The highly anticipated fifth season of Shark Tank India premiered on January 5, marking its return as a pivotal platform for India's startup ecosystem. This season introduced a significant refresh to the judging panel, welcoming five new investors alongside the returning stalwarts, blending experience with fresh entrepreneurial perspectives.
From Mortgaged Home to Multi-Crore Exit: The Minimalist Founder's Grit
Among the new faces is Mohit Yadav, co-founder of the skincare brand Minimalist. Sharing his arduous entrepreneurial path on the show, Yadav disclosed a moment of extreme personal risk. To secure initial funding for Minimalist, he and his brother and co-founder, Rahul Yadav, mortgaged their family home to raise a loan of ₹1 crore.
"I knew in my heart that if this doesn’t take off, maybe my family won’t have a home to stay in," Yadav recounted, highlighting the immense pressure early-stage founders often face. This struggle followed an earlier venture into children's apparel, which also required family funds.
His journey underscores a powerful lesson in resilience. Yadav advised fellow entrepreneurs that failure is not a permanent identity. "The best thing I did was to accept that that venture was not working out, move on and do something else... I wouldn’t have been here if I was still doing apparel," he stated, emphasizing the importance of pivoting without being shackled by perceived failure.
Season 5 Panel: A Mix of Veteran Sharks and New Voices
The new season boasts an expanded and diverse panel of judges. The familiar lineup includes Aman Gupta (boAt), Anupam Mittal (Shaadi.com), Amit Jain (CarDekho), Namita Thapar (Emcure), Peyush Bansal (Lenskart), Vineeta Singh (Sugar Cosmetics), Ritesh Agarwal (OYO), Kunal Bahl (Snapdeal), and Viraj Bahl (Veeba).
They are joined by five new investors, representing a wider spectrum of India's booming business landscape:
- Mohit Yadav (Co-founder, Minimalist)
- Varun Alagh (Chairman & CEO, Honasa Consumer Ltd - Mamaearth)
- Shaily Mehrotra (Founder & CEO, Fixderma)
- Kanika Tekriwal (Founder & CEO, JetSetGo Aviation)
- Hardik Kothiya (Founder & MD, Rayzon Solar)
- Pratham Mittal (Founder, Masters' Union & Tetr College of Business)
This blend aims to offer a richer variety of expertise to the aspiring founders pitching on the show.
The Minimalist Success Story: A Validation of Risk and Vision
Mohit Yadav's story reached a monumental climax recently, validating the enormous risk he took. In a landmark deal, FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever (HUL) announced in January 2025 its acquisition of a 90.5% stake in Minimalist. The transaction, valued at a staggering ₹2,955 crore, received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in March, cementing Minimalist's journey from a high-stakes bet to a major industry success.
Across its five seasons, Shark Tank India has uniquely positioned itself at the intersection of entertainment and serious business mentorship. Season 5, with its mix of seasoned investors and successful new-generation entrepreneurs, reflects the dynamic and ever-expanding scope of Indian entrepreneurship. The season promises to deliver compelling pitches, tough feedback, and potentially transformative deals that could chart the course for the next wave of Indian startups.
