by A match-off between two pet care brands, Nootie and Smylo, took place during Episode 6 of Shark Tank India Season 5, which aired on January 12, 2026, on Sony Entertainment Television and streamed simultaneously on the SonyLIV app.
India’s brilliant business minds — Vineeta Singh, Namita Thapar, Varun Alagh, Anupam Mittal, and Kunal Bahl — were on the panel of Sharks for this episode. They heard pitches from both Nootie and Smylo before making their decisions and finalizing the deals with the entrepreneurs.
Panel of Sharks for Episode 6
- Kunal Bahl – Co-founder, Titan Capital & Snapdeal
- Anupam Mittal – Founder, Shaadi.com
- Namita Thapar – Executive Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals
- Vineeta Singh – Co-founder & CEO, Sugar Cosmetics
- Varun Alagh – Co-founder, Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd.
At the beginning of Episode 6, host Aditya Kulshrestha entered the tank and informed the Sharks that a special match-off would take place between two pet care brands — Nootie and Smylo. He then explained the rules of the competition.
Rules for the Match-off:
- Both brands will make their pitches one by one.
- Each brand will have 40 minutes to present their pitch.
- After 35 minutes, the Sharks can use the remaining 5 minutes to ask questions.
- Deals will be offered only after both brands have presented.
- The order of pitching will be decided by a toss.
A toss took place — Smylo won and chose to pitch first, while the founders of Nootie waited outside for their turn.
Pitch 1: Smylo
- Brand Name: Smylo
- Brand Type: Cat Food Brand
- Founders: Kartikeya Gupta and Abhishek Agrawal
- Ask: ₹68 lakhs for 1% equity
Entrepreneurs Kartikeya and Abhishek pitched their 100% natural, preservative-free cat food brand, Smylo. They explained that their cat food is made from fresh meat and natural ingredients. They brought along a Persian cat named Tusky, whose shiny fur impressed the Sharks. Kartikeya even demonstrated the product’s safety by eating it on stage, claiming it was fit for human consumption.
The founders shared their backstory — they were roommates for three years and decided to create Smylo after losing their pet cat of the same name. Smylo was launched in November 2024.
They presented their unit economics and disclosed that 45% of their sales come from subscriptions purchased via their website. Smylo also offers a trial pack priced at ₹290, with a 30% conversion rate from trial to subscription.
Pitch 2: Nootie
- Brand Name: Nootie
- Brand Type: Pet Care Brand for Dogs and Cats
- Founders: Akshay Mahendru, Anil Mahendru, and Karan Mahendru
- Ask: ₹1 crore for 1.2% equity
Anil Mahendru and his sons Akshay and Karan pitched Nootie, a pet care brand focused on products for both dogs and cats. They entered with their pet dog, Chloe, a Poodle breed. They mentioned launching a ₹10 biscuit for feeding stray dogs following the Supreme Court’s recent order about strays. Akshay said their family has been in the pet industry for the last 27 years.
They showcased 2–3 SKUs for dogs. Namita commented that she did not like the product packaging, to which Akshay responded that they had cut costs to focus on quality. The Sharks found Nootie’s sales data and market research more believable than Smylo’s.
The founders revealed that they also manufacture shampoos and cologne sprays for pets, which perform well on e-commerce platforms. They plan to build a house of brands under Nootie as the parent company and shared that the business is completely bootstrapped. During the pitch, Akshay became emotional and momentarily forgot his numbers, which some Sharks did not appreciate.
Offers Made to Both Brands After the Match-off
After the match-off concluded, both teams — Smylo and Nootie — returned to the tank to receive the Sharks’ offers.
Offers for Smylo:
- Anupam Mittal: ₹68 lakhs for 2% equity
- Anupam Mittal, Kunal Bahl, and Varun Alagh: ₹68 lakhs for 4.25% equity
- Anupam Mittal, Kunal Bahl, and Varun Alagh: ₹75 lakhs for 1% equity + 2% advisory equity
Final Deal:
Anupam Mittal, Kunal Bahl, and Varun Alagh – ₹75 lakhs for 1% equity + 2% advisory equity (3-Shark deal)
Offers for Nootie:
- Anupam Mittal: ₹1 crore for 6% equity
- Namita Thapar and Anupam Mittal: ₹1 crore for 4% equity + 1% royalty until the ₹1 crore is recouped
Final Deal:
Namita Thapar and Anupam Mittal – ₹1 crore for 4% equity + 1% royalty until ₹1 crore is recouped (2-Shark deal)
Episode Summary: This episode was one of those rare occasions where both brands secured multiple offers. Smylo managed to close a three-Shark deal with Varun, Anupam, and Kunal, while Nootie locked a royalty-based deal with Namita and Anupam.
Next Episode Precap: In Episode 7 of Shark Tank India Season 5, pitchers from the mineral supplements, electric scooters, and fat-free peanut butter powder segments will step into the tank to impress the Sharks and crack beneficial deals.
For more updates related to Shark Tank India Season 5, stay connected! If you have any questions about Episode 6, feel free to leave a comment below.
