More than just a reality show, the Shark Tank India franchise has truly brought about a cultural shift. In a country known for its entrepreneurial spirit, starting a small business, especially by someone young, was often greeted by doubt, a lack of confidence and thus a lack of resources. However, this changed after December 2021, when the first season of Shark Tank India aired.
What is Shark Tank India?
Shark Tank India is a popular reality television show, streaming on Sony Liv, where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a group of successful investors, known as 'sharks,' to secure funding and mentorship.
The show, which is modeled after the American version of Shark Tank, provides a unique platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their innovations and gain valuable insights from experienced business leaders. With its mix of drama, innovation and business strategy, Shark Tank India is a must-watch for anyone interested in the world of entrepreneurship and start-ups.
The format of the show has entrepreneurs come into the tank and pitch their business ideas, to convince the sharks to part with their hard-earned money. This funding can help take their businesses to the next level, and turn their billion-dollar dreams into reality. On the other hand, the sharks are there to get the highest return on their investment and own a piece of the next big business opportunity. So fully expect to see them fight and plot with fellow sharks to get the best deal possible for themselves.
Shark Tank India Judges
So, who are the Shark Tank India Season 2 sharks?
Amit Jain: Co-founder and CEO of CarDekho.com, Amit Jain is the newest shark to join the tank this season. An IIT graduate, Amit started CarDekho in 2008. After going through its fair share of ups and downs, the business received its first round of funding in 2013, and is now a Unicorn with a valuation of $1.2 billion. With an estimated net worth of $355 Million, it’ll be interesting to see how Amit changes the dynamics in the tank.
Aman Gupta: Aman Gupta is the co-founder and CMO of BoAt, India’s homegrown consumer electronics brand. A Chartered Accountant by education, Aman has also graduated with an MBA from ISB, India and Kellogg School of Management, USA. After a stint in finance, Aman started boAt in 2016, along with co-founder Sameer Mehta. With an estimated net worth of $86 Million, Aman is known to be one of the most fun and light-hearted sharks in the tank.
Anupam Mittal: Founder and CEO of People Group, Anupam Mittal is a master entrepreneur and investor. An alum of Boston College, USA, Anupam started Shaadi.com in 2001, and then went on to build an empire of websites under People Group, from Shaadi.com, Makaan.com, Mauj app and more. With an estimated net worth of $50 Million, Anupam is the voice of experience in the tank.
Peyush Bansal: Peyush Bansal is the Co-founder and CEO of Lenskart, an eyewear business that has revolutionized the eyewear industry in India. Alumni of McGill University and IIM Bangalore, Peyush started his career with Microsoft and moved to India to start Lenskart in 2011. With a valuation of $4.5 Billion, Lenskart is perhaps one of the most successful startup stories from India. With an estimated net worth of $73 Mn, Peyush is known to be one of the kindest and most humble sharks.
Namita Thapar: An executive director at Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Namita Thapar is one of India’s top businesswomen. Also a Chartered Accountant by education, Namita got her MBA from Duke Fuqua, and joined her family’s business, Emcure, as CFO. With an estimated net worth of $73 Million, Namita is an expert in medical and lifestyle businesses and is a strong advocate for women entrepreneurs.
Vineeta Singh: CEO and Co-founder of Sugar Cosmetics, Vineeta believes in following your dreams with courage, and encourages other entrepreneurs in the tank to do the same. An IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad alumni, she started Sugar in 2012, after famously declining a ₹1 Crore job offer. Sugar is now one of the biggest independent cosmetics brands in India, with a valuation of $100 Million.
Shark Tank India Successes: Who Invested In What?
Revamp Moto: Revamp Moto, an EV startup from Nashik, came to the tank in the first season of Shark Tank India. Represented by founders Jayesh Tope, Pushkaraj Salunke and Pritesh Mahajan, it showcased Revamp Mitra, a modular EV with up to 10 attachments. Seeking ₹1 Crore for 1% equity, after a close Shark fight, Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal came together to invest ₹1 Crore for 1.5% equity.
Skippi Ice Pops: While Ice Pops is something we’ve all loved and enjoyed as kids, Skippi came up with a new-age product for the same market. Backed by their product and business growth, the founders came to the show looking for ₹45 lakhs for 5% equity. But before you knew it, all the Shark Tank India judges jumped in and invested ₹1 Crore in exchange for 15% equity, equally divided among all the sharks.
Wakão Foods: Wakão Foods is one of India’s first plant-based vegan meat alternative brands. An entertaining presentation, category-defining product and good business numbers influenced the sharks to invest. The founder, Sairaj Dhond, was able to confirm a deal, with Ghazal Alagh, Vineeta Singh, and Namita Thapar, for ₹75 Lakhs in exchange for a 21% equity stake in the company.
Sunfox Technologies: Sunfox came into the tank with their invention, a portable ECG device that a patient can use at home. With the opportunity to prevent irreversible heart ailments by making an early diagnosis, all the sharks wanted to contribute to this company. They eventually bagged a deal of ₹1 Crore in exchange for 6% equity, from all the sharks combined.
Stage OTT: Stage is India’s first regional OTT platform, competing against Netflix, Hotstar, and Disney’s of the world. With a tagline of ‘Company nahi, hum kranti hai’ Stage founders, Vinay Kumar Singh, Shashank Vaishnav and Parveen Singhal, had a redemption story that inspired the sharks and millions of viewers. They secured a deal of ₹1.5 Crores for 0.6% equity and ₹1.5 Crore in debt from Aman, Namita and Peyush.
Shark Tank India Pitches: The Ones That Didn’t Get a Deal on The Show
Flatheads: This pitch by Ganesh Balakrishnan for his footwear venture, Flatheads, brought a tear to many eyes. Ganesh spoke about how COVID put a surprising halt to his company’s growth and thus funding too. Seeing an earnest and talented founder with a great product, and feeling helpless was heartbreaking. Peyush offered with ₹75 Lakhs for 33.3% equity, however, Ganesh decided to decline the offer. He shared that before taking any investment, he would like to go back and learn more about the market and come back when he’s ready!
Moonshine: Moonshine is India’s first meadery, creating the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage, by fermenting honey with varied fruits and spices. The founders, Rohan Rehani and Nitin Vishwas came to Shark Tank India asking for ₹80 lakhs for a 0.5% equity stake in their company. Although a deal didn’t materialize on the show, the company is in expansion mode now.
JhaJi Pickle: A women-run food business, JhaJi Pickles was started by two women from Bihar, offering homemade pickles and chutneys. Although the sharks were impressed by their pitch and product in Season 1, they weren’t able to secure a deal in the tank. However, Vineeta and Namita had regrets. So in the first episode of Season 2, the two sharks went to JhaJi’s pickle factory in Darbhanga and offered them an investment of ₹85 Lakhs.
Recode Studios: Ludhiana-based cosmetics entrepreneurs, Dheeraj Bansal and Rahul Sachdeva impressed the sharks with their out-of-the-box marketing ideas. Be it selling their products for ₹1 each in a flash sale, or acquiring users by offering makeup classes in fancy hotels with free lunch to attract users. After the duo left the tank without a deal, folks on LinkedIn have been calling out the sharks for not investing in the company, as it’s a competitor of fellow shark Vineeta’s brand, Sugar.
Theka Coffee: Bhupinder Madaan’s Theka Coffee is a unique startup that offers 100% homemade coffee to coffee enthusiasts. While the product and the pitch impressed the sharks, they chose not to invest in the company due to the complications involved in the beverage supply chain. However, this didn’t dampen the entrepreneur’s spirit, and the company went on to raise ₹2.5 Crores from a Dubai-based VC.
FAQ's
1. When did Shark Tank Season 2 start in India?
Shark Tank India Season 2 started on 2nd January 2023.
2. How can I watch Shark Tank Season 2 in India?
Shark Tank India Season 2 is a series on Sony Liv or Sony TV, with new episodes out every Monday-Friday at 10 PM.
3. Who is the new Shark in Shark Tank India Season 2?
Amit Jain is a new Shark who’s joined Shark Tank India this season.
4. How many sharks will be there in Shark Tank India Season 2?
Shark Tank India Season 2 will feature 6 sharks: Amit Jain, Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar, Peyush Bansal and Vineeta Singh.
5. Who is the new host of Shark Tank India Season 2?
Rahul Dua, a popular stand-up comedian, is the new host of Shark Tank India Season 2. He is replacing Rannvijay Singha this season.
