Mumbai: With a mission to uplift India’s youth and democratise entrepreneurship Super Shark, Anupam Mittal, the visionary behind Shaadi.com, introduced Season 2 of his unique DreamDeal initiative in 2023. The initiative is a one-of-a-kind ground-breaking move, where Mittal invites aspiring entrepreneurs to present their business ideas in a 30-second Instagram reel. He has now selected five extraordinary talents from across India to receive micro-grants in over 2 lakhs without any equity in their business and mentorship from Mittal himself. This path-breaking move has also positioned Mittal as the first investor in India to harness the power of social media to find entrepreneurial potential from across the country.
Season 2 of DreamDeal saw over 1000 entries from across diverse sectors like FMCG, D2C, B2B, home farming, pharma, sustainable products, FnB and many others. Following this, a meticulous evaluation process was initiated based on the novelty, creativity and potential impact of the idea pitched, alongside engagement metrics including the number of likes on Instagram. From the pool of entries, the top 12 best ideas were carefully selected, of which the following emerged as winners:
First position
Gaikar Omkar Rajaram who envisions transforming the energy landscape with a groundbreaking gravity-powered energy system that generates continuous electricity through a cyclic process of circular pulleys and strategic underground holes. He plans to use the grant money to scale the system’s reach and elevate clean energy availability by bringing his game-changing technology to homes and industries, reducing carbon footprints one cycle at a time.
Second position
1) Jaisal Sandeep Shah & Cyrus Setna are 13-year-olds from Grade 8 of Dhirubhai Ambani International School, have worked on ‘The Transhifter Pro Academia,’ which seeks to assist prospective students and parents to the gates of their dream institution and help them choose the right board of education. The academy will provide advice about securing admission to Mumbai’s prestigious schools, including the availability of past papers of entrance exams, interview questions, etc – all under one roof. They will use the grant money to rent space for the academy.
2) Shashank Srivastava is the co-founder of Plantera Banana Fiber Pvt Ltd. The company develops bio-leather from banana fiber, a renewable and biodegradable biomaterial that can reduce the environmental impact of leather production and consumption. The company designs and produces various types of leather products, such as bags, wallets, shoes, and accessories, using different materials like canvas, paper, and wood. His goal is to combine his creativity and technical expertise to shape a more sustainable and ethical future with banana fiber biomaterials.
Third position
1) Nikunj Walia’s Wrestlefanent is an engagement platform for wrestling fans and Indian wrestlers. Through this platform, the fans can showcase their passion for the sport through competitions, celebrity meets, online engagement, events, gaming, and much more, while Indian wrestlers get an opportunity to display their in-ring talent. He plans to use the grant money in marketing and attracting sponsorship interests for the first edition of its large-scale event, Wrestleverse. The event will be a massive expansion step for the company.
2) Nagaland-based Ididaule Ngia’s Nagahaat is a re-use/renew brand that will give a second life to textile waste by turning it into beautiful household items or accessories. This, in turn, will help reduce land and air pollution. She will use the grant money for marketing and sales of the products.
Talking about the initiative, People Group founder & CEO Anupam Mittal said, “Our country is home to rich talent, and I am delighted to support, encourage and nurture their creative potential. This season, too, we encountered brilliant ideas that gave a glimpse of India’s entrepreneurial spirit and the potential of each individual. What amazed me was that this included talents as young as 13 year-old-school students! I hope the grants and mentorship the winners receive will help boost their confidence, chart meaningful career paths and establish themselves as stalwarts in the business realm.”
A ‘Super Shark’ of Shark Tank India, Anupam has consistently expressed a strong commitment to helping young Indian entrepreneurs explore diverse business opportunities. The launching of DreamDeal is an extension of this commitment. A testament to this is brothers Dhaval (20 years) and Jayesh Prakashbhai (22 years) who went on to be a part of Shark Tank India S2 and walked away with the season’s second all-shark deal.
