Not only entertainment but a show that has the potential to give a boost to your business. Wondering what we are referring to, then let me tell you that it is none other Shark Tank India show. Within a very short span, this show has captured the hearts of not only entrepreneurs and investors but rather has also intrigued viewers. Audiences love to watch the show, understand the business world, its strategies and more. Therefore today in this blog we are going to cover Shark Tank India Judges. With a thorough read of this blog, you will be able to understand the show as well as its judges who hail from a reputed background.
Knowing the Show Shark Tank India
With the growing popularity of the show, Shark Tank India is all set for season 4. This season similar to the other seasons is going to be blockbuster with a more enhanced and better prospects. The season still continues on its very mission to fuel India’s booming startup ecosystem, but with some exciting twists that make it even more valuable for innovators.
This season the panel of judges has expanded to include two new sharks, that is Kunal Bahl, the co-founder of Snapdeal, and Viraj Bahl, founder of Veeba Consumer product. With the addition of these two Shark Tank India Judges, the show brings in expertise in e-commerce and FMCG, two industries that are shaping India’s entrepreneurial landscape. Also, the season has boasted a record-breaking number of pitches from over 100 startups that will showcase their ideas. This increase in number has increased by 20% from the previous show giving entrepreneurs more chances to learn and gain opportunity and inspiration.
Shark Tank India Judges
1. Aman Gupta
- Role: Co-founder and CMO at boAt
- Net Worth: 700 crore
- Notable Investments in Shark Tank: Skippi Ice Pops, Get-A-Whey, Beyond Snacks
- Total Investments (Solo): 22 (20.37%)
- Total Investment (With Other Sharks): 86 (79.63%)
- Number of Deals: 108
Aman Gupta was born in Delhi is is the co-founder and CMO of boaAt. He has redefined the Indian consumer’s perception of homegrown audio brands. Gupta has a vision to deliver affordable yet premium-quality products. It was through this pursuit of the goal that he converted his startup into one of the largest earwear brands capturing over 29.7 of the market share in Q3 2023. Aman Gupta has pursued his educational journey from the prestigious ISB which is the Indian School of Business and from here he completed his MBA degree. Soon after his MBA he pursued the path to boost his skills at Kellogg School of Management. Over the years, he worked with various brands like Citibank and KPMG. However, driven by his entrepreneurial zeal he choose to move on the career path of building his very own brand.
2. Namita Thapar
- Role: Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals
- Net Worth: 600 crore
- Notable Investments in Shark Tank: Bamboo India, Altor Smart Helmets, Nuutjob
- Total Investment (Solo): 24 (27.59%)
- Total Investment (With Other Sharks): 63 (72.41%)
- Number of Deals: 87
Over the years Namita Thapar has been recognized for her strategic mindset and vibrant leadership. Namita has been instrumental in transforming Emcure into a worldwide business operating in more than 70 nations. Originating from Pune, Namita has an MBA from the renowned Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and is a Chartered Accountant. Following her tenure at GlaxoSmithKline and Guidant Corporation in the US, she came back to India to aid in Emcure’s expansion.
3. Peyush Bansal
- Role: CEO and Co-founder of Lenskart
- Net Worth: 600 crore
- Notable Investments in Shark Tank: TagZ Foods, Jugaadu Kamlesh, Sunfox Technologies
- Total Investment (Solo): 17 (19.32%)
- Total Investment (With Other Sharks): 71 (80.68%)
- Number of Deals: 88
Peyush Bansal began his career journey by working at Microsoft but eventually built a million-dollar eyewear brand. The story of his successful brand has been about resilience, vision, as well as innovation. It was under his leadership that Lenskart now dominates the eyewear market. He was born and brought up in Delhi and pursued his entrepreneurship program at IIM Bangalore. He is now a proud alumnus of McGill University. It was while working with Microsoft that Peyush navigated the gap in the eyewear industry. He then decided to reduce the gap between high cost and limited accessibility and to bring a tech-driven solution to the table. So today, the testament of the dream is Lenskart which is valued at over $4.5 billion with a strong presence in India as well as the Middle East.
4. Anupam Mittal
- Role: Founder and CEO of People Group
- Net Worth: 185 crore
- Notable Investments in Shark Tank: Smotech, Aroleap, Nasher Miles, Skippi Ice Pops
- Total Investment (Solo): 12 (16.22%)
- Total Investment (With Other Sharks): 62 (83.78%)
- Number of Deals: 74
Anupam Mittal, the CEO and founder of People Group, is a genuine trailblazer in India’s digital arena. Recognized for developing some of India’s most renowned platforms such as Shaadi.com, Makaan.com, and Mauj Mobile. Anupam’s foresight has consistently been pioneering. Raised in Mumbai, Anupam earned his MBA from the renowned Boston College, specializing in Operations and Strategic Management. His business journey started with Shaadi.com in 1997, during a period when internet access in India was very low. With determination and creativity, he transformed Shaadi.com into the largest matrimonial service in the world, serving millions of users around the globe.
5. Vineeta Singh
- Role: Co-founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics
- Net Worth: 300 crore
- Notable Investments in Shark Tank: Yes Madam, Arata, RodBez, CandidMen
- Total Investment (Solo): 10 (14.93%)
- Total Investment (With Other Sharks): 57 (85.07%)
- Number of Deals: 67
One of the popular female Shark Tank India Judges is Vineeta Sing the co-founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics. She has redefined the fashion and beauty industry in India with her commitment to inclusivity and innovation. She is widely known for creating a brand that celebrates diversity, which made her an icon for entrepreneurs aspiring to break barriers and challenge existing norms. Vineeta attended the prestigious university that is IIM Ahmedabad from she pursued her MBA. After her degree completion, she received multiple high-paying offers, which she rejected and took her own risk to build her own entrepreneurial journey through SUGAR. Prior to Sugar, Vineeta co-founded Fab Bag, a beauty subscription service that led to her understanding of India’s beauty marker. Then finally in the year 2012, Vineeta launched SUGAR Cosmetics.
6. Azhar Iqbal
- Role: Co-founder and CEO of Inshorts
- Net Worth: 500 crore
- Notable Investments in Shark Tank: Aroleap, Chefling, Lea Clothing Co.
- Total Investment (Solo): 1 (16.67%)
- Total Investment (With Other Sharks): 5 (83.33%)
- Number of Deals: 6
Azhar Iqbal, who started Inshorts and runs it as CEO, has changed how millions of Indians get their news. Inshorts boils down news to 60-word chunks making it popular with busy people who like tech. Azhar grew up in Bihar and studied engineering at IIT Delhi. He left school to follow his dream of starting a business. He wanted to give people important news fast and well. In 2013, he and his college friends started Inshorts. Now, over 500 million people use it each month to read news in English and local languages. People around the world have noticed how Inshorts gathers news in a new way. Forbes India even put Azhar on their “30 Under 30” list & Fortune India 40 under 40.
7. Ritesh Agarwal
- Role: Founder and CEO of OYO Rooms
- Net Worth: 16000 crore
- Notable Investments during Shark Tank: Rocca, RodBez, KatiDhan, Daak Room, WhySoBlue
- Total Investment (Solo): 7 (26.92%)
- Total Investment (With Other Sharks): 19 (73.08%)
- Number of Deals: 26
Ritesh Agarwal, who started and runs OYO Rooms, has a story that motivates many. He grew up in a small town in Odisha and went on to build one of the biggest hotel chains worldwide. Ritesh changed how people view cheap places to stay by offering affordable rooms with a consistent experience. Ritesh was born in Bissam Cuttack Odisha. He began his business career when he was 17. He quit college and launched OYO in 2013. His goal was to solve the problems people faced when looking for affordable yet quality accommodation. He quickly gained attention and today OYO operates in over 80 countries with more than 23,000 hotels and 125,000 vacation homes. This business endeavor of Agarwal has made him the youngest self-made billionaire in the world at the age of just 29 years old.
8. Varun Dua
- Role: Founder and CEO of Acko General Insurance
- Net Worth: 107 crore
- Notable Investments in Shark Tank: BrownDoor.ai, Plus, Tohands
- Total Investment (Solo): 1 (50%)
- Total Investment (With Other Sharks): 1 (50%)
- Number of Deals: 2
The founder and CEO of Acko General Insurance, Varun Dua is a trailblazer in India’s insurance industry. While doing the startup he had a very simple vision to simplify insurance and make it accessible to the masses which led to the foundation of Acko in the year 2016, India’s first fully digital insurance company. Varun was born and raised in Mumbai and it was here only that he pursued his MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) and gained extensive experience in the financial services sector before venturing into entrepreneurship. Prior to launching his very own brand, he co-founded Coverfox, an insurance aggregation platform, where he identified inefficiencies in traditional insurance markets. Today the brand Acko has over $1.4 billion valuation with India’s leading insurance company.
9. Kunal Bahl
- Role: Co-founder of Snapdeal, Titan Capital and Unicommerce Promoter
- Net Worth: 3500 crore
Kunal Bahl is the co-founder of Snapdeal, Titan Capital, and Unicommerce Promoter. Bahl has extensive experience in the industry of over 15 years of building and scaling businesses. It was under his leadership that Snapdeal grew to become one of India’s largest online marketplaces, thereby serving millions of customers nationwide. Born in Delhi, Bahl completed his engineering degree and business at UPenn’s Jerome Fisher Program and later on he attended The Wharton School. Finally, he began his Sanapdeal journey in the year 2015, which he co-founded with Rohit Bansal, to address the growing demand for an online marketplace to tailor the diverse needs of India. Over time Bahl also co-founded Titan Capital a firm that has invested in over 250 startups across several sectors.
10. Viraj Bahl
- Role: Founder and MD (Managing Director) of Veeba Consumer Products
- Net Worth: 500 crore
Viraj Bahl, who started and runs Veeba Consumer Products, has changed the way people think about consumer goods in India. He puts new ideas good quality, and healthy products first. Bahl comes from Delhi and saw that India needed better sauces and dips that many people would like. This new judge on Shark Tank India started Veeba in 2013. At first, he sold fancy sauces to big fast-food chains like Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Subway. Then he noticed more people wanted tasty food that was also good for them. So he started selling to regular shoppers, and soon everyone knew about Veeba. Now, people love Veeba because it has lots of different products. Many of these don’t have fake stuff added to keep them fresh, which health-conscious buyers like. With Viraj in charge, Veeba has grown into a brand worth ₹1000 crore. It’s getting bigger and bigger in India’s market for everyday items people buy often.
