In the world of entrepreneurship, stories of perseverance and resilience often shine the brightest. Vinay Singhal, along with his friends Shashank Vaishnav and Praveen Singhal, embarked on a remarkable journey that embodies these qualities. Their venture, WittyFeed, began as a humble Facebook page after Vinay completed his graduation. Little did they know that their dedication would lead to something extraordinary.
WittyFeed, a viral content platform, quickly transcended borders and gained a global following. With a dedicated team of 125 employees, the company achieved an annual turnover of Rs 40 crore. Offices in India, Singapore, and America attested to its international success. Valued at an impressive Rs 200 crore, the website boasted 120 million unique monthly users, 420 million page views, and a staggering 2.5 billion impressions, as reported by News18.
However, adversity struck on November 26, 2018, when the WittyFeed Facebook page vanished, plunging the company into a financial crisis. By 2019, funds had dried up, and the prospect of closure loomed large. But Vinay refused to surrender to despair.
In the face of immense challenges, Vinay Singhal exhibited unwavering commitment by continuing to pay his employees for three months. His resilience bore fruit when the idea for the STAGE app emerged. Empowered by his team's unwavering support, a dedicated group of 54 individuals worked tirelessly to launch the STAGE app on November 1, 2019. Today, the company stands tall with a valuation exceeding Rs 300 crore, as reported by News18.
In the same year, Vinay, Shashank, and Praveen set their sights on creating a unique OTT platform tailored for the Indian audience, akin to Netflix. Enter STAGE, an OTT platform that celebrates artists and embraces diverse regional dialects. With over two million downloads and a subscriber base exceeding one lakh paying customers, STAGE has become a powerhouse in the realm of hyperlocal video entertainment.
Vinay Singhal's journey serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit of entrepreneurship. Despite possessing market credibility through WittyFeed, building an OTT platform from scratch demanded immense effort and determination.
