Anupam Mittal on Shark Tank India Season 1: ‘The profile of founders and places they came from just blew us away’

Anupam Mittal started the conversation by answering indianexpress.com’s question on the difference between investment pitches in Shark Tank India and the real world. The founder of the popular matrimony site mentioned how they used to meet founders from the tier I segment. “They are from the ecosystem and know how to pitch. On this show, we were just amazed. The profile of founders and the places they came from just blew us away,” he said.

The business tycoon went on to add that he has noticed that most pitchers on the show had a struggle story. Mittal shared, “Sabki ek kahaani thi (everyone had a story). Their struggles had been long. Most importantly, after seeing their loved ones go through a problem, most of them jumped into entrepreneurship to solve the issue. Their struggles are personal and they have been on it for years. This is the real India. This is the real story. This is the difference I found.”

He further shared that earlier most investor funding was limited to IIT and IIMs, and Shark Tank India has changed the perception. “Only 7 percent of founders who came on the show were from pedigree colleges while the rest came from small towns. They have proven the fact that if there’s a will there is a way,” he added.

While Shark Tank India wrapped up on Friday, the makers have announced a special episode wherein a few lucky founders will get a chance to pitch their ideas to the sharks.