This episode of Shark Tank India Campus Special featured pitches from young entrepreneurs: Project Clay (peer mentorship for abroad college admissions), Deni Alpha (affordable electric motorcycle), and Pretty Little Shop (customized gifting).
Project Clay received an investment offer of ₹15 lakhs for 10% equity from Namita Thapar after extensive questioning about scaling, market size, and defensibility.
Deni Alpha and Pretty Little Shop were both lauded for founder passion and clarity, but received no investment, with Sharks citing business scalability and founder development as priorities.
The panel also answered audience questions, providing insights into their investment decision frameworks.
Action Items
None recorded with a specific due date or owner, as this was a Shark Tank episode consisting primarily of entrepreneur pitches and feedback.
Project Clay: Peer Mentorship for College Admissions Abroad
Founders: Dhyumna and Shivom, both 19, studying in the US.
Problem identified: Lack of affordable, unbiased, and relatable college counseling in India.
Solution: Connecting students with near-peer mentors from their target universities for personalized guidance via Zoom.
Platform has 300+ vetted mentors from 10+ countries and reports 65% organic growth in 5 months.
Growth driven by D2C and emerging B2B model (partnerships with schools).
Revenue figures: Growing monthly revenue, projected Rs. 37 lakhs FY close; zero CAC due to organic/social growth.
Challenges cited by Sharks: Scalability, retention of mentor pipeline (as students graduate), defensibility (easily copied model), and focus on the top 100 universities (limited market).
Feedback: Focus B2B in select markets, improve differentiation, and consider school sales cycle.
Problem: No affordable, made-in-India electric motorcycles for low-income families.
Solution: Built Deni Alpha, a 100% India-made electric motorcycle at Rs. 40,000 cost, 50 km/h top speed, 75 km range, targeting the eLuna segment (mid-speed, affordable).
Founder history of DIY engineering: prior inventions include electric stirrer, curtain motor, go-kart.
Differentiation: Slightly higher speed segment vs. low-cost Chinese imports; cheaper than current eLuna (~Rs. 80,000+).
Market feedback: Needs work on suspension and maneuverability; concerns about actual mass manufacturing, distribution, competition with large OEMs and low-cost Chinese bikes.
Sharks advised connecting with industry leaders, considering co-founders, and possibly reconsidering college vs. entrepreneurship.
Decision: No investment; encouragement and offers for mentorship/introduction, focus advised on learning and founder development.
Pretty Little Shop: Customized Gifting Platform
Founder: Khushi Mandle, 21, Mumbai MBA student.
Business: Sells customized, handmade gifts (Polaroids, music plates, frames), 10,000+ orders fulfilled as a solo founder since Dec 2021.
Revenue: Lifetime Rs. 18 lakhs; high profit margins (gross 77%, net 62%); ~Rs. 86,000 revenue per month recently.
USP: Affordable, personal-touch customized gifts targeting Gen Z/millennials.
Scale plans: Move production to partial automation, warehouse setup, team building, online ordering platform with customizations.
Sharks’ feedback: Strong passion and execution, but challenges in scaling customization, team management, and automation before recurring demand is established.
Decision: No investment; encouragement to gain more experience, expand team, and develop business skills. Vinita Singh offered her phone number for guidance and potential future investment.
Decisions
Investment in Project Clay — Namita Thapar invested ₹15 lakhs for 10% equity after finding the founders credible and the TAM solid, with feedback for improvement in business focus and defensibility.
No investment in Deni Alpha and Pretty Little Shop — Citing need for business maturity, scalability, and personal development; mentoring and future connectivity offered.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
For Project Clay: How will the team maintain a robust, up-to-date mentor pipeline as current mentors graduate?
For Deni Alpha: Will Meet Devre pursue entrepreneurship or higher education as the primary focus in the coming years?
For Pretty Little Shop: How will Khushi scale manual customization and manage a team to transition from a solo founder to a scalable business?