Ad veteran Shashi Sinha backs creator-tech firm Qoruz weeks after Omnicom exit

What's the deal? Advertising veteran Shashi SinhaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has made an angel investment in QoruzDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the creator-tech company behind HashFameDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The deal, made through Sinha's family office, was announced in August 2026, though the amount remains undisclosed.

Why now? The investment comes in July 2026, a month after Sinha stepped down as strategic advisor at Omnicom Media IndiaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. He told ET BrandEquity he sees opportunity as the industry moves beyond influencer campaigns toward technology-led platforms.

What's the endgame? Qoruz plans to use the capital to build and scale the creator-side of its platform. Co-founder and chief executive officer Praanesh BhuvaneswarDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → said the company wants to help influencers build "sustainable, independent businesses" rather than just run paid campaigns.

Sinha framed his interest around infrastructure, not campaigns. "While many people are looking at influencers, a lot of that ecosystem is still managed very manually," he said. "What excited me about Qoruz is that it is building a platform for influencers, which is a separate opportunity altogether and, potentially, a much bigger space."

His longer-term bet extends to commerce, where creators could earn a share of the sales they drive. "If they generate sales, they could get a share of the revenue. For me, that is the holy grail," Sinha said.

The signal: An industry veteran backing infrastructure over influencer campaigns points to where creator marketing is heading — toward formalised, transparent platforms that treat creators as businesses.

Read more: ET BrandEquity

Image credit: Generated with Gemini