Stage, a regional language-focused OTT platform has raised $12.5 million in a Series B funding round led by Goodwater Capital and Blume Ventures. The funding comprised $10 million in primary capital and $2.5 million in secondary capital.
The round also saw participation from Physis Capital, Venture Catalysts, Inflection Point Ventures, Mumbai Angels, The Chennai Angels, Harsh Shah (co-founder of Fynd), Aayush Phumbra (founder of Chegg) and other existing angel investors.
The fresh funds raised will be used to expand content offerings into Awadhi, Maithili and Magahi languages. Additionally, it aims to experiment with live sports, devotional and kids content.
Vinay Singhal, CEO & Co-Founder of STAGE, said, “This funding isn’t just about capital — it’s a resounding validation of India’s regional cultures. For too long, dialects like Haryanvi or Bhojpuri have been seen as a liability. We’re proving otherwise. When Gen-Z users rediscover their cultural identity through constructive storytelling on STAGE, it fosters pride, not stigma. This is the revolution we’re building silently.”
Harsh Mani Tripathi, Chief Product & Strategy Officer & Co-Founder, said, “Our growth isn’t accidental. Every subscriber who joins STAGE isn’t just a user— they’re custodians of their culture.”
Ritesh Malik, Board Member of STAGE and Founder of Innov8 & Palaksha University, said, “STAGE is rewriting India’s entertainment landscape. By amplifying underrepresented voices, empowering local creators, and making regional dialects aspirational, STAGE is not just shaping content—it’s shaping culture.”
Shashank Vaishnav, CTO & Co-Founder, said, “This capital enables us to scale India’s only multi-regional content movement —one that’s rooted in constructive storytelling, and cultural pride.”
Parveen Singhal, CCO & Co-Fouder of STAGE said, “We feel immensely thankful to have taken this journey in life that allows us to explore & experience Indian cultures so closely. This funding is a fuel, enabling us to swiftly scale into Awadhi, Maithili and Magahi cultures in the next 20 months.”
“When we first met STAGE, we saw a mission to preserve local culture and language and create a sense of pride, identity and employment within those regions. It was a free Haryanvi app waiting to take the first step towards subscription. To see it bloom to 15cr a month when skeptics said no one will pay or watch this as primary content, is very satisfying. Onto breaking more barriers, strengthening more cultures,” said Karthik Reddy, Partner at Blume.
Founded in 2019 by Vinay Singhal, Parveen Singhal, Shashank Vaishnav, and Harsh Mani Tripathi, Stage serves as a hyper-localized OTT platform. Stage offers an extensive library of original stories in shows and movies in Haryanvi, Rajasthani and Bhojpuri.
Stage claims to have 20+ million app downloads with more than 4.4 million paid subscribers. With 390+ hours of Haryanvi and 183+ hours of Rajasthani content, and an expanding Bhojpuri library.
The past year alone saw a 289% revenue surge to ₹180 crores in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and 286% subscriber growth, driven by critically acclaimed originals like Videshi Bahu (Haryanvi), Kaand 2010 (Haryanvi), and Bhawani (Rajasthani) and national award-winning Dada Lakhmi featuring Bollywood veterans like Yashpal Sharma.
