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“Who doesn’t want to feel young? Everyone wants to spend their life without disease or weakness. But the question is, is it really possible?” this was the question posed by the three founders of Decode Age during a recent episode of Shark Tank India Season 3.
As the sharks pondered, the pitchers asserted that Modern Science believes it is indeed possible and proceeded to present all their products and their 3-P approach, which comprises prevention (through supplements to manage age-related symptoms), prediction (through biological age testing and gut microbiome testing) and personalisation (tailored protocols designed based on unique biological data to reverse biological ageing).
Darshit Patel, Parth Amin and Rakesh Somani, the founders of Decode Age, described it as India’s “first and only longevity-focused company,” aiding in the process of “healthy ageing.” They then requested Rs 1 crore for 1.25 per cent equity from the sharks, valuing the company at Rs 80 crore. “Our vision is to transform 80s into the new 50s.”
The team supported their pitch with examples from Yayati in Mahabharata and entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, who pursued youthful vitality. They highlighted that modern lifestyles lead to premature signs of ageing in over 70 per cent of people. “Due to modern lifestyle, more than 70 per cent of people show signs of old age before they actually reach the age they appear,” one of the founders pointed out.
While the sharks were initially impressed by the unique product, they did not hesitate to ask questions to understand more about Decode Age. boAt CEO Aman Gupta immediately enquired if they used their own products, to which they responded affirmatively. As the episode progressed, Shaadi.com CEO Anupam Mittal, who had previously met the Decode Age team, revealed that they never took his samples for testing due to a lab issue that took six months to resolve.
Following the pitch, Emcure Pharmaceuticals ED Namita Thapar opted out, citing Decode Age’s sole advantage as a “first-mover advantage,” coupled with high product prices limiting the target audience. As the episode progressed, other sharks followed suit, except for Mittal, who offered Rs 1 crore for 2.5 per cent equity and 1 per cent revenue until recouping 1.5 per cent of his investment. Despite Decode Age’s counteroffer of 1.75 per cent equity without royalty, Mittal proposed 2.25 per cent equity plus 1 per cent royalty until Rs 1.5 crore is recovered. The founders accepted, striking a deal with Mittal as the sole investor onboard.
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