Namita Thapar says she invested Rs 10 crore on Shark Tank India, reveals she ‘regrets’ not backing Jugaadu Kamlesh

She wrote, “The entire shoot ended by December 12, 2021, and the show launched on December 20. I saw around 170 pitches and invested Rs 10 crore in 25 companies that touched my heart. I invested Rs 7 crore during the show and Rs 3 crore post the show in deals I had lost out on and in a few existing deals to increase my stake.”

 

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Namita said that she has a certain set of criteria when she makes her investing decisions–she looks at the founder, the cause, the proof of concept, the expertise, and a ‘fun factor’. She said that she was admittedly biased towards healthcare deals and women entrepreneurs, and that she doesn’t plan on being a ‘passive investor’ in the businesses that she has backed.

But she has deals that got away, about which she is regretful. “Leaders like me need to be bold, back such founders and ensure they become a success so that entrepreneurship doesn’t just become the dream of the ones with the right education and resources but even of the common man. This is one of our core responsibilities as business leaders who have been blessed with power and privilege, who people look up to… and not investing in Kamlesh and Pandurang remain my biggest regrets at Shark Tank India,” she said.

Kamlesh had impressed the entire panel with his agriculture idea, receiving a deal from Peyush Bansal. His pitch was declared the ‘pitch of the season‘.