India-wide release, 23rd September 2022: To spark an entrepreneurial spirit amongst the youth and the less privileged sections of society, entrepreneur, angel investor and Super Shark, Anupam Mittal, popularly known as Shaadi.com founder, had earlier announced the launch of the DreamDeal initiative. A unique social media led funding platform, DreamDeal called upon budding entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas in a 30-second Instagram reel, making it a first-of-its-kind move by an investor of Mittal’s stature in the prolific Indian start-up landscape and the country at large. This initiative has now chosen ten young and exceptional talents from across the length and breadth of India to receive investment in lakhs in their business ideas and mentorship from Mittal himself.
While India is brimming with talent and innovative business ideas, pitching is often a complex and tedious process. Intending to make it smooth and seamless, Anupam Mittal decided to bring forth DreamDeal, an initiative that empowered emerging entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas in an Instagram reel. This disruptive move witnessed Mittal become the first investor in India to leverage the unlimited power and potential of social media for not only identifying and incubating entrepreneurial talent but also democratising entrepreneurship and investing. Consequently, the initiative successfully transcended geographical boundaries with entrepreneurs from every nook, cranny and pocketed region of the country directly pitching to Mittal in a reel. The winners of this initiative come from very small towns and this recognition will help boost their confidence.
DreamDeal saw more than 200 entries belonging to diverse sectors spanning Agriculture, Fintech, Automobile, Biotechnology, Robotics, Childcare, Construction, Real Estate, Sports, Pharmaceuticals, Tourism, and many more. After the influx of several remarkable creative ideas, a rigorous evaluation process ensued based on the novelty, creativity, and potential impact of the idea pitched, as well as post likes and engagement on Instagram. 10 of the best ideas were selected from amongst all the entries received, of which the following emerged victorious.
- Mohammed Anees, a farmer’s son from Mangalore, Karnataka, envisions creating an affordable, user-friendly drug delivery device for wart patients. He plans to use the grant money for 3D printing the product, R&D, trials, registration and launch.
- The second winner, a biotechnologist duo from Nashik, Maharashtra – Jatan Wani & Manas Koli, proposed to make mushroom leather that is 100% biodegradable. They wish to use the prize money for product development.
- The third winner is Dhaval Nai from Palanpur, Gujarat. His vision is to create a chai glass washing machine and supply it to restaurants, vendors, and cafes across India in order to resolve time, hygiene and cost-related issues for them. He will use the funds for further product development.
- Apart from the top 3, the remaining 7 selected participants will be a part of a group mentorship session.
While talking about the initiative, Anupam Mittal – Founder & CEO – People Group, said, “I am amazed at the sheer talent this country holds, and also extremely happy and proud to support them in harnessing their creativity. Through the course of DreamDeal, we were made privy to some brilliant ideas that spoke volumes about every individual’s entrepreneurial spirit and potential. With the help of the grants and mentorship, I’m hopeful that these promising, young minds will be able to carve a worthwhile career path, and make a mark for themselves in the world of business.”
A ‘Super shark’ of Shark Tank India, Anupam has always held a keen interest in unlocking various avenues for young Indian entrepreneurs and launching DreamDeal was a testament to this constant endeavour. The initiative opened up floodgates of opportunities for homegrown talent in more ways than one, bringing about a paradigm shift in how we look at young entrepreneurs and injecting new vigour into the growth story of the Indian start-up culture.
