MUMBAI, India—December 8, 2023 — Prime Video, India’s most loved entertainment destination, announced the premiere of its Original reality series Mission Start Ab. The first-of-its-kind competitive series will focus on grassroots entrepreneurs in India, and take their stories of determination, resilience and unwavering perseverance to global audiences in 240+ countries and territories with its worldwide premiere on the service on December 19.
The series has been conceptualized and developed in collaboration with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, with the objective of discovering entrepreneurs from diverse corners of India, and empowering them to create the next potential Unicorns. The series features three of India’s most knowledgeable and experienced investors—Kunal Bahl (Titan Capital), Anisha Singh (She Capital), and Manish Chowdhary (Wow Skin Science)—who not only act as judges and investors, but also step in as mentors to guide and nurture contestants to sharpen the skills needed to scale their startups. Hosted by Masaba Gupta and Cyrus Sahukar, Mission Start Ab is executive produced by Indrajit Ray, directed by Srimanta Senguptta, and is an Endemol Shine India production. Mission Start Ab is the latest addition to the Prime membership. Prime members in India enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership for just ₹1499/ year.
Mission Start Ab brings together a diverse array of new-age startups and entrepreneurs spanning sectors such as robotics, fintech, edtech, health and wellness, technology-enabled marketplaces. The series offers viewers a front-row seat to the dynamic innovation and development taking place at the grassroots level in India. It explores the unique stories of these founders coming from modest backgrounds, showcasing bold aspirations, cultivated skills, personal sacrifices, and their vision to tackle real world challenges. Through a series of intense tasks, interactive exercises, and one-on-one mentorship sessions, the show not only prepares these ten entrepreneurs to not only turbo-charge their made-for-India innovations, but also serves as an invaluable guide for aspiring innovators across the country.
“At Prime Video, we strive to be a force for good for the country. Through our multiple skill-development initiatives, including the Letter of Engagement signed between Amazon and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, we have worked towards developing talent that can directly and indirectly contribute to the nation. We are incredibly excited to collaborate with the Office of the PSA, Government of India, on Mission Start Ab, a series that leverages the power of entertainment to encourage all Indians to be audacious and bold with their ambitions,” said Sushant Sreeram, country director, Prime Video, India. “Unlike any other entrepreneurial reality show, this series goes beyond financial support, providing invaluable mentorship and guidance from India’s top tier investors. Through challenges that are designed to hone their business acumen and cultivate critical problem-solving capabilities, Mission Start Ab is poised to ignite the aspirations of numerous young Indians, propelling them towards their entrepreneurial dreams.”
Talking about the show Rishi Negi, Group Chief Operation Officer, EndemolShine India and Banijay Asia said, “Mission Start Ab goes where no series has ever gone before. It seeks to inspire, engage, and entertain viewers through stories of real people who are bringing a change at the grassroots level with their innovations. Through the 10 founders, audiences are taken on a journey that makes them privy to their dreams and struggles, and the path they have had to chart to bring their ideas to fruition. At the same time, the insightful advice from the three judges, who also act as mentors, serves as the guiding light for all those seeking to bring their vision to life. We are certain that the show will break barriers, and challenge everyone to dream and dare to try.”
