Celebrating entrepreneurship, #SonyEntertainmentTelevision is all set to launch the globally renowned business realty format – #SharkTankIndia!

Badalte Bharat ki nayi soch ko mil raha hain ek naya manch, jahan ubharte businessmen ke sapne honge sach! India today is about ideas, risk, enterprise, and entrepreneurship. Start-ups and a culture of creating business enterprise has taken a deep root in our society. Acknowledging this societal change Sony Entertainment Television is all set to launch Shark Tank India and provide an opportunity & a platform to aspiring entrepreneurs with interesting business ideas, business prototypes or active businesses to have their ‘pitches’ evaluated by business experts a.k.a The Sharks and seek investments. Produced by STUDIO NEXT, this revolutionary show will see upGrad as the Presenting Sponsor and Flipkart as the co-powered by sponsor. Dive into the world of Shark Tank India starting 20th December, every Mon to Fri at 9:00pm only on Sony Entertainment Television.

Shark Tank India will not only help mentor participants or the ‘pitchers’ but will also give a first-hand experience to the masses by demystifying various nuances of business and the potential that it holds. Geared up to invest in these potential businesses and nurture the country’s business aspirants from all walks of life are the ‘Sharks’ who are successful entrepreneurs themselves. The supremely talented sharks of the very first edition of Shark Tank India are – Ashneer Grover (Founder and Managing Director of BharatPe), Vineeta Singh (CEO & Co-founder of SUGAR Cosmetics), Peyush Bansal (Founder & CEO of Lenskart), Namita Thapar (Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals), Anupam Mittal (Founder and CEO of Shaadi.com – People Group), Ghazal Alagh (Co-founder and Chief Mama of Mamaearth) and Aman Gupta (Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at boAt). While ‘The Sharks’ play a key role in developing India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, host Rannvijay Singha will act as a guide for the pitchers on the show and the audience alike.

What’s the process you ask? The entry into the tank is an ultimate test of perseverance! The selected applicants or the ‘Pitchers’ will find themselves face-to-face with the ‘Sharks’ or the investors who will understand, assess and make an offer based on the applicant’s final ‘pitch’. The Sharks have no idea whatsoever on the ‘pitches’ beforehand. If the ‘pitchers’ manage to impress the ‘Sharks’ they stand a chance to get an offer/ investment from the ‘Sharks’ right there – Jiska Idea Hoga Best, Usmain Karenge Sharks Invest! It’s a deal!
Sony Pictures Networks India has acquired the rights for the Indian adaptation of the globally successful business reality format – Shark Tank, which will be aired on Sony Entertainment Television. The format has reinvigorated businesses in over 40 countries since its first launch in 2001. With over 180 seasons; winning over 30 awards globally, Shark Tank is the world’s No. 1 Business Reality Show. Since its first launch in 2001, as Tigers of Money in Japan, created by Nippon TV the format was later adapted as Dragon’s Den in 2005 in the UK and the show premiered in the US as Shark Tank in the year 2009. The format is distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Television.

Ashish Golwalkar, Head, Content – Sony Entertainment Television and Digital Business : We’re excited to bring to India, the critically acclaimed business reality show ‘Shark Tank’ that has helped create several multi-million-dollar companies across geographies, over the years. This revolutionary show that celebrates entrepreneurship perfectly aligns with the current sentiments across the country and we feel that there couldn’t have been a better time to launch this show. Shark Tank India is an extremely relevant show for us and will believe that it has the potential to connect with the Indian audience as well.

Indranil Chakraborty, Head – STUDIO NEXT : At STUDIO NEXT, it’s our endeavour to present to our viewers ‘entertainment with a purpose’ and shows like KBC, Scam 1992, Dhadkan Zindaggi Kii or soon to be released Whistleblower are a testament to our efforts. In line with this thought, we are excited to bring a show like Shark Tank India that offers a unique viewing experience to the audience not only educating them but entertaining them at the same time. Giving a boost to India’s budding start-up ecosystem, the show puts the spotlight on Naye Bharat Ki Badalti Tasveer by giving an opportunity to the budding business aspirants of our country to chase their great Indian dream and pitch their innovative ideas in front of the Sharks. Through these pitches the viewers will get to witness what actually goes behind those close doors where the big business deals take place; this certainly makes for an interesting watch. Through this show we want to celebrate the undying spirit of the Indian entrepreneurs from all walks of life and share their inspiring stories. The kind of products and businesses that have been pitched are outstanding and we hope to fuel entrepreneurship and creativity further through this show.

Peyush Bansal – Founder & CEO of Lenskart.com : As Sharks, this (Shark Tank India) is also an opportunity for us to step out of the box, get exposed to a plethora of business ideas and meet new entrepreneurs – I came on Shark Tank India for this learning. For me, a pitch is 50% about the business idea – what problem is it solving, how big is it, what is the impact this startup can make and 50% about the entrepreneur – do they have humility, an ability to hustle, can they articulate and sell their idea well, and most importantly, can they lead a team forward.

Ashneer Grover – Founder and Managing Director of BharatPe : Timing was the key reason I took up the show. India is in an entrepreneurship wave and the timing for the show ensures this wave is acknowledged and given a right direction. This show will also give an avenue to entrepreneurs to vicariously learn from others – both what to do and what not to do. While evaluating a pitch, I look at the Founder, Problem, Solution- in that order. I also look at a big enough problem with a unique solution being executed by a solid founder. I think Shark Tank India will instill a lot of confidence in budding entrepreneurs by taking the awe factor away and normalizing the risk which a lot of people perceive in entrepreneurship. Its education – execution would still have to be done by entrepreneurs to be successful.

Ghazal Alagh – Co-founder and Chief Mama of Mamaearth : Being an entrepreneur has given me success, money and a strong purpose in life to create an impact on the society through our brands and job creation. If you look at my background, I will not fit the bill for the usual start-up founder, I was a mother on a maternity break who chose to build this against all odds. I chose to join Shark Tank India to share this story and inspire many more women from all over India that you can do it, it just needs a small start and passion. This is my way of giving back to the Indian start-up ecosystem which has been so amazing to me and made me who I am today. When evaluating the founders I partner with, I look for a great team, a large TAM (Addressable market) and good early traction. I believe Shark Tank India is going to be a game changer for Indian Entrepreneurs and take this conversation to the heart of India inspiring a whole new generation of Indians to start something new and build the future of our economy.

Anupam Mittal, Founder & CEO, Shaadi.com – People Group : When I started Shaadi.com people thought, Internet pe life partner? … Never! … fast-forward to date & Shaadi.com has over 6 Million success stories. Now with Shark Tank India, again a similar question – TV pe investing? I believe that this is India’s decade of entrepreneurship and just like we became the top doctors and engineers in the world, the top entrepreneurs in the world too will emerge from India. Jigyasa, Josh aur Junoon toh already hai, bas thoda aur jigar aur vishwas chahiye, joh hum Shark Tank aur Sony ke zariye jagaane aa rahen hai. Having invested in over 200 companies, I am honoured to be a part of this successful global show, playing my part in marrying investments with ideas so we can truly democratize entrepreneurship in India & make it a global force.

Aman Gupta, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at boat :
I have always been a Shark Tank fanatic and have been following the international series for quite a while. When the opportunity came knocking, I felt very emotional and got on board instantly. I was very excited to share my learnings and journey. Shark Tank India is a unique show and I have seen some of the craziest pitches over the past few days. I look for passionate budding entrepreneurs with scalable ideas that can add value to the Indian consumer. I think Shark Tank India offers much-needed exposure to entrepreneurs and is one of the best lessons in entrepreneurship today. Everyone ends up gaining something, be it financial support or valuable business insights.

Vineeta Singh – Co-founder & CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics : India has been witnessing a boom in new businesses and budding entrepreneurs who are trying to solve different pain points of Indian consumers. Knowing how challenging it could be for any start-up to rope in great investors – Shark Tank India creates a huge platform to bridge this gap and help emerging entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level. It’s an honour for me to be a part of Shark Tank India and help the growing start-up industry to create opportunities to make it big! For me as a Shark – I’m not just looking to invest in strong businesses and products, but I am also looking at immensely passionate entrepreneurs who are running their businesses in a scalable industry.

Namita Thapar – Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals : In today’s time entrepreneurs are problems solvers and job creators who have a massive potential in India’s growth engine for the long run. I feel strongly about this, hence I feel with the right kind of support they will be able to grow and fulfil their dreams. I decided to be a part of Shark Tank India for this very reason. For me, three things are very important in a pitch i.e., the entrepreneur must be sincere and driven by passion, the venture should solve a problem and lastly, I personally should be able to contribute in a meaningful manner. Shark Tank India showcases the diverse entrepreneur culture that India has to offer. I have no doubt that it will instil a sense of pride amongst all the viewers and hopefully encourage millions to fulfil their great Indian dream as well. According to HBR, only 2.3% women led start-ups got funding in 2020, a very dismal statistic. I was happy to see many women founders at Shark Tank India – very encouraging to see this. 85% Indian companies are family businesses, 50% of BSE 100 companies are family businesses so I represent an important segment that is working towards scaling & professionalizing family business while at the same time very conscious about giving back to the entrepreneurial community in our country. The ideas or businesses that have piqued my interest are ventures that promote Indian sports and regional kaarigars; women’s issues, several start-ups that have health products, tech platforms, medical devices and health services, amongst others. I was blown away by the chutzpah, energy and enthusiasm of the founders of a few ventures. The entrepreneurs who get funded will benefit from the time, strategic guidance, domain expertise and networks of the Sharks which will help scale their ventures. While the entrepreneurs who do not get funded will walk away with invaluable feedback which will also benefit their ventures tremendously.

Tune into ‘Shark Tank India’ starting 20th December, every Mon-Fri at 9:00 pm only on Sony Entertainment Television.