Pitch Introduction
Kyari Shark Tank India appearance marked a significant moment for adventure enthusiasts and wildlife protection innovation in the country. The episode featured siblings Abhay Sharma and Smritika Sharma presenting their groundbreaking product, the Smart Stick Guardian, designed to protect trekkers and campers from dangerous wildlife encounters. Their compelling pitch on Shark Tank India Season 2 showcased not just a business opportunity but a potential life-saving device that addresses a genuine safety concern for adventure travelers exploring India’s forests and national parks.
Business Overview
Kyari Innovations operates in the adventure safety equipment sector, manufacturing premium handheld devices specifically designed for wildlife protection. The Smart Stick Guardian serves as a multi-functional safety tool that combines traditional walking stick utility with advanced electronic deterrent systems. The product addresses the critical safety gap faced by forest guards, wildlife photographers, trekkers, and camping enthusiasts who frequently encounter dangerous animals in their natural habitats.
The company targets adventure enthusiasts and wildlife protection professionals through a hybrid distribution model involving direct sales, dealer networks, and institutional contracts with forest departments. With manufacturing facilities based in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Kyari maintains complete vertical integration to ensure quality control and lean production processes.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Kyari Innovations |
| Product Line | Smart Stick Guardian |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh |
| Founders | Abhay Sharma and Smritika Sharma |
| Website | kyari.in |
About Founder’s
Abhay and Smritika Sharma bring a unique combination of technical expertise and personal passion to Kyari Innovations. As siblings running a business together, they leverage their complementary skills with Smritika handling design aspects and Abhay managing operations and strategy. Their entrepreneurial journey began from a genuine personal need rather than pure commercial interest, which reflects in the product’s thoughtful engineering and user-centric features.
The duo bootstrapped their venture from the beginning, reinvesting every rupee of profit back into the business to build their manufacturing infrastructure. Coming from an adventure-loving family where dinner conversations revolved around wildlife and jungle encounters, they possessed deep domain understanding that translated into product development. Abhay’s terrifying personal encounter with a tiger while walking alone in the forest became the catalyst for creating a device that could prevent similar dangerous situations for others.
- Sibling duo from adventure enthusiast family background
- Smritika leads product design and innovation
- Abhay brings operations and wildlife expertise
- Bootstrapped with self-funded manufacturing facility
- Premium positioning targeting serious adventure seekers
Shark’s and Founder’s QnA
Vineeta Singh asked if we were related and how we knew each other?
We are siblings. We are brother and sister working together, which is a great strength for our business partnership.
Anupam Mittal inquired about how we developed the passion for adventure and wildlife?
In our family, everyone is an adventure enthusiast. Our dinner table conversations initially used to be about wildlife, identifying tigers and leopards, and discussing their lifestyles. When I encountered a tiger, I saw it from very close range while I was walking alone. Suddenly, a tiger came from behind a boulder, and I froze completely. The tiger looked at me, I looked at it, and then it ran away. People came from behind and walked ahead, but I could not move from there. So I know that when an animal comes in front of you, you freeze. You cannot even make a sound.
Aman Gupta requested a demonstration of the product features?
This has multiple light modes including a down lighter. If you are camping at night and need to see below, you know exactly what is happening. If an animal suddenly comes in front, you need to make noise, but sometimes you cannot, so this has an alarm system. For bears and such animals that attack, you can give them a shock. This is 10,000 volts with 1 milliampere current. It also works as a power bank to charge your phone, and we provide a stand that converts to a shovel, plus a wall mount for home storage.
Peyush Bansal questioned about the voltage safety and potential misuse?
This cannot be misused against husbands or anyone else. It will not injure the animal but will scare it away, increasing your chances of survival significantly.
Anupam Mittal wanted to know the market size for camping equipment in India and globally?
In India, this is roughly a ₹1000 Crore market currently. The global market for camping equipment only, not including services, is $13.5 billion.
Namita Thapar asked about the current business scale and future vision?
We started with ₹8 lakhs, then did ₹30 lakhs, then ₹1.2 Crore, then ₹1.4 Crore. In the current financial year, we have done ₹75 lakhs so far, and last month we did ₹10 lakhs in sales.
Peyush Bansal inquired about the pricing strategy?
The product starts from ₹10,000 and goes up to ₹17,500 depending on the version. This is very premium for Indian standards. Our product costs ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 to manufacture. We sell it for ₹10,000 to ₹17,000 including shipping and retailer margin. We give 30% margin to dealers, so we retain 65% margin, and have maintained 30% net profits consistently for the last three years despite heavy R&D investment and drawing salaries.
Anupam Mittal asked where and how we manufacture the product?
We have an in-house facility. The entire process is oriented. We are following lean manufacturing. Even if our people change, they follow the process, so I achieve my quality standards. We invested our own money from reinvested savings.
Namita Thapar and Amit Jain offered ₹51 lakhs for 10% equity. What was your response?
We appreciated the offer but felt the valuation did not match our potential. We countered with maximum 2% equity for the same amount, which valued us significantly higher based on our vision and growth trajectory.
Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, and Amit Jain made a joint offer. What were the terms?
They initially offered ₹51 lakhs for 15% equity, then revised it to 12%. We felt this still undervalued our company given our technology and market potential.
Anupam Mittal provided a final counter offer. What was the proposal?
Anupam offered ₹51 lakhs for 5% as his final counter, explaining that he would lose money at higher valuations but wanted to support us because of our vision, Make in India alignment, and team strength.
Namita Thapar and Vineeta Singh presented alternative offers. What did they propose?
They offered two options: ₹80 lakhs for 8% equity, or ₹51 lakhs for 6% equity. This gave us flexibility in choosing between higher investment with more dilution or lower investment with less dilution.
What was the final deal you accepted?
We accepted the combined offer from Anupam Mittal and Peyush Bansal for ₹51 lakhs for 6% equity, split equally between them at ₹25.5 lakhs for 3% each, valuing the company at ₹8.5 crores.
Key Stats & Financials
The financial trajectory of Kyari demonstrates consistent growth despite being bootstrapped. The company has scaled from a modest ₹8 lakhs in initial revenue to projecting significant growth through institutional partnerships and retail expansion. Their premium pricing strategy has allowed them to maintain healthy margins while investing heavily in research and development, a rarity for hardware startups in India.
- Starting Revenue: ₹8 Lakhs (2018-19)
- Previous Year Revenue: ₹1.4 Crore
- Current FY Sales: ₹75 Lakhs (as of pitch date)
- Monthly Run Rate: ₹10 Lakhs
- Gross Margin: 65% after dealer commissions
- Net Profit Margin: 30% consistently maintained
| Financial Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Original Ask | ₹51 Lakhs for 1% |
| Requested Valuation | ₹51 Crores |
| Final Deal Amount | ₹51 Lakhs |
| Final Equity Diluted | 6% |
| Final Valuation | ₹8.5 Crores |
| Investment per Shark | ₹25.5 Lakhs each |
Business Potential and TAM
The adventure tourism and camping industry in India is experiencing rapid growth, with increasing numbers of millennials and Gen Z travelers seeking offbeat experiences. Kyari operates at the intersection of safety equipment and adventure gear, addressing a niche but critical need. The Total Addressable Market extends beyond individual consumers to include government forest departments, wildlife NGOs, trekking companies, and international markets where camping safety standards are more stringent.
The global camping equipment market presents a significant opportunity for Indian manufacturers who can offer innovative solutions at competitive price points. With no major Indian brand currently dominating this space, Kyari has the first-mover advantage in the smart safety device category.
- Domestic Market Size: ₹1000 Crore and growing
- Global Camping Equipment Market: $13.5 Billion
- Target B2B Segment: 2000+ Forest Guards currently using
- Expansion Potential: International adventure tourism markets
Kyari: Ideal Target Audience & Demographics
| Demographic | Details |
|---|---|
| Age Group | 25-45 Years |
| Gender Split | 65% Male, 35% Female |
| Location | Tier 1 and Tier 2 Cities |
| Income Level | Upper Middle Class (₹15L+ PA) |
| User Type | Serious trekkers and wildlife professionals |
| Primary Channels | Dealer networks and Direct Online |
Marketing and Distribution Strategy
Kyari employs a multi-channel distribution strategy that balances high-margin direct sales with scalable dealer networks. The company has successfully leveraged institutional sales to forest departments as a proof of concept, which now serves as a credibility marker for retail consumers. Their approach focuses on education-first marketing, demonstrating the life-saving capabilities of the product through real-world scenarios and testimonials from forest guards who have used the device in critical situations.
The post-Shark Tank strategy involves scaling online presence, expanding the dealer network across Himalayan states and Western Ghats regions, and exploring export opportunities to Southeast Asian and African markets where wildlife tourism is prevalent.
- Dealer Network: 30% margin to incentivize retail partners
- B2B Contracts: Forest Departments and Wildlife Organizations
- Digital Marketing: Targeted ads on adventure tourism platforms
- Geographic Expansion: Focus on trekking hubs like Rishikesh, Manali, and Coorg
Kyari Deal Outcome
The negotiation process for Kyari was intense, with multiple offers and counters reflecting the Sharks’ recognition of the product’s potential despite initial valuation disagreements. The founders displayed strong conviction in their valuation, initially seeking ₹51 crores, but ultimately accepted a deal that provided strategic value beyond just capital.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Sharks Invested | Anupam Mittal and Peyush Bansal |
| Total Investment | ₹51 Lakhs |
| Equity Allotted | 6% (3% each) |
| Deal Valuation | ₹8.5 Crores |
| Competing Offers | Namita-Amit, Aman-Anupam-Amit, Namita-Vineeta |
| Deal Status | Accepted and Closed |
Kyari Post-Show Update
Following their appearance on Shark Tank India Season 2, Kyari Innovations experienced significant brand recognition within the adventure community. The association with Anupam Mittal and Peyush Bansal helped the company streamline its technology stack and expand its online sales channels. The founders leveraged the Shark Tank platform to secure additional distribution partnerships with major trekking equipment retailers across North and South India.
The company has reportedly expanded its product line to include variations of the Smart Stick for different use cases, including a lighter version for casual trekkers and a heavy-duty version for forest professionals. Their manufacturing facility in Ghaziabad has scaled operations to meet increased demand from both domestic and international markets.
Business Analysis & Lessons
The Kyari pitch offers several valuable lessons for hardware startups in India. First, the importance of vertical integration in manufacturing cannot be overstated, especially when quality control is critical to product safety. By maintaining in-house production capabilities, Kyari ensures consistent quality while retaining healthy margins that allow for continuous R&D investment.
Second, the founders demonstrated that personal pain points often lead to the most authentic product innovations. Abhay’s real tiger encounter provided not just a compelling pitch narrative but genuine insight into user behavior during wildlife encounters, resulting in features like the freeze-response alarm system.
- Vertical integration ensures quality control and margin retention
- Personal experience drives authentic product design and features
- Sibling partnerships can provide complementary skill sets
- Premium positioning requires demonstrating clear value proposition
- Bootstrapping builds discipline but strategic investment accelerates growth
Pitch Conclusion
The Kyari Shark Tank India pitch stands out as an example of how innovative hardware solutions addressing real safety concerns can capture investor attention despite initial valuation gaps. Abhay and Smritika Sharma’s combination of technical innovation, manufacturing capability, and authentic storytelling created a compelling investment opportunity that aligned with Anupam Mittal and Peyush Bansal’s expertise in scaling technology-enabled businesses.
For adventure enthusiasts and wildlife professionals, Kyari’s Smart Stick Guardian represents a significant advancement in personal safety equipment, Made in India for the world. As the company scales with strategic guidance from their Shark partners, they are well-positioned to capture both domestic and international markets in the growing adventure tourism sector.