Who's The Shark Tank India's Top Investor Shark?

Shark Tank India is a reality TV show that invites budding entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors, or sharks, in the hopes of securing funding. The show first aired in December 2021 and has since become one of the most successful reality shows in the country. There are seven sharks on the show: Aman Gupta, Peyush Bansal, Namita Thapar, Ashneer Grover, Anupam Mittal, Vineeta Singh, and Ghazal Alagh. These self-made multi-millionaires decide whether to invest in the contestants' business ideas based on their presentations. As of February 2022, Aman Gupta had made the most investments on the show, investing a total of Rs 9.358 crore in 28 deals.

Aman Gupta's 28 deals

Shark Tank India, the Indian version of the popular series that originated in the US, has been a successful reality show since its launch in December 2021. The show invites budding entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors, or "sharks," in the hopes of securing funding.

One of the show's investors, Aman Gupta, is a self-made entrepreneur and the co-founder and marketing director of boAt, an Indian electronics brand that deals in earphones, headphones, smartwatches, and speakers. Gupta has made 28 deals on Shark Tank India, investing a total of Rs 9.358 crore, the highest of any shark on the show.

Gupta has invested in a variety of companies outside of the show as well, including FREECULTR, Bummer, Skippi Ice Pops, Shiprocket, WickedGud, Anveshan, and 10club. He has a net worth of approximately 700 crores and has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Businessworld Young Entrepreneur Award (2019), Super 30 CMO's Winner (2020), and Entrepreneur of the Year (2020).

Gupta's brand, boAt, has also received recognition, being titled the World's Top 5 Wearable Brand in 2020 and 2021. In addition to his business ventures, Gupta has appeared on other television shows, such as Kaun Banega Crorepati and The Kapil Sharma Show, alongside his fellow Shark Tank India judges.

Peyush Bansal's 27 deals

Peyush Bansal is a well-known Indian entrepreneur, business executive, and angel investor. He is the co-founder and CEO of Lenskart, an Indian multinational optical prescription eyewear retail chain. He is also one of the sharks on the popular show Shark Tank India.

Bansal has a net worth of Rs 600 crore and is known for his compassionate and supportive approach towards businesses and investments. He has invested in several projects and startups that go beyond just making money, showcasing his commitment to uplifting people with a passion for creating a better world.

Deal 1:

Bansal invested in the idea of a Pesticides Spray solution by Kamlesh Nanasaheb. The solution involved a versatile bicycle that would allow farmers to spray pesticides, sow seeds, and transport goods. Bansal offered Rs 10 lakhs for 40% equity and Rs 20 lakhs in debt for this business venture, showcasing his support for innovative ideas that improve the quality of life for people from all walks of life.

Deal 2:

Bansal invested in SID07, a company with a vision to create innovative and inventive products to make everyday life easier. He believed in the founder, Siddharth, and chose to invest Rs 25 lakhs for 75% equity and Rs 22 lakhs in debt. This deal demonstrated Bansal's willingness to support young entrepreneurs with unique and practical ideas.

Deal 3:

Bansal invested in the Gold Life Anti-Suicide Fan Rod, a noble idea by Sharad Ashani and his son to prevent suicides by hanging. They introduced a rod spring in fans that detaches itself in case of a suicide attempt. Understanding the gravity of mental health issues and suicide prevention, Bansal chose to invest in this life-saving innovation.

Deal 4:

Bansal offered Rs 10 lakh for 1% equity and Rs 60 lakh at 10% interest to a brand providing a lifestyle coach platform for pregnant women. This platform offered 24/7 guidance and monitoring, showcasing Bansal's interest in supporting health and wellness initiatives.

Deal 5:

Bansal invested in a healthy snacking brand, offering Rs 50 lakhs for 5% equity. He was impressed by the health perspective of the products and even offered to go beyond the asked amount, showcasing his enthusiasm for the business idea.

Deal 6:

Bansal invested in employee engagement platform inFeedo, demonstrating his interest in companies focused on employee well-being and engagement.

Deal 7:

Bansal invested in the lifestyle brand dailyobjects.com, showing his support for companies in the lifestyle and e-commerce space.

Deals 8-27:

While the specific details of these deals are not publicly available, it is known that Bansal has invested in various startups and projects through Shark Tank India and his other ventures. He has a reputation for supporting innovative ideas and passionate entrepreneurs, and his investments have left a positive impact on many businesses and individuals.

Namita Thapar's 22 deals

Shark Tank India has been a huge success since its launch in December 2021, with the show attracting legions of fans. The show features a panel of seven big-name investors or 'sharks' who listen to pitches from entrepreneurs and decide whether to invest in their businesses.

One of the sharks, Namita Thapar, has invested in 22 deals, totalling Rs 6.383 crore. Thapar is the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals and has been associated with different companies in the USA, like GlaxoSmithKline and Guidant Corporation, in various roles in finance and marketing. She has a wealth of experience in the healthcare industry, which is why she couldn't relate to many business ideas on the show.

Thapar has shared success stories from some of her Shark Tank India deals on her Twitter handle. One such story is about a Gurugram-based dental care startup that raised Rs 80 Lakh on the show and is now making 5x profits in just 9 months. The company's sales have increased 5 times since appearing on the show, and they have taken only 9 months to reach this remarkable figure. Thapar also revealed that the company had completed a fundraising round of 3 million at double the shark tank valuation.

Thapar has also hosted sports pitchers for dinner at her home, sharing their success stories and inspiring statistics on her Twitter feed. She wrote about how the team had gone from their pitch on Shark Tank India Season 1 to making 12x sales and profits, and how she was inspired by their shared vision for elevating sports in India, especially at the grassroots level.

In another instance, Thapar expressed regret for not investing in Kamlesh and Pandurang, two Maharashtrian farmers who were solving real problems but lacked the right guidance to make sales. She felt that business leaders like herself needed to be bold and back such founders to ensure their success, so that entrepreneurship becomes accessible to everyone, regardless of their education or resources.

Ashneer Grover's 21 deals

Ashneer Grover, the co-founder and Managing Director of BharatPe, is one of the seven sharks on Shark Tank India. He has been described as the "tough guy" of the show, often playing the "bad cop" to the entrepreneurs.

Grover's total investment in the show is disputed. One source states that he invested Rs 5.383 crore in 21 deals. However, another source claims that he invested Rs 3.96 crore in 15 deals. A third source states that he invested Rs 2.95 crore in 11 deals, which would make him the second-highest investor in season one of the show.

Grover's net worth is estimated to be around Rs 700 crore, with Forbes magazine giving an estimate of Rs 21,300 crore. He lives in a lavish 18,000 square feet mansion in Delhi, worth over Rs 30 crore, with his wife, Madhuri Jain Grover, and their two children. He is an art and car lover, often sharing pictures of his impressive car collection on social media, which includes a Porsche and a Mercedes Maybach.

Anupam Mittal's 24 deals

Anupam Mittal is the founder and CEO of Shaadi.com and People Group. He is also an active investor, having funded ElectricPe, CashBook, and Lyst, and was one of the seven sharks on the first season of Shark Tank India.

Mittal's strategy when joining Shark Tank India was to invest as little money as possible. However, he later confessed that he made some deals out of FOMO (fear of missing out). He said:

> "I did not go into the show thinking that I will put in money Rs 10 crore or Rs 20 crore in this or that idea. But my problem is I got caught in FOMO (fear of missing out). And in Shark Tank, there are your fellow investors, it’s a high-stress situation and a competitive spirit. The logic goes out of the window. You’re not thinking straight anymore. The only way it gets exciting is when you invest money. So in that pursuit of excitement and getting caught up in FOMO I ended up making several deals I shouldn’t have."

Mittal invested a total of Rs 5.338 crore in 24 deals during the show, making him the fifth highest investor in terms of money and the joint second-highest in terms of the number of deals.

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