by The episode 16 of Shark Tank India Season 5 featured a famous Indian television celebrity, Neha Marda, making a pitch for her deodorant brand. The founders of a healthy packaged cakes brand and a brand focused on innovative hands-on education through AI and VR technology were also seen making their pitches.
During this episode, a well-experienced and highly respected panel of India’s smartest business minds, including Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Ritesh Agarwal, Amit Jain, and Namita Thapar, served as the Sharks. To find out which founders struck a deal with these top entrepreneurs of India, continue reading.
Panel of Sharks for Episode 16
- Aman Gupta – Co-founder & CMO, boAt
- Anupam Mittal – Founder, Shaadi.com
- Namita Thapar – Executive Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals
- Amit Jain – Co-founder & CEO, CarDekho Group
- Ritesh Agarwal – Founder & Group CEO, OYO
Pitch 1: Awsum
- Brand Type: Healthy Packaged Cakes Brand
- Founder: Pranav Sharma
- Ask: ₹1 crore for 1% equity
Pranav Sharma pitched his healthy packaged cakes brand named Awsum. He claimed that the brand uses only natural ingredients with no refined sugar, substituting it with honey and jaggery as sweeteners. Pranav offered the sharks some samples of his cakes, and Aman Gupta commented that it seemed like he had created some kind of superfood.
Answering the sharks’ questions, Pranav explained how his brand’s cakes are better than those of the competitors. He also mentioned that his target consumers are millennials and Gen Z.
It was revealed that Awsum is Pranav’s second business venture, as his first was a healthy snacks brand named Poshtick. Pranav further shared that the company focuses on quick commerce and has in-house manufacturing. Anupam Mittal, who already knew Pranav, appreciated the improvements in his products. Currently, Pranav holds 74% equity in the company, while the remaining shares have been diluted through previous funding rounds.
Pranav then discussed revenue and sales figures from the previous and current years, which were quite impressive. However, it appeared that Awsum had burned through a lot of cash and was running short of funds. Anupam Mittal advised that Pranav should have asked for a larger investment, as it seemed he came mainly to adjust his company’s valuation rather than solve its financial challenges.
Offers Made by Sharks:
- Ritesh Agarwal and Namita Thapar (combined): ₹1 crore for 1.33% equity
- Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal (combined): ₹4 crores for 5.33% equity
Final Deal:
- Ritesh Agarwal and Namita Thapar – ₹1 crore for 1.33% equity (2-shark deal)
Pitch 2: Phitku
- Brand Type: Deodorant Brand
- Founders: Neha Marda, Sumit Marda, and Rahul Dokania
- Ask: ₹1.8 crores for 1% equity
Popular TV actress Neha Marda, along with her brother Sumit Marda and his best friend Rahul Dokania, pitched their deodorant brand Phitku. The brand specializes in natural, alum-infused deodorant roll-on sticks and foot sprays.
They claimed their products provide long-lasting odor control, skin healing, and brightening benefits without harsh chemicals or alcohol, using traditional ingredients like alum and aloe vera.
Their pitch began with a humorous qawwali performance about Phitku deodorants, in which Neha herself performed. The sharks enjoyed their energy and creativity. Namita Thapar, however, raised a concern about pricing, pointing out that their deodorants cost ₹999 while regular ones are priced between ₹150–₹250. Sumit responded that they had already sold 2 lakh units.
Neha mentioned her popularity and social media reach, revealing that her fan base of over 1 million Instagram followers helped promote the brand. Sumit then shared the company’s sales, revenue figures, and future growth plans.
Offers Made by Sharks:
- Aman Gupta: ₹1.8 crores for 2% equity + 2% royalty until ₹1.8 crores is recovered
- Anupam Mittal: ₹1.8 crores for 1% equity + 5% royalty until ₹5.4 crores is recouped
- Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal (combined): ₹1.8 crores for 1% equity + 5% royalty until ₹5.4 crores is recouped
Final Deal:
- Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal – ₹1.8 crores for 1% equity + 5% royalty until ₹5.4 crores is recouped (2-shark deal)
Pitch 3: 90XR Lab
- Brand Type: Hands-on Learning with AI and VR Technology
- Founders: Ajay Jain and Amit Srivastava
- Ask: ₹1 crore for 4% equity
Ajay and Amit pitched their brand 90XR Lab, which focuses on creating innovative, hands-on learning experiences powered by AI and VR technology. Their platform helps students gain practical knowledge in schools through immersive, distraction-free VR environments.
They explained that 90XR Lab operates on a subscription-based model, where 15 devices are installed in a school lab. Students use them once a week for an hour, experiencing around 25–30 VR lessons per year. The sharks were impressed by the technology after a live demo, though many felt that the subscription cost was too high for schools to adopt easily.
Offers Made by Sharks:
- No offers were made, and no deal was finalized.
Episode Summary: Ritesh Agarwal and Namita Thapar secured a joint deal with the founder of Awsum Cakes, while Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal struck a lucrative equity-plus-royalty deal with actress Neha Marda for Phitku. Despite showcasing a promising concept, the founders of 90XR Lab failed to attract investment.
Next Episode Precap: In Shark Tank India Season 5, Episode 17, more exciting pitches from innovative Indian start-ups will be featured. Stay tuned to see which entrepreneurs manage to land a deal with the sharks.
Keep checking for more news and updates related to Shark Tank India Season 5. If you have any queries about Episode 16, drop a comment below!
