Shark Tank India: Women entrepreneurs who made an impact on the show with their presentations

The show, featuring sharks Ashneer Grover, Vineeta Singh, Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Ghazal Alagh, Namita Thapar, and Peyush Bansal, ended on February 4

Menstrupedia pitch on the show/SonyLIV YouTube screengrab

Season one of the popular business reality show, Shark Tank India has come to an end but it can be said that it still continues to be a subject of discussion at the table during dinner time. The show, which is an official adaptation of the US show Shark Tank, is about budding entrepreneurs presenting their pitches to the investors aka 'sharks' for funds in exchange for stakes in their company. The sharks who were present in season one of the show include Ashneer Grover, Vineeta Singh, Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Ghazal Alagh, Namita Thapar, and Peyush Bansal. The show focussed on gender equity by having half of the panel as women. There were many women too who came on the show and made an impressive pitch to the judges, leaving them with no choice but to invest in their businesses. Let's look back at some of them.

Menstrupedia

Menstruation is often considered a social taboo in India and people rarely talk about the topic. It has often been associated with impurity in India. Growing up, Aditi Gupta too faced several stereotypes and stigma associated with menstruation and this prompted her to start her business. She is well aware of how people feel shy to talk about periods or are hushed when someone tries to initiate a conversation and so, she decided to start Menstrupedia comics with her husband. It is India's first comic book on periods. It aims to create awareness about the topic. The comics are already available in 11,000 schools in India and have successfully educated many girls about their 'that time of the month'. Aditi pitched the idea to the sharks and talked about how she wanted to take grow her brand with an app as well. She accepted the deal of the executive director of Indian pharmaceutical MNC, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Namita Thapar, who invested 50 lakhs for 20 per cent equity.

Carragreen

Founded by mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo, the brand Carragreen was started with an aim to reduce plastic pollution by eliminating the use of plastic cutlery and other items in everyday life. Surabhi Shah and Chetna Shah presented their biodegradable and eco-friendly products and won the hearts of Peyush Bansal, founder of Lenskart and Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com. The two sharks invested Rs 50 lakhs for 20 per cent equity.

Nuutjob

This is a men's hygiene product brand, created by women. The brand offers products for men to keep their intimates clean and dry. These products claim to prevent chafing and irritation due to sweating. It also helps prevent bad odour and itching, by maintaining a good pH balance. The brand, co-founded by the cousins Ananya Malloo and Anushree Malloo, received funds from Lenskart's Peyush Bansal, Emcure Pharmaceutical's Namita Thapar and the boAt co-founder and CMO, Aman Gupta. They received an investment of Rs 25 lakh in exchange for 20 per cent equity.

Auli Lifestyle

The Ayurvedic skincare brand was started by Aishwarya Biswas. The brand became a household name ever since it appeared on the show. It offers organic and natural products to make you look and feel good. The products can be for both gifting and self-indulgence. This woman entrepreneur based out of Kolkata too impressed the judges and left the show with a cheque in hand from Namita Thapar. The deal for an investment of Rs 75 lakh for 15 per cent equity was made.

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