Shark Tank India Business Pitches

Summary

The meeting featured three business pitches on Shark Tank India: Gurmank's nutrition powder, Art Buzz youth hostels, and Tulua spices.
Gurmank received a conditional investment offer from Vinita; after negotiation, the founders accepted the deal.
Art Buzz discussed their business metrics and growth but did not receive an investment offer, instead receiving advice and an accelerator invitation.
Tulua Spices presented their dual B2B/B2C strategy but were declined by all sharks due to unclear focus and strategy, despite strong founder backgrounds.

Within 3 months – Gurmank founders: Reduce marketing spend by 20% and fixed costs, aiming for 5-10% EBITDA as part of due diligence for Vinita’s investment.
Vinita (upon due diligence completion): Invest ₹50 lakh for 1.25% equity and ₹50 lakh debt at 10% interest for 3 years in Gurmank.
Art Buzz founders: Meet with Aman for OYO accelerator program advisement and potential strategic partnership.
Tulua founders: Revisit business focus to clarify B2B vs. B2C priorities for future fundraising.

Founders Amarpreet Singh Anand and Sahiba Kaur pitched their nutrition powder designed to fill dietary gaps, which can be added to food without altering taste, color, or smell; clinically proven to improve energy, immunity, and gut health.
They have launched a new product for people over 50 and claim to have helped 400 families in 18 months.
Sales: ₹75 lakh in first year, anticipating ₹5 crore this year, with last month’s sales at ₹35 lakh.
Business heavily leans on D2C (70%) and online sales, with high marketing spend (85% of net sales), repeat purchase rates of 32% in M1, and retention of 9-10% month-on-month.
Burn: Total ₹11 crore; lifetime sales ₹2.75 crore; founders own 60% equity combined (Amarpreet 48%, Sahiba 12%).
Investors were concerned about high marketing costs, low repeat customer rates, and unclear offline expansion plan.
Vinita offered ₹50 lakh for 1.25% equity and ₹50 lakh debt at 10% over 3 years, contingent on cost reductions and improved EBITDA; founders accepted after negotiation.

Founders Anubha (single mother, ex-CFO) and Shashank presented their youth hostel brand offering hostels with private rooms, dorms, cafés, and coworking spaces, emphasizing Instagrammable design and community vibe.
Business: 8 locations across India, 94 rooms/228 beds, mostly offbeat tourist destinations, with occupancy at ~51% and ADR around ₹1100 (bunk beds as low as ₹500).
Revenue split: 75% hostel, 13% café, 12% coworking.
YTD revenue: ₹3.78 crore (FY24, first eight months); target for the year: ₹6.5 crore; current EBITDA -10%.
Total capex: Approx. ₹4.5 crore (including losses and pre-ops costs), all self-funded.
Challenges: Loss-making, still ramping up occupancy, and lack of clear positioning (confusion between youth focus and broad customer base).
Sharks advised focusing on core customer segment (Gen Z/solo youth travelers) to enhance brand clarity and scalability.
Aman invited Art Buzz to join the OYO accelerator for mentorship and strategic support; no direct investment was made.

Founders Richi Dave and Hitesh Dave (father-daughter) pitched Tulua, a clean-label spice and ready-to-cook paste brand, now focusing mainly on whole spices for the HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants, Cafés) segment.
Revenue: Grew from ₹8 lakh (2021) to ₹2.9 crore (current FY), with a shift toward positive EBITDA (+3%).
Distribution: 92% B2B HoReCa, 8% D2C; presence in Mumbai, expanding to Pune and Surat; over 100 restaurant partners.
Strategy: Competitive pricing, high-quality sourcing (e.g., Lakadong turmeric), and maintaining D2C for brand-building.
Sharks noted strong founder-market fit but cited lack of clarity and focus between B2B and B2C, and inconsistent vision, as reasons for not investing.
All sharks declined investment but encouraged founders to streamline focus for future opportunities.

Investment in Gurmank by Vinita approved, with conditions — Founders must cut marketing and fixed costs and reach positive EBITDA within 3 months before the deal is finalized. Rationale: High marketing spend and low retention rates made current valuation risky without operational improvements.
No investment in Art Buzz or Tulua — Both declined due to unclear business focus and financial concerns; advice offered for strategic re-alignment.

Will Gurmank successfully meet the 3-month operational and EBITDA targets required to close Vinita’s investment?
Can Art Buzz achieve higher, consistent occupancy and clarify their core customer segment?
Will Tulua establish a clearer strategy regarding B2B vs. B2C focus for future scaling and investment?