Event Tech Startup Ticket9 Ropes In Actor Nayanthara As Investor 

Event tech startup Ticket9 has roped in actor Nayanthara, along with her husband and renowned director Vignesh Shivan as its investors.

Although the startup did not disclose the funding amount, but told Inc42 that it will deploy the fresh capital to strengthen its technology, enhance user experience and expand its presence across new markets.

Founded in 2022  by Yazhini Shanmugam and Santhos Premraj, Ticket9 is an event tech SaaS platform to create, promote, connect and manage events. 

Currently focused on live events, Ticket9 claims to enhance event management processes to drive revenue growth, while helping attendees discover personalised events near them.

“Ticket9 is well on its way to becoming a dynamic player in the events and entertainment space, and I have no doubt it will grow into a unicorn. I truly believe in its potential, and together we can soar with this user-friendly platform, making a significant impact in both the entertainment industry and the event space,” Shivan said. 

“The entertainment industry in India is evolving rapidly, with technology reshaping how people experience live events. Our mission is to seamlessly merge technology with entertainment, creating effortless, enjoyable experiences for organizers and attendees alike,” said Premraj.

The startup claims to have raised $200K in its pre-seed round last year from notable investors, including M2P cofounder Prabhu Rangarajan, bitsCrunch founder and CEO Vijay Pravin Maharajan and CTO Ashok Vardharajan, Ippopay’s founder and CEO Mohan K, and CTO Jaikumar. 

Other investors include Growfin’s Head of AI and ML Sudalai Rajkumar, Wilcosource cofounder Sundararaman Ramasamy and Witree’s CTO Selvamuthukumar along with angels from the US, Singapore, Australia and Bangkok.

Ticket9 competes against the likes of BookMyShow, Paytm Insider (now called District after Zomato’s acquisition), and EventsNow, among others in the SaaS-based event ticketing platform. 

This is not the first time that the actor-director duo has invested in a startup. The couple invested an undisclosed amount of funding in The Divine Foods last December.

The development comes at the heart of several Indian startups roping in actors and celebrities as investors. 

The year 2023 witnessed a record year for celebrity investors, with Inc42 reporting over 19 personalities infusing capital into 26 startups, including prominent figures like Akshay Kumar and Sunil Shetty.

Here’s a glimpse at some of these celebrities who’ve made waves in the Indian startup landscape.

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt launched her D2C kidswear brand Ed-a-Mamma in 2020, which has now become a majority-owned subsidiary of Reliance Retail. Deepak Chahar, Indian cricketer, co-founded Trade Fantasy Game (TFG), a fantasy gaming platform, in 2023, along with a D2C sportswear brand DNINE Sports. 

Deepika Padukone ventured into skincare with her brand 82°E in 2022, besides making investments in various startups like Blusmart and Bellatrix Aerospace.

Similarly, Hrithik Roshan launched his lifestyle brand HRX in 2013, which now partners with Myntra and Cult.fit, while Katrina Kaif debuted her beauty brand Kay Beauty in 2019. Kriti Sanon entered the fitness market with The Tribe and co-founded skincare brand Hyphen. 

Former cricket captain MS Dhoni is the brand ambassador and part-owner of SEVEN, while Preity Zinta co-founded DRIVE FITT, a gym facility. Priyanka Chopra Jonas created Anomaly, a haircare brand, and Rakul Preet Singh launched Starring You, a talent discovery platform.