MAM
Anupam Mittal grants lakhs in DreamDeal S2 to young entrepreneurs nationwide
Mumbai: With a mission to uplift India’s youth and democratise entrepreneurship Super Shark, Anupam Mittal, the visionary behind Shaadi.com, introduced Season 2 of his unique DreamDeal initiative in 2023. The initiative is a one-of-a-kind ground-breaking move, where Mittal invites aspiring entrepreneurs to present their business ideas in a 30-second Instagram reel. He has now selected five extraordinary talents from across India to receive micro-grants in over 2 lakhs without any equity in their business and mentorship from Mittal himself. This path-breaking move has also positioned Mittal as the first investor in India to harness the power of social media to find entrepreneurial potential from across the country.
Season 2 of DreamDeal saw over 1000 entries from across diverse sectors like FMCG, D2C, B2B, home farming, pharma, sustainable products, FnB and many others. Following this, a meticulous evaluation process was initiated based on the novelty, creativity and potential impact of the idea pitched, alongside engagement metrics including the number of likes on Instagram. From the pool of entries, the top 12 best ideas were carefully selected, of which the following emerged as winners:
First position
Gaikar Omkar Rajaram who envisions transforming the energy landscape with a groundbreaking gravity-powered energy system that generates continuous electricity through a cyclic process of circular pulleys and strategic underground holes. He plans to use the grant money to scale the system’s reach and elevate clean energy availability by bringing his game-changing technology to homes and industries, reducing carbon footprints one cycle at a time.
Second position
1) Jaisal Sandeep Shah & Cyrus Setna are 13-year-olds from Grade 8 of Dhirubhai Ambani International School, have worked on ‘The Transhifter Pro Academia,’ which seeks to assist prospective students and parents to the gates of their dream institution and help them choose the right board of education. The academy will provide advice about securing admission to Mumbai’s prestigious schools, including the availability of past papers of entrance exams, interview questions, etc – all under one roof. They will use the grant money to rent space for the academy.
2) Shashank Srivastava is the co-founder of Plantera Banana Fiber Pvt Ltd. The company develops bio-leather from banana fiber, a renewable and biodegradable biomaterial that can reduce the environmental impact of leather production and consumption. The company designs and produces various types of leather products, such as bags, wallets, shoes, and accessories, using different materials like canvas, paper, and wood. His goal is to combine his creativity and technical expertise to shape a more sustainable and ethical future with banana fiber biomaterials.
Third position
1) Nikunj Walia’s Wrestlefanent is an engagement platform for wrestling fans and Indian wrestlers. Through this platform, the fans can showcase their passion for the sport through competitions, celebrity meets, online engagement, events, gaming, and much more, while Indian wrestlers get an opportunity to display their in-ring talent. He plans to use the grant money in marketing and attracting sponsorship interests for the first edition of its large-scale event, Wrestleverse. The event will be a massive expansion step for the company.
2) Nagaland-based Ididaule Ngia’s Nagahaat is a re-use/renew brand that will give a second life to textile waste by turning it into beautiful household items or accessories. This, in turn, will help reduce land and air pollution. She will use the grant money for marketing and sales of the products.
Talking about the initiative, People Group founder & CEO Anupam Mittal said, “Our country is home to rich talent, and I am delighted to support, encourage and nurture their creative potential. This season, too, we encountered brilliant ideas that gave a glimpse of India’s entrepreneurial spirit and the potential of each individual. What amazed me was that this included talents as young as 13 year-old-school students! I hope the grants and mentorship the winners receive will help boost their confidence, chart meaningful career paths and establish themselves as stalwarts in the business realm.”
A ‘Super Shark’ of Shark Tank India, Anupam has consistently expressed a strong commitment to helping young Indian entrepreneurs explore diverse business opportunities. The launching of DreamDeal is an extension of this commitment. A testament to this is brothers Dhaval (20 years) and Jayesh Prakashbhai (22 years) who went on to be a part of Shark Tank India S2 and walked away with the season’s second all-shark deal.
MAM
Time brings TIME100 Next franchise to India with Reliance
List to spotlight 100 emerging leaders, gala set for December 2026 in Mumbai.
MUMBAI: It’s about time India’s next wave got a global spotlight and now, it’s on the list. New York-headquartered Time is expanding its TIME100 Next franchise to India, partnering with Reliance Industries Limited to launch TIME100 Next India, its first international extension of the rising leaders platform. The announcement was made at the Time100 Gala in New York by Jessica Sibley and Nita Mukesh Ambani, signalling a strategic push to tap into India’s growing influence across sectors.
The India edition will recognise 100 emerging leaders from the country and the global Indian diaspora, spanning business, science, sports, arts and social impact. The list will be curated by Time’s editorial team and published online, continuing the franchise’s focus on identifying individuals shaping the future.
The initiative will culminate in a gala event scheduled for December 2026 at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, anchoring the platform within India’s cultural and business ecosystem.
TIME’s broader Time100 franchise has steadily expanded its global footprint since 2021 through events and impact-led initiatives. Executives noted that India’s growing pool of influential voices and innovators made it a natural next step for the platform’s international ambitions.
For Reliance, the partnership aligns with its broader push to support emerging talent and ideas on a global stage. For Time, it marks a timely bet on India not just as a market, but as a talent engine shaping the next chapter of global leadership.
