Aman Gupta turns ₹12 lakh Shark Tank bet into ₹40 crore success story

Sometimes, the most unlikely ideas turn into blockbuster success stories. For boAt co-founder and Shark Tank India judge Aman Gupta, that moment came in Season 1 — when a small snack startup, Let’s Try, walked into the tank with ambition, confidence, and a product many dismissed as ordinary.

In a recent interview with Republic World, Gupta revealed that his decision to back the brand — when no other Shark showed interest — has now paid off beyond any expectation.

A risky ₹12 lakh leap — now worth ₹40 crore

“I invested ₹12 lakh in the company, and that has now converted to ₹40 crore,” Gupta said, calling it the most successful investment in Shark Tank India’s history.

He recalled that other judges laughed off the idea of investing in a bhujia and chips startup in an already crowded snacks market.

“All the Excel-sheet investors said it won’t work. They said there are already big companies… how big can this become?”

But Gupta backed founder Nitin Vinod Kalra, betting not just on the idea — but on the person behind it.

“Bande mein dam tha. He had that aag (fire),” he said.

The pitch that almost didn’t get funded

When Let’s Try appeared on the show, the startup was only six to seven months old, but its momentum was compelling.

• Revenue: ₹16 lakh in five months
• Pricing: 15% higher than brands like Haldiram’s — yet gaining traction

The founders sought ₹45 lakh for 2% equity, valuing the company at ₹22.5 crore.

Yet doubts persisted.

Namita Thapar opted out, calling the positioning confusing — “healthy” snacks that were still fried. Ashneer Grover also passed.

Only Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal made an offer — jointly investing ₹45 lakh for 12% equity. However, after due diligence, Mittal walked away, leaving Gupta as the sole investor — with a final stake of 7–8%.

From ₹3.75 crore to ₹324 crore: A valuation explosion

At the time of its Shark Tank appearance, the company was valued at just ₹3.75 crore. Today, the valuation has skyrocketed nearly 50x to ₹324 crore — making it one of the most dramatic scale-ups in the show’s history.

For Gupta, the numbers speak for themselves:

“It is the best investment in the history of Shark Tank India.”

Sometimes the product isn’t the bet — the founder is

Aman Gupta’s win underscores a timeless lesson in startup investing: metrics matter — but conviction matters more.

Let’s Try wasn’t just another snack brand. It was a bold underdog with a founder Gupta believed could build something bigger than the market expected.

And today, that instinct has turned into one of the most spectacular financial wins in Indian startup television.