With India’s GDP on a constant rise it is no surprise we have so many start-ups and some even go unicorn. However, these start-up are always hungry for funding, hence the need for sharks. The Indian version of Shark Tank have seen tremendous success as multiple start up ideas come to light looking for investments. Well some do get it while others not so fortunate. Despite the odds rejected start-ups in shark tank have shown tremendous success. Here are the list of rejected successful start-up that tops our list. Those sharks must be weeping by now. So let’s go.
Table of Contents
Moonshine – India’s first Meadery
| Valuation | 160 CR |
| Established In | 2016 |
| Founders | Nitin Vishwas, Rohan Rehani |
| Famous For | India’s First Meads |
The inaugural meadery in Asia and India was established in 2016 by Rohan Rehani and Nitin Vishwas with the name Moonshine. The fermentation of honey, fruits and spices produces mead, the first alcoholic drink. It is made without artificial tastes or colors. On Shark Tank India, the founders pitched a firm worth 160 crores Indian rupees and asked for 80 lakhs rupees in return for 0.5 percent ownership. The founders turned down the counteroffer even though all the sharks were interested; it resulted in Shark Tank rejection.
Urban Monkey – Streetwear Clothing Brand
| Valuation | 100 CR |
| Established In | 2013 |
| Founders | Yash Gangwal |
| Famous For | Streetwear Brand |
In 2013, Yash Gangwal established the Mumbai-based street wear label Urban Monkey. The product line, which targets young Indians, was valued at INR 100 crores when it made an appearance on Shark Tank India. A number of famous people, such Raftaar and Rannvijay Singha, have purchased items from this brand, which includes hats, sunglasses, belts, backpacks and more. The shark tank rejection of Yash’s offer of INR 1 crore in return for 1% ownership was unfateful, even though the brand was doing well.
ExperimentialEtc – Experiential Marketing Business
| Valuation | 50 CR |
| Established In | 2017 |
| Founders | Karan Bhardwaj, Prashant Pandey |
| Famous For | Creative Adtech Company |
A leading experiential marketing business, ExperientialEtc is another thriving startup that specializes in making unforgettable events. Karan Bhardwaj and Prashant Pandey, two Mumbai-based entrepreneurs, started the company in 2017. It is now worth 50 crores of Indian rupees. ExtraordinaryEtc uses enchanted LEDs, life-size dynamic sculptures, projection mappings and 3D holographic projections to improve communication. When it comes to digital needs, the business also makes use of machine language and interactive films. In return for four percent ownership, the company’s founders sought two crores of Indian rupees. The sharks were impressed by the idea, but nevertheless it resulted in shark tank rejection.
Torch-IT – Power of Independence
| Valuation | 75 CR |
| Established In | 2016 |
| Founders | Hunny Bhagchandani, Mohit Chelani |
| Famous For | Tech Power For Disability |
In order to promote an inclusive and long-lasting ecosystem, Torch-It, a startup, develops assistive gadgets for people with disabilities. The 75 crores INR Company was launched in 2016 by Hunny Bhagchandani and Mohit Chelani. To aid the navigation of visually impaired folks, the devices developed by the firm make use of ultrasonic sensors to display the vicinity of things. Despite investors’ enthusiasm for the idea, the founders’ request for 75 lakhs INR in exchange for 1% equity was turned down.
Shades of Spring
| Valuation | 300 CR |
| Established In | 2018 |
| Founders | Nidhi Gupta, Anju Bhagat |
| Famous For | Flower Gifting |
Nidhi Gupta and Anju Bhagat established Shades of Spring, a flower gifting firm based in Bengaluru, in 2018. More than 500 different species of flowers grown by Indian farmers are available through the brand’s subscription programmes and for special events. Subscriptions to weekly or monthly flower deliveries, as well as premium bouquets, hand-tied arrangements, and more are all part of their inventory. The firm’s founders sought 3 crores INR in return for 1% ownership, putting the brand’s value at 300 crores INR. The sharks turned down the deal, even if it had been successful before the broadcast.
Kunafa World –
| Valuation | 18 CR |
| Established In | 2019 |
| Founders | Jameela Ruhi, Zamzeer Ahmad |
| Famous For | Desert Maker |
In 2019, Jameela Ruhi and Zamzeer Ahmad established Kunafa World, a startup specializing in the traditional Middle Eastern dessert Kunafa. The Bengaluru-based startup is worth 18 crores Indian rupees. In India, Kunafa World provides over fifteen variety of desserts that are a delightful blend of semolina dough, syrup made of sugar, and fillings of cheese and cream. Despite the dessert’s attractiveness, the sharks turned down the entrepreneurs’ offer of 90 lakhs INR in exchange for 5% ownership.
Zypp – Electric Scooter Rental
| Valuation | 18 CR |
| Established In | 2017 |
| Founders | Akash Gupta, Rashi Aggarwal, Tushar Mehta |
| Famous For | Renting Electric Scooter |
The Gurugram-based startup is supplying electric two-wheelers to distributors in the food, grocery, medical, and ride-sharing industries in an effort to electrify last-mile delivery throughout South Asia. The creators failed to attract investors despite their TV show pitching a 1% stock stake for INR 2.2 crore. Having said that, the firm has developed significantly in the last year and has secured investment at key points. The company was recently able to extend its electric vehicle fleet services thanks to a $10 million loan from Northern Arc. By 2025, the firm hopes to have deployed 1.5 lakh electric scooters in India using debt as a new growth funnel. It is also concentrating on diversifying its product offerings in order to boost scooter production and satisfy the increased demand.
Recntly on women’s day they have planned to introduce 2000 women riders in a year.
Recode Studios – Online Beauty and Cosmetics
| Valuation | 100 CR |
| Established In | 2018 |
| Founders | Dheeraj Bansal and Rahul Sachdeva |
| Famous For | Online Beauty and Cosmetics Brand |
With more than 250 brick-and-mortar locations and a robust online platform available via website and mobile app, Recode Studios, a beauty brand and online marketplace headquartered in Ludhiana, has effectively created a strong presence across India. The company made a strategic decision in 2021 to broaden its product line by integrating products from other companies within its platform. The creators, Dheeraj Bansal and Rahul Sachdeva, were rejected on Shark Tank India even though they made ₹48 lakh in net profit and ₹15 crore in net sales for the fiscal year 2022. The show’s funding was not secured by the firm, which was known for offering exclusive offline makeup sessions in five-star facilities priced at ₹1,500 each. One of the Sharks, Vineeta Singh, created the cosmetics line Sugar Cosmetics, which it resulted in shark tank rejection.
Flatheads – Indian Sneakers Brand
| Valuation | 25 Cr |
| Established In | 2018 |
| Founders | Ganesh Balakrishnan |
| Famous For | Indian Sneakers Brand |
Ganesh Balakrishnan, a co-founder of Flatheads, presented the Bengaluru-based startup’s sustainable and eco-friendly casual trainers designed for city dwellers. After valuing the company at 25 crores, Balakrishnan asked for 75 lakhs as an investment for a 3% equity stake in his pitch. Sharks pointed out during the pitch that the firm was struggling with some key areas of the 4Ps of marketing: product, pricing, placement, and promotion, hence resulted in shark tank rejection. The Flatheads sneaker brand, started in 2018 by Ganesh Balakrishnan and Utkarsh Biradar, is known for its use of unique materials like banana yarn and bamboo to make shoes that are cool and comfortable.
Story of Ganesh Balakrishnan was motivational and emotional story. He was struggling with the business and sharks suggested him to shut down. After his shark tank journey people started searching for his brand and suddenly Ganesh Balakrishnan got lots of orders. Rather than closing his business now he is earning millions due to his own versatile product.
Organic Smokes – Herbal Cigrattes
| Valuation | 100 Cr |
| Established In | 2015 |
| Founders | Nitin Chhabra, Piyush Chhabra, Gaurav Chhabra |
| Famous For | Herbal Smoking Brand |
Nitin, Piyush, and Gaurav Chhabra are the brothers that started the smoking firm Organic Smokes. Their goal is to serve people who are looking for an organic substitute for tobacco with a healthier option. Tulsi, spearmint, rose petals, green tea, and an old Ayurvedic method are some of the unusual components used to make herbal cigarettes. To control the Placebo Effect, they swapped out nicotine for caffeine. Their proprietary and Ministry of Ayush-approved products offer a great alternative to smoking without sacrificing any of the health advantages, invigorating flavours, or guilt. Organic Smokes had a hard time landing a deal on Shark Tank India, even though they had some great products and were really committed to reducing harm.
The final Word
Shark Tank was a great way to advertise your company and the products. Funded by sharks or not, each start-up spewed tremendous popularity and were seen by millions on TV. Acceptance rate is about 50% by sharks, but you can conclude that those sharks who denied these rejected successful start-ups will definitely have sleepless nights.
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