Meet woman, share special ‘connections’ with Dhoni, Shah Rukh Khan, born in small town of Uttar Pradesh, built Rs 25000000000 company in just…, her name is…

Saumya Singh Rathore, co-founder of WinZO Games, has built a Rs 2,500 crore company in just five years.

Born in 1988 in a small town in Uttar Pradesh, Saumya Singh Rathore pursued her education abroad. She holds a postgraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Manchester, UK. Saumya began her career at KPMG London as an associate and later worked for nearly a decade in corporate roles in India before venturing into entrepreneurship.

Founding WinZO Games

In 2018, Saumya partnered with her former colleague Pawan Nanda to launch WinZO Games. Pawan had co-founded ZO Rooms, a travel startup, before it shut down after the Oyo-ZO controversy in 2016. With an initial funding of Rs 3.3 crore, the duo focused on creating a gaming platform targeting India’s Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, a relatively untapped market at the time. By 2019, WinZO had amassed over 2 crore users and generated monthly transactions exceeding Rs 200 crore.

Collaborations With Dhoni And Shah Rukh Khan’s KKR

WinZO’s journey took a remarkable turn in 2020 when cricketing icon MS Dhoni was signed as its brand ambassador. The company also secured a multi-year sponsorship deal with Shah Rukh Khan’s IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Collaborations with influential content creators like CarryMinati and Bhuvan Bam further boosted its reach.

Innovative Business Model

WinZO operates on a micro-transaction-based revenue model, allowing users to play real-time multiplayer games by paying as little as Rs 2 to Rs 25. Players can win rewards while engaging in games like Cricket, Carrom, and Ludo. The platform offers games in 25 Indian languages, catering to users from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Within a year of its launch, WinZO had gained over 50 lakh users, and today, it hosts over 100 games in six formats and 12 languages.

Empowering Influencers

WinZO has also become a lucrative platform for micro-influencers, enabling them to earn significant incomes. By 2022, nearly 1 lakh influencers were earning anywhere between Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh per month, with some earning as high as Rs 5-10 lakh. The company aims to double its influencer base to 2 lakh.

WinZO Games Current Standing

With a valuation of over Rs 2,500 crore, WinZO Games is now India’s largest social gaming platform, a testament to Saumya Singh Rathore’s vision and determination. From humble beginnings in a small town to leading a revolutionary business, her journey is an inspiring story of innovation, persistence, and success in the Indian startup ecosystem.