VerSe Innovation, the parent company of Dailyhunt, Josh, NexVerse.ai, VerSe Collab, Magzter, and ValueLeaf, has appointed Prakashan Manikoth as its Group Chief Financial Officer (Group CFO).
Based in Bengaluru, Manikoth will be responsible for global finance operations, strategic planning, investor relations, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and capital allocation. He will also lead VerSe’s IPO readiness initiatives, with a focus on financial discipline, corporate governance, and risk management.
With over 25 years of experience in the technology and finance sectors, Manikoth has previously held key leadership roles at Wipro, TCS, Tata Teleservices, and LeadSquared. During his tenure at Wipro, he managed finance for global operations, while at TCS he led financial management for the company’s emerging markets and core banking divisions. Most recently, as CFO at LeadSquared, he oversaw the company’s global expansion and operational scaling.
Strengthening Financial Leadership for IPO Goals
VerSe Innovation operates one of India’s largest AI-powered local language content platforms, serving over 350 million users through Dailyhunt, while supporting millions of creators via Josh, its short video platform. The company’s growing ecosystem also includes NexVerse.ai, Dailyhunt Premium, and VerSe Collab, which provide AI-driven tools for content creation and distribution.
According to TheKredible, VerSe Innovation’s operating revenue surged to Rs 1,930 crore in FY25, up from Rs 1,029 crore in FY24, marking strong year-on-year growth. The company expects to achieve group-level profitability in the second half of FY25, positioning itself for a potential public listing.
Backed by global investors including CPP Investments, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Qatar Investment Authority, Carlyle Group, Baillie Gifford, Goldman Sachs, and Peak XV Partners, VerSe has raised over $1.5 billion to date and was last valued at $5 billion.
Manikoth’s appointment signals VerSe’s next phase of financial and operational consolidation as it prepares for a milestone IPO and global expansion.
By: Arushi Agarwal
