Bengaluru-based EloElo Group, the parent company of microdrama platform Story TV, is increasing investments in original content, artificial intelligence (AI), and international expansion to capitalise on the growing demand for mobile-first entertainment.
The platform has witnessed a significant increase in user engagement, with average daily time spent rising to 95 minutes from 65–70 minutes a few months ago. Additionally, the company has recorded more than 120 million app installs across its platforms and over 40 million monthly active users across Story TV, Master, its micro-learning platform, and Voxy AI.
The company’s expansion strategy follows its successful $80 million Series C funding round, led by Hornbill Capital and NBCUniversal, which takes its total capital raised to $130 million. Existing investors, including Kalaari Capital, Play Ventures, Waterbridge Ventures, and Griffin Gaming Partners, also participated in the round.
Founded in Bengaluru in 2020 by former Flipkart executive Saurabh Pandey, EloElo has developed a library of more than 5,000 microdramas across six languages. The company currently produces approximately 250 new dramas every month and plans to more than double its monthly content slate over the next year. Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu will remain its primary focus languages.
“We hope to more than double our slate in the next year itself. The idea is not just to double the numbers but to build genuinely good IP and really good stories,” Pandey said.
Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is becoming an integral part of the company’s content production strategy. Pandey stated that AI now powers 70–80% of the workflows involved in producing microdramas, helping the company reduce production costs to ₹15–17 lakh per drama.
Furthermore, EloElo is investing in Dolphin AI, its AI-powered creative suite, while expanding its data science, machine learning, and generative AI engineering teams to strengthen its technological capabilities.
International expansion, beginning with the United States, represents another key growth priority for the company. EloElo plans to target both Indian diaspora communities and local-language audiences in international markets.
“We believe there is no Netflix of microdramas yet, and no one brand in this space that dominates global markets. We believe Story TV has that potential,” Pandey said.
Commenting on the company’s growth prospects, Manoj Thakur, Founder and Managing Partner of Hornbill Capital, said, “The team’s execution, financial discipline, and AI capabilities position it well for its next phase of growth.”
EloElo’s expansion comes as the global microdrama industry continues to gain momentum. According to Omdia, the segment could generate $14 billion in revenue by the end of 2026. Similarly, Redseer estimates that 40 million people in India paid for a microdrama at least once during FY26.
Highlighting the company’s growth strategy, Deepak Arya, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Development at NBCUniversal, said, “Under Saurabh’s leadership, EloElo has developed a differentiated, mobile-first approach with a clear focus on content and storytelling, positioning the company for long-term success.”
With increased investments in original programming, AI-driven production, and international markets, EloElo aims to strengthen Story TV’s position in the rapidly expanding microdrama entertainment industry.
