The latest episode of Shark Tank India brought an interesting pitch from Medial, a start-up founded by four young entrepreneurs. The platform aimed to be an alternative social media network specifically designed for the start-up ecosystem. However, the pitch quickly turned into a confusing discussion, leaving the Sharks unimpressed. Despite repeated criticisms, the founders managed to secure a deal with Ritesh Agarwal.
As the presentation began, the founders demonstrated the platform’s features, but it didn’t take long for the Sharks to question their originality. Kunal Bahl was the first to point out that the platform seemed like a mix of existing networks. He remarked, “You took features from everywhere. A bit of Twitter, some LinkedIn, a little GitHub.”
Ritesh Agarwal tried to steer the discussion toward the platform’s active users, asking who their key audience was. One of the founders confidently shared that they had seen steady user growth through paid acquisitions. However, Anupam Mittal was quick to challenge this, saying that incentivizing users for referrals would naturally boost numbers but wouldn’t necessarily indicate organic growth. He firmly said, “If you start paying users for referrals, you won’t stop at 1.2; you’ll go much further. Don’t twist your words.” He warned them not to shift their narrative.
As the conversation continued, Kunal Bahl grew impatient with their explanations. He bluntly told them that if the answer was no, they should just say no instead of overcomplicating things. Meanwhile, Anupam Mittal seemed disinterested as the founders began explaining their retention rates.
The entrepreneurs then revealed that they had initially launched a feature allowing budding founders to pitch their ideas, which received an overwhelming response. Hearing this, Kunal Bahl suggested they focus solely on that and become India’s version of Product Hunt. He explained that successful social media networks stand out by offering something unique rather than blending existing features.
The founders defended their approach, saying they were still experimenting with features and testing different aspects before finalizing their core focus. They also mentioned that they had raised funds the previous year. However, this failed to convince the Sharks.
Frustration peaked when Anupam Mittal questioned their overall direction. He bluntly asked what exactly they were trying to do. He expressed his skepticism, saying the entire pitch felt like a joke. He criticized them for lacking a solid business model, a distinctive product, traction, or a compelling use case. He added that their platform seemed to be an unfocused mix of LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media networks.
Namita Thapar also joined in, stating that the founders appeared scattered in their vision. One by one, the Sharks backed out, citing a lack of clarity in the pitch. However, just when it seemed like all hope was lost, Ritesh Agarwal stepped forward with an offer.
Surprisingly, the entrepreneurs agreed to the deal, despite the skepticism from the other investors. As Agarwal signed the cheque, an intense debate erupted between him and Anupam Mittal over the investment. Anupam made it clear that he didn’t believe in the business model, while Ritesh defended his decision, indicating he saw potential where others did not.
The episode ended on a dramatic note, leaving viewers divided over whether Medial had true potential or if the deal was a risky gamble.