.png)
2 hours ago
20
Shark Tank India 5 judges have so far committed investment worth more than Rs 60 crores. And while they have been looking at pitches very sharply this season, out of the 69 pitches, 27 founders have failed to get funding on the show. The latest to join the list were founder of a dating app called Offline. The founders from Gurugram brought to the tank a networking app for singles; however, they faced concerns about scaling and security that their business would see as challenges in the future to come.
The founder also took a dig at Anupam Mittal‘s Shaadi.com after they lost out on the funding and Mittal pointed out ‘safety concerns’ in their business.
What is Offline by Happy Hours?
Found by Tanay Baweja and Aastha Sethi, Offline is a social networking platform for singles. They host mixers, fests, and dinners, creating a safe space for singles to socialize. So far, they have organized more than 300 meetups in 15 cities. They recently launched their app, which allows individuals not just to attend, but also to host meet-ups. Stating how online dating is hitting a burnout, Aastha pointed out that India is the second-largest market for dating apps.
To scale the business, they came to the tank asking for funding of Rs 50 lakhs for 5 percent equity, placing their valuation at Rs 10 crores. Tanay further shared how, being an introvert, he struggled finding a partner, just then Anupam Mittal cut him off and said, “Basically tereko date nahi mila rahi thi to tune yeh shuru kar diya (Just because you were not getting a date, you started this).”
Tanay later added that he found this idea in 2019, when he moved to Spain, he realized that human connections hold great value, especially in India. In 2023, when he returned, Aastha and he met on a solo trip to Manali. When Aastha shared, she said they met at a bus stand called Majnu Ka Tila in Delhi. Anupam Mittal laughed out loud.
The founders further revealed that they got married a month and half back, before appearing on Shark Tank India 5. While Anupam pointed out that scaling live events that they do is difficult, Aman Gupta asked, “Agar isme kuch kaand ho jaaye, woh ho sakta hai kahi bhi… (What if something untoward happens? It is possible…)”
The founder defended this comment and said, “So far, nothing has happened. And we only allow group interactions; one-on-one dates are not allowed. We only get these done in reputed bars and restaurants, not in anyone’s personal space or homes.” However, Aman Gupta didn’t seem very convinced.
Story continues below this ad
Anupam Mittal asks ‘Why are good men a scarce commodity?’
Further looking into the issues with the brand, the Sharks discuss how the dating landscape in the country has changed. Anupam says, “We moved people from offline to online because dating is a numbers game a lot of times. To find the prince, you have to kiss a lot of frogs, and because you can see all the frogs in one place, that’s why dating apps were made. Now, you want to go back to the same inefficient way of doing things. Offline won’t solve the problem of people not finding the right match.”
He further added, “Why are good men a scarce commodity? Because very few earn well, are polished, can communicate, and manage to impress women. So you are not solving that.”
Defending their brand further, the founders showed the Sharks a video of their events and went on to share their revenue. Claiming to have earned Rs 37.5 lakhs year-to-date, they said that in 2024-25, they made a revenue of Rs 51 lakhs. Their EBITDA was 2-3 percent last year.
Aman Gupta says, ‘You are just one kaand away’
Unfortunately, the founders didn’t get the funding on the show. Namita Thapar was the first one to opt out. She said, “In India, there are various avenues for singles to meet; your model is one of those 10 options that singles have, so scalability is a very big issue. I don’t think it’s a business for an investor, so I am out.” Kunal Bahl also said, “I think it’s at a very early stage. Can this be a huge business? I cannot visualize that, so I am out.”
Shaily Mehrotra raised concerns around security and said, “I think boys really lack maturity in the Indian youth, and they don’t have sincerity; they look at dating apps for fun. I find security issues, so I am out. ” Aman Gupta also backed out, echoing similar concerns. He said, “There was a film called Mujhse Fraandship Karoge, this is a refined version of that. Men will be men; the ratio will always be bad. And you are just one kaand away from this getting disrupted. So for these reasons, I will stay out.”
Story continues below this ad
Anupam also gave detailed feedback before opting out and said, “This is a network effects business, how will we fix things in this with regards to safety, ratios, you will reduce the quantity, as soon as you do that, network effects start to disappear. The real problem, though, is not meeting offline; it is making men more desirable in India.”
As the disappointed founders walked out, Tanay took a dig in a video after his pitch. He said, “Where can you find safety and security in India? Dating apps don’t assure that, even Shaadi.com doesn’t guarantee that. Not all boys are bad, but if your mindset is that way, offline dating has a growing interest. As for now, we want to build a community; we know this will definitely work.”
Shark Tank India 5 streams on SonyLiv and Sony TV every Monday to Friday at 10 pm.
English (US) ·