New Delhi, September 4, 2025 – WinZO, India’s largest homegrown digital entertainment platform serving over 250 million users globally, has successfully completed the fifth season of its marquee Battle of Super Scholars (BOSS) program. The initiative, conducted in partnership with India’s top-tier business institutions including IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, and Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) Delhi, represents a strategic investment in developing next-generation consumer technology leadership.
Building India’s Global Tech Leadership Pipeline
The BOSS program serves as a cornerstone of WinZO’s mission to transform academic excellence into practical innovation, creating a robust talent pipeline capable of developing world-class technology and intellectual property from India for international markets. This initiative operates under WinZO’s Global Center of Excellence framework, established in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Through this program, India’s most promising students engage directly with WinZO’s 200+ member technical team, comprised of alumni from premier global institutions. The collaboration emphasizes strategic mentorship, knowledge exchange, and sustained industry-academia partnerships that support WinZO’s broader objective of establishing India as a global hub for digital innovation.
2025 Program Outcomes and Innovation Focus
This year’s program generated breakthrough solutions across multiple strategic areas, including generative AI applications, international market expansion frameworks, global monetization strategies, and culturally-authentic yet internationally scalable product formats. These innovations directly contribute to strengthening WinZO’s technology development pipeline and market expansion capabilities.
Winning participants will receive comprehensive development opportunities, including international exchange programs with leading global universities, targeted scholarships, strategic internships, and executive mentorship from WinZO’s senior leadership team. These initiatives are designed to help participants refine their innovations and scale their solutions globally in partnership with WinZO.
Technology Leadership and Global Expansion
WinZO’s competitive positioning in international markets is supported by its extensive intellectual property portfolio of over 100 technology patents. These innovations span critical areas including live streaming infrastructure, real-time gaming engines, AI-powered vernacular digital companions, seamless game integration systems, and advanced cybersecurity solutions.
The company’s current expansion across India, Brazil, and the United States demonstrates its commitment to scaling Indian technology solutions to global markets while serving as a bridge for cultural and intellectual exchange.
“Our most significant investment continues to be in human capital – the visionary talent that drives innovation with global perspective and responds to market dynamics with strategic agility,” said Paavan Nanda, Co-founder of WinZO. “We believe the next transformation in consumer technology will be driven not merely by products, but by the exceptional minds that conceptualize and create them. This conviction drives our continued investment in our team and India’s emerging innovators, as we believe the future of global digital innovation will be authored from India.”
Academic Leadership Perspectives
The program has garnered strong support from academic leadership across participating institutions, who recognize its potential to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
Professor Viswanath Pingali of IIM Ahmedabad noted: “The global gaming industry is experiencing fundamental transformation, and India possesses the capability to lead this evolution not only as a consumption market, but as a creator of intellectual property. Integrating industry expertise into academic curricula represents a valuable advancement, and we extend our best wishes to both students and the organization.”
Professor Prem Prakash Dewani of IIM Lucknow emphasized: “India stands at a critical inflection point where talent, technology, and entrepreneurship are achieving rapid scale. WinZO’s initiatives serve as effective launchpads for future industry leadership. We are pleased to support WinZO in empowering students to innovate from India for global impact.”
Professor Amit Bardhan of FMS Delhi added: “This initiative aligns strategically with our mission to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking and industry-ready capabilities. It provides our students with exceptional opportunities to address real-world challenges and contribute meaningfully to a rapidly expanding digital economy.”
Strategic Talent Development Framework
For WinZO, human capital represents a core strategic asset. The company’s patent portfolio, international expansion into Brazil and the United States, and planned launches in short-form drama entertainment and adjacent verticals are all built upon its foundational investment in talent development.
Programs like BOSS and the Bharat Tech Triumph Program (BTTP) demonstrate WinZO’s commitment to developing India’s innovation ecosystem, creating pathways from academic institutions to global technology leadership.
WinZO’s strategic approach emphasizes collaborative innovation, with talent development at its core, positioning the company to build and innovate collectively for global markets.
About WinZO
Founded in 2018, WinZO has evolved into India’s leading homegrown next-generation consumer technology platform, serving over 250 million users across India, Brazil, and the United States. The platform offers more than 100 social and esports gaming experiences, complemented by an extensive library of vertical short dramas through ZO TV, available in 15 languages across key markets. The company is backed by prominent global investors including Griffin Gaming Partners, Makers Fund, Courtside Ventures, and Kaalari Capital.
BOSS 2025 Program Winners
National Finale Results (August 14, 2025):
- Winner: Avinash Sharma, Mashale Prajyot Umakant (IIM Lucknow)
- First Runner-up (Tie): Sangye Choden, Anwesha Das (IIM Calcutta)
- Second Runner-up (Tie): Dr. Indumathi S, Nupur Kokate (IIM Calcutta)
- Third Runner-up: Abhinav Kothari, Rishab Dhir (IIM Lucknow)
- Foreign Exchange Program Winner: Riya Chaudhary (IIM Bangalore)
