Shark Tank India 4: Anupam Mittal calls smart textile idea a 'college project', no takers for ₹10 crore valuation

The latest episode of Shark Tank India 4 featured Ahmedabad entrepreneur Chhail Khalsa, who showcased her brand Anuvad and its innovative musical textile — an integration of fabric and technology crafted by Indian artisans. She demonstrated how her textiles incorporate circuits, making them functionally advanced. However, her pitch faced skepticism from the 'sharks' as they questioned the real-world utility and scalability of her idea.  

When Vineeta Singh asked what qualifies as a "smart textile," Chhail explained that it refers to any fabric with a functional edge over regular textiles. She highlighted that she holds an Indian patent for embedding circuits into fabric, effectively making it electronic. As an example, she mentioned heated cushions but did not bring a prototype, leaving the sharks puzzled.  

Kunal Bahl pressed her on why she didn’t present the heated cushions, but Chhail couldn’t provide a satisfactory answer. This prompted Anupam Mittal to bluntly remark, “Aapko laga isme funding mil jayegi. Voh kyu dikhana?” (You thought you’d get funding with this. Why show the others?)  

Chhail shared that she has been working on this technology for over eight years and has secured three grants from the IKEA Foundation totaling ₹44 lakh. The founder was seeking Rs 50 lakh in exchange for 5 percent of the company, valuing it at Rs 10 crore.

However, Vineeta questioned whether she was truly convinced of market demand. Despite the skepticism, Kunal commended her persistence.  

Namita Thapar stepped back from the deal, stating that the business was still in its early stages. Anupam also opted out, calling it a "college project, craft center, research-oriented textiles looking for a use case." However, he expressed interest in commissioning an installation from her company.  

Vineeta also declined, saying “no one needs” her product and suggesting it was more of a novelty than a scalable replacement for traditional textiles. Kunal Bahl and Ritesh Agarwal followed suit, leading to Chhail walking away without a deal.  

Post-pitch, Chhail remained unconvinced by the sharks' feedback, asserting that e-textiles hold significant opportunities.