Boat co-founder Aman Gupta’s OffBeat raises Rs 100 crore in funding led by Bessemer

Aman Gupta, the co-founder of Boat, has successfully raised ₹100 crore in seed funding for his latest venture, OffBeat Studios. This funding round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners and marks Gupta's first significant initiative after stepping back from daily operations at the consumer electronics brand. In a LinkedIn announcement, Gupta revealed that his motivation to raise capital was influenced more by the strategic advantages offered by investors rather than a mere financial necessity. He emphasized, "I didn’t raise capital because I needed the cheque. I raised it because Anant, Vishal, and Bessemer’s partners across the world bring speed, credibility, network, and strategic support that money alone cannot buy." Gupta further stated that his focus for OffBeat Studios is to build a robust foundation grounded in technology and artificial intelligence, aligning with the current trends in startup innovation. He remarked, "Having built from scratch before, I know what capital can do and what it cannot. This time, I was looking for partners with a global perspective who can help me leverage technology and AI, because that’s where the future lies," highlighting Bessemer's successful history with firms like Anthropic, Shopify, Canva, and LinkedIn. This funding announcement comes shortly after Gupta introduced OffBeat Studios in March, following his transition to a non-executive director position at Boat in September 2025. The company also appointed Gaurav Nayyar as its new CEO, while co-founder Sameer Mehta shifted to an executive director role with a focus on strategy. This leadership change coincides with Boat's renewed efforts to pursue an IPO. After postponing a ₹2,000 crore IPO in 2022, the company reignited its listing ambitions in 2025, filing confidential documents in April and later submitting an updated draft red herring prospectus for a ₹1,500 crore offering. However, recent updates indicate that Boat has once again paused its IPO plans to reevaluate market conditions and internal preparedness.