey towards a public listing. The company has initiated a pre-IPO fundraising round while also strengthening its leadership with the appointment of industry veteran Arnd Benninghoff to its Board of Directors.
The fundraising round will include a mix of primary issuance to support global expansion through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to provide liquidity to existing shareholders. The move comes amid strong financial momentum for the company, which has returned to EBITDA profitability while recording a 42% year-on-year revenue growth, reaching USD 58.5 million in the first nine months of FY2026.
Currently Executive Vice President of Gaming at Modern Times Group (MTG), Benninghoff brings over a decade of strategic and entrepreneurial leadership across global gaming and media businesses. Since 2014, he has led MTG’s strategic investments and portfolio growth. His previous roles include serving as Chief Digital Officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media, Managing Director at SevenVentures, and CEO of Holtzbrinck eLAB.
A prolific entrepreneur, Benninghoff has founded and built 15 companies during his career. He began his professional journey as a journalist with Deutsche Presse-Agentur and various television networks. He holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in Business and Administration from the University of Münster and previously served on the Board of Directors of Edgeware AB.
Over the past few years, NODWIN Gaming has expanded rapidly beyond its regional roots, positioning itself as a major player across emerging markets in South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The company has built a broad ecosystem spanning esports, gaming, music and youth culture, catering to fast-growing youth audiences across these regions.
Commenting on his appointment, Arnd Benninghoff, Executive Vice President of Gaming at MTG, said, “I have long admired NODWIN Gaming’s incredible trajectory and its unique ability to build vibrant, community-first ecosystems in the world’s most dynamic markets. The company sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today. I am honored to join the Board and look forward to working closely with Akshat and the team to leverage my experience in strategic investment and digital media to help drive NODWIN’s next chapter of growth and innovation.”
Welcoming Benninghoff to the board, Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, said, “Arnd is a rare leader who understands the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios. His vision for the future of interactive entertainment aligns perfectly with our goal to become the definitive voice of gaming and youth culture in the Global South. Arnd’s insights will be invaluable as we continue to scale our IPs and explore new frontiers in youth entertainment. Arnd’s insights will be invaluable and we are thrilled to welcome Arnd to the NODWIN Gaming Board of Directors at such a pivotal moment in our global expansion.”
The company has also appointed UBS as the lead advisor for both the pre-IPO fundraising round and its eventual public listing.
NODWIN’s international growth strategy is supported by recent strategic moves, including the acquisition of StarLadder, a Ukraine-based tournament organiser known for hosting premier AAA esports events such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 Majors.
The company also continues to serve as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), widely regarded as the world’s most iconic fighting game tournament, supporting its expansion into new markets.
With a portfolio that includes major youth and gaming IPs such as DreamHack India and Comic Con India, NODWIN Gaming is increasingly positioning itself as a bridge between global gaming publishers and the world’s fastest-growing youth audiences.
