After stepping down at IPO-bound Boat, Aman Gupta launches new company OffBeat Studios

Aman Gupta, co-founder of audio and wearables brand boAt, has announced the launch of a new venture, OffBeat Studios, marking his first entrepreneurial move since transitioning out of day-to-day operations at the company. In a post on X on March 3, Gupta wrote: “With every birthday, some grow older, I grow bolder. I am still hungry, still impatient and still driven. Aman 2.0 begins soon. Introducing my new venture. @Offbeatstudios1.” What we know so far Details about OffBeat Studios remain limited. Gupta has not disclosed the venture’s business model, sector focus, funding structure, team, or launch timeline. The branding shared in his post featured a stylised “OFF/BEAT” logo but did not provide further clarity on the nature of the business. It remains unclear whether OffBeat Studios will have any strategic association with Boat or operate independently as a founder-led initiative. Gupta has been closely associated with Boat’s brand-building journey since its inception and played a key role in shaping its marketing strategy. He is also widely recognised as a judge on Shark Tank India, which expanded his visibility among entrepreneurs and young consumers. Leadership transition at Boat Gupta had earlier moved to a non-executive position on Boat’s board as part of a leadership reshuffle at the company. In September last year, the company appointed Gaurav Nayyar as chief executive officer, while co-founder Sameer Mehta took on the role of executive director focused on strategy. The shift marked a move toward a professional management structure at the company. IPO approval in place The development comes as Boat’s parent, Imagine Marketing, has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for its initial public offering. The Warburg Pincus-backed company confidentially filed for an IPO in April and is reportedly targeting a valuation of around Rs 13,000 crore. This marks Boat’s second attempt to go public. In January 2022, it had filed draft papers for a Rs 2,000 crore IPO, comprising a fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 900 crore and an offer for sale aggregating up to Rs 1,100 crore. The company later withdrew those papers amid market volatility. Boat has not commented on whether Gupta’s new venture will have any bearing on the upcoming public issue.