Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · Bangalore, India
The Ken is a technology company.
The Ken operates as a pan-Indian, digital, subscription-driven publication delivering original, in-depth business journalism. The company provides a unique perspective on the Indian business landscape, focusing on detailed analysis and investigative reporting. Its core offering is a daily newsletter and exclusive articles that delve deep into various sectors, moving beyond headlines to offer significant insights.
The company was founded in 2016 by a team of experienced journalists and entrepreneurs: Seema Singh, Sumanth Raghavendra, Rohin Dharmakumar, and Ashish K. Singh. They launched The Ken with the insight that discerning readers required more than just surface-level news. Their collective background highlighted a need for high-quality, subscriber-exclusive content that offers genuine value and unique perspectives in a rapidly evolving business environment.
The Ken primarily serves professionals, decision-makers, and individuals seeking nuanced understanding of business and economy trends. Its vision is to be the authoritative voice in Indian business journalism, providing its audience with critical analysis and comprehensive narratives. The company aims to foster informed discourse by delivering content that emphasizes depth, originality, and a subscriber-first approach.
The Ken has raised $1.9M across 2 funding rounds.
The Ken has raised $1.9M in total across 2 funding rounds.
The Ken has raised $1.9M in total across 2 funding rounds.
The Ken's investors include Omidyar Network, Sid Yog, Yuj Ventures.
The Ken has raised $1.9M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $1.5M Series A in July 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 2018 | $1.5M Series A | Omidyar Network | SID YOG, YUJ Ventures | Announced |
| Mar 12, 2017 | $400K Venture Round | — | — | Announced |
The Ken is a subscribers-only digital business journalism platform headquartered in Bangalore, India, delivering one original, analytical story daily on topics like startups, technology, healthcare, and business trends.[1][3][4][6] Founded in 2016, it serves professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders through newsletters, podcasts, educational programs, and corporate subscriptions, with over 30,000 individual and 150+ corporate subscribers as of 2021, generating $5.6 million in revenue and employing around 91-96 people.[1][3][4][5][6] Its subscription model—Rs 2,750 annually in India or $108 overseas—prioritizes depth over volume, achieving cash-flow profitability and focusing on narrative-driven insights rather than ad-driven traffic.[3][6]
The Ken launched in October 2016, founded by experienced journalists and entrepreneurs Rohin Dharmakumar, Sumanth Raghavendra, Seema Singh, and Ashish K. Mishra, under Kenrise Media Pvt. Ltd.[3][4][6] Emerging amid a crowded media landscape chasing clicks, the team pioneered a premium, ad-free model for in-depth Indian business journalism, starting with weekday stories emailed to subscribers.[1][6] Early traction included rapid growth to profitability by April (year unspecified in sources), with revenues up 200% year-over-year in one quarter, supported by $1.5 million Series A from Omidyar Network in 2018, followed by additional rounds totaling over $5 million, including a $2 million Series B in 2023 from Rainmatter Capital and others.[3][4]
The Ken rides the wave of premium, narrative-driven journalism amid India's booming digital media and startup ecosystem, where professionals demand data-driven insights on tech, fintech, climate tech, and healthcare trends.[3][4][5][6] Its timing aligns with rising subscriptions post-2016 ad-blocker era and India's media fragmentation, filling gaps in objective, non-sensational coverage of economic shifts like post-pandemic growth and Southeast Asia expansion.[4][6] By influencing discourse—through referenced stories, podcasts, and bundles like "The Stack"—it shapes investor and leader perspectives, boosting the startup ecosystem via trend analysis while maintaining independence through VC funding without compromising editorial integrity.[3][4][6]
The Ken's disciplined one-story-per-day focus positions it for scaled growth via audio (podcasts), international editions, and enterprise tools, potentially expanding to video or AI-enhanced personalization amid rising demand for trusted business intel.[4][6] Trends like India's digital economy surge, climate/fintech booms, and global subscription fatigue will test it, but profitability, investor support, and journalist-led ethos suggest evolving influence as a go-to for ecosystem leaders—reinforcing its original mission to deepen "ken" in a noisy world.[1][3][6]