Adfactors PR and Vikas Khemani, founder and chief investment officer of Carnelian Asset Management & Advisors, have acquired a stake in creator-led marketing company WLDD. The size and value of the transaction were not disclosed.
The Bengaluru-headquartered company said it would use the investment to expand its technology platform, creator network, owned-media properties and brand-building capabilities. The transaction follows an earlier funding round led by Negen Capital in 2023.
Founded in 2018 by Arihant Jain, Jaidev Kesti and Vivekanand Kilari, WLDD employs more than 350 people and has offices in Mumbai and Delhi. The company said it had recorded a compound annual growth rate of 55% over the past three years.
WLDD operates creator and content platforms such as Solo, Meme’d, Crunchy Studios and Imagined Studio. It has also expanded its owned-media presence through the acquisition of digital content platform ScoopWhoop. Its clients include Amazon, Coca-Cola, OpenAI, Spotify, Netflix, Tata Motors and Philips.
For Adfactors PR, the investment marks an expansion of its digital and creator-led offerings. Nijay N Nair, chief executive officer of Adfactors PR, will join WLDD’s board.
“Reputation and influence are being reshaped by digital culture, creator communities and the speed at which narratives now travel,” Adfactors PR co-founder and managing director Madan Bahal said.
Khemani made the investment in his personal capacity. WLDD said the capital would also be used to strengthen technology-enabled campaign execution and scale its media and design businesses.