Vidit Sidana
CotoPay got featured in Shark Tank India Season 5 (Episode 27) and since then, the most common question that I have been asked by other founders and to-be-founders is how they can also apply and what tips and tricks are needed so that their startup can also feature on India’s favourite startup show!
There is a lot that happens before the camera even starts rolling on the set and not everyone who even shoots with the sharks gets their pitch aired on TV!
Each round is an elimination round so let us understand the Shark Tank India process and how we as CotoPay prepared for that
Round 1 application might be the simplest step but should not be ignored or taken lightly. It is an online form asking details about all the founders, business offering and market research. Basically it is just putting down everything that you already know so far and you would have researched before starting up.
The important aspect here is to structure your answers properly and whatever you fill here will flow on to the future rounds so be careful of what you write. This includes your company’s current offering, business numbers and what is the intended vision in the short-term.
Also, the deadline for Round 1 of Shark Tank India Season 6 application is 31st July 2026. Do not keep things pending till the last day and apply now!
So many people want to know if Shark Tank India is scripted and the clear, upfront answer to this is that the entire show and your pitch are not scripted at all!
Round 2 of the Shark Tank India application is in fact the only 90 seconds that are going to actually be scripted and within your control. For this round, all founders need to come together to record a video pitch which is usually 60-90 seconds.
Every startup’s pitch starts with an uninterrupted pitch on TV, right?
Consider this is a mock video recording of that same pitch and the good part is you can do as many retakes as you want since you just need to send one final recording to the Shark Tank India team. Your video pitch should not look like a heavily edited video but should certainly be shot with a decent phone camera in your office or a podcast studio where there is decent sound clarity.
This is an actual mock pitch just not in front of the sharks but similar questions in front of the Sony team. Round 3 of the Shark Tank India process requires all founders to come to Mumbai in which all travel, accommodation costs etc. are borne by the startup themselves.
Usually there will be 2-3 people from the Sony team which is a mix of someone from their Business and Production team. There will also be a few cameras recording your pitch to assess how camera-friendly you and your team are. You start with your 90 seconds pitch and then it is the same set of questions that you see on TV. Do make sure that your product and app demo are in place for the Sony team to visualize!
It is usually a 1.5 hour recording and make sure all your organization documents are in place because they will have to be submitted to the Shark Tank India team. This will include all of your ID proofs, Incorporation details, GST, PAN, MSME, DPIIT, SHA/SSA, Trademark applications, Bank statements, ITR filings etc.
There are a few telephonic calls post this recording as well in which the Sony analyst team clarifies a few doubts that they have on your business numbers and some of the answers that you had given. If any question got missed, they are asked and understood over call.
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If you have made it so far, then you will be called to Mumbai and you will shoot with the sharks. This still does not mean that your episode will air on air but you will get an opportunity to shoot with the sharks and the Sony team. You will get to know a few days in advance about who your 5 sharks are going to be and when your shoot date is going to be.
You usually come 2-3 days before the shoot day to prep with the Sony team. For this the Sony team does cover your accommodation, food, and train ticket costs as well. The Sony team spends a lot of time with each team helping you improve your pitch, answers and product demos. They were super helpful to each and every founder who made it so far!
Be authentic, dont try to be cheeky or over-smart, know your numbers and show your product or service because there is not going to be another follow-up discussion here - this is your only time to convince the Sharks to invest in your startup!
All the similar questions that were there in Round 3 and a completely unscripted, free-flowing conversation which is being recorded by the Sony team on the Shark Tank India set. We recorded for 75 mins and only 17 mins is telecasted!
No re-takes, no script at all except for your starting 75 seconds pitch! Good thing is that you get a verdict on the spot if the Sharks are investing in you or not and at what valuation. It is important to ensure that you explain about your offerings in the simplest of terms and yes, it is recommended to speak in Hindi since Shark Tank India airs at prime-night time slots across India and wants to cater to everyone in a family during their dinner-time
No one still knows if your episode will air or not. You just have to wait for a confirmation from the Sony team which you usually get 7-10 days in advance if your pitch has made the Final Cut. So a lot goes behind the camera and no one knows what is actually going to be shown which becomes a surprise for the founders as well!
You will only get a short notice period of time so you will have to be ready to cater to the surge in demand/leads once your episode airs. Please check once if Shark Tank India season airing is coming only on OTT (SonyLiv) or also on the Sony TV channel because audience viewership expands significantly with access to TV.
Also do not wait for the surge to happen on the episode airing day because viewers start checking your company out once the episode teaser starts airing which is usually 4-5 days prior to the actual episode airing date!
The surge in traffic depends on your episode’s content and how people perceive your pitch. This surge usually stagnates after the initial 2-3 weeks so plan accordingly. Your episode on the Shark Tank India YouTube page usually airs after 30 to 40 days of your episode airing on OTT/TV so another small surge in demand will come during that time as well!
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If you are a business owner who wants to know more, please do register and take a quick demo to understand how our smarter and traceable expense management solution on UPI can help you manage your business expenses efficiently!