Pitch Introduction
The MEPACK Shark Tank India pitch brought a fresh, student-driven perspective to the fitness industry. Founders Rishabh Ahuja and Rohan Raj, both 20-year-old students from Delhi, entered the tank seeking ₹7 Lakhs for 10% equity. Their core proposition addressed a common frustration: the high cost of unused gym memberships. Many people sign up for a full month but only attend for 10 to 15 days, effectively wasting half their money. MEPACK aims to solve this by offering a “pay-as-you-go” model where users can select specific days on a calendar and pay only for that duration.
Walking into the tank with high energy, the young entrepreneurs highlighted how students and professionals alike struggle with rigid schedules. By offering a platform that lists over 75 gyms across Delhi, they presented a solution that prioritizes affordability and flexibility. While the Sharks were initially skeptical about the unit economics of a daily-pay model, the founders’ raw passion and willingness to learn eventually led to a strategic conversation about the future of fitness technology in India.
Business Overview
MEPACK operates as an online marketplace for fitness centers. Unlike traditional aggregators that sell monthly passes, MEPACK allows a user to open a digital calendar and pick 10, 15, or 20 specific days within a 30-day window. If a user only wants to work out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they only pay for those eight or nine days. This “Custom Gym Subscription” model is designed for the modern consumer who wants fitness on their own terms without the guilt of a wasted annual fee.
The business currently focuses on the Delhi market, where they have onboarded a variety of budget and mid-range gyms. Their platform provides a vendor panel to gym owners, allowing them to track daily bookings and manage footfall. This solves a secondary problem for small gym owners who often lack the technology to track “pay-per-session” customers accurately or manage their inventory of active members.
Product Details
The MEPACK platform is a web-based MVP (Minimum Viable Product) that integrates a customized booking engine. Users can search for gyms by area, view high-quality photos of the facility, check trainer certifications, and evaluate available equipment. The standout feature is the “Create Me Pack” function. It opens a 30-day calendar where a user must select a minimum of 10 days. The pricing is dynamic; for instance, 10 days at a local gym might cost as little as ₹670, making the per-day cost approximately ₹67.
To ensure flexibility, the system allows for a “plus-one minus-one” date shift. If a user misses their scheduled Thursday session, they can move it to Friday within the platform. This prevents the loss of credit and keeps the user engaged with their fitness goals. The vendor panel provided to the gyms allows owners to see exactly who is coming on a particular day, helping them manage peak-hour crowds.
Market Position
MEPACK positions itself between the unorganized local gym market and premium aggregators. While companies like Cult.fit dominate the premium, branded gym space, MEPACK targets the 85% of people who use local, independent gyms. Their unique selling proposition (USP) is extreme customization. While competitors offer monthly or annual passes, MEPACK is the only player currently focusing on a day-level custom pack for independent fitness centers.
| Business Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Company Name | MEPACK |
| Founders | Rishabh Ahuja and Rohan Raj |
| Product Type | Fitness Tech Marketplace |
| Price Range | ₹60 – ₹150 per day (approx) |
| Primary Channel | Direct-to-Consumer Website |
| Headquarters | Delhi, Delhi |
About Founder’s
The founders of MEPACK represent the youngest cohort of entrepreneurs seen in Season 3. Rishabh Ahuja, a 20-year-old student at Ramlal Anand College, and Rohan Raj, a 20-year-old at Dayal Singh College, are childhood friends who turned their college project into a registered business. Influenced by the stories of tech icons like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, they were determined to launch a startup before completing their graduation.
- Rishabh is currently a third-year B.Com Honors student.
- Rohan is pursuing a BA program at Delhi University.
- The duo started the business during their second year of college with an initial investment of ₹75,000.
- They conducted a survey of 200 students at Delhi University to validate the need for flexible gym memberships.
Shark’s and Founder’s QnA
How did you get this idea of a gym startup?
During Covid, all gyms suddenly closed. We realized that people had paid for whole-year subscriptions and all that money was wasted. It hit us that we should create a fitness startup where people only pay for the days they actually go, saving them money since 85% of people don’t use their full monthly subscription.
What is the average cost per day for a user?
It varies by gym. For a 10-day pack at some gyms, it costs about ₹670, which is ₹67 per day. You have to select at least 10 days in a month. Some gyms charge 30% or 50% more for daily rates compared to monthly averages, but we keep it affordable for the students.
What happens if I miss a day? Can I change the date?
Yes, we have a system where if you chose Thursday but can’t go, you can change it plus-one or minus-one day. You have that range to ensure you don’t lose your booking. We want to keep the routine flexible but consistent.
How many sales have you made so far?
We are at the MVP stage. We launched three months ago and have achieved lifetime sales of ₹12,500. We are focusing on gathering data and refining the website before scaling further.
What is your future expansion plan?
We have three phases. Phase One is custom gym subscriptions with Yoga and Zumba as add-ons. Phase Two is providing hiring services for gyms, like a LinkedIn for fitness trainers. Phase Three is moving toward a full fitness solution provider.
Are you flexible about changing your business model?
Yes, we are absolutely flexible. Our goal is to become the one-stop solution for fitness. We aren’t stuck on just selling custom subscriptions; we want growth and we want to solve the industry’s problems.
Key Stats & Financials
At the time of the MEPACK Shark Tank India pitch, the business was in its absolute infancy. Operating with a lean structure and minimal overheads, the founders had invested only ₹75,000 of their family and personal savings to build the website. The primary costs were associated with web development, which was done at a discounted rate by a friend’s company.
Revenue and Profitability
- Lifetime Sales: ₹12,500 (generated over 3 months)
- Number of Listed Gyms: 75+ in Delhi
- Valuation: ₹70 Lakhs (as per founder ask)
- Investment Request: ₹7 Lakhs for 10% equity
- Minimum Commitment: 10 days per user per month
Financial Breakdown
| Metric | Amount / Value |
|---|---|
| Monthly Sales (Peak) | ₹4,200 (approx) |
| Initial Investment | ₹75,000 | Minimal (Founder-led) |
| Marketing Spend | ₹0 (Organic/College surveys) |
| Cost of Customer Acquisition | Negligible (MVP stage) |
| Average Ticket Size | ₹700 – ₹1,200 |
Business Potential and TAM
The fitness industry in India is experiencing a massive shift toward personalization and digital integration. The Total Addressable Market (TAM) for fitness in India is valued at approximately $2.6 Billion, with a steady CAGR of 9%. However, the vast majority of this market is fragmented, consisting of thousands of small, independent gyms that operate without sophisticated management software. MEPACK’s potential lies not just in the B2C subscription model, but in the B2B opportunity to organize these independent players.
By shifting focus from a simple marketplace to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider for local gyms, MEPACK could tap into a multi-million dollar opportunity. Small gym owners are desperate for tools that manage memberships, track attendance, and provide automated communication with lapsed members. If MEPACK successfully builds this “operating system” for gyms, their reach could extend far beyond Delhi to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where fitness awareness is booming but infrastructure remains basic.
Market Size Analysis
The Indian fitness market is projected to reach $32 Billion by 2028, driven by rising health consciousness among the youth. While premium segments are saturated, the “middle-of-the-pyramid”—consisting of gym-goers paying ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 monthly—is where the volume lies. MEPACK targets the “deal hunters” and “irregular regulars” who currently drop out of the gym ecosystem due to cost or scheduling conflicts. Converting even 5% of this irregular segment into pay-as-you-go customers represents a massive revenue stream.
Growth Opportunities
- SaaS for Independent Gyms: Building a low-cost management software to automate attendance and payments.
- Corporate Wellness: Partnering with startups and SMEs to offer flexible fitness benefits to employees with unpredictable schedules.
- Trainer Marketplace: Solving the hiring crisis in the gym industry by creating a verified database of certified trainers.
- Hyper-local Expansion: Scaling into student hubs like Bengaluru, Pune, and Kota where demand for flexible plans is high.
MEPACK: Ideal Target Audience & Demographics
| Demographic | Details |
|---|---|
| Primary Age Group | 18 – 25 years (Students) |
| Secondary Age Group | 25 – 35 years (Working Professionals) |
| Interests | Fitness, Weight Loss, Budget Travel, Tech |
| Platform Preference | Instagram, WhatsApp, Website |
| Geography | Delhi-NCR, Urban hubs |
| Buying Behavior | Price-sensitive, flexibility-seeking |
Marketing and Distribution Strategy
The marketing strategy for MEPACK has been grassroots-focused. During their initial phase, the founders targeted their own university network. By conducting surveys and gathering feedback from fellow students, they built an organic base of 200 early adopters without spending on traditional advertising. This hyper-local approach allowed them to validate the product-market fit before investing in expensive digital ads.
Customer Acquisition
Currently, customer acquisition is driven by word-of-mouth and localized ground marketing. The founders visit gym clusters and distribute informational material to potential users who might be hesitant to commit to full memberships. Moving forward, they plan to use 30% of their funding for targeted social media campaigns, focusing on fitness enthusiasts in specific Delhi pin codes. Their goal is to maintain a low CAC by leveraging gym-side branding—where the MEPACK booking option is prominently displayed inside the partner facilities.
Distribution Channels
- Online Platform: The primary hub for gym discovery and subscription building.
- On-site Gym Partners: Physical touchpoints at 75+ gyms where users can learn about the flexi-pay model.
- Campus Ambassador Program: Planned expansion into various DU colleges to drive student registrations.
- B2B Partnerships: Future roadmap includes tying up with HR platforms to offer flexible gym access.
Social Media and Content Strategy
MEPACK focuses on “relatable fitness” content. Their social media approach highlights the common struggle of waking up late for the gym or paying for memberships and never going. By using humor and relatability, they position themselves as a brand that understands the “non-bodybuilder” crowd—people who just want to stay healthy without the extreme pressure of a professional athlete’s routine.
MEPACK Shark Tank Deal Outcome
The negotiation for MEPACK was intense as several Sharks questioned the business model’s viability. Aman Gupta was the first to exit, stating that the model wasn’t attractive for consumers who already have better alternatives like Cult.fit. Anupam Mittal and Namita Thapar followed, suggesting the model was too complex for a small payoff and advised the founders to move on to a bigger opportunity.
However, Amit Jain and Ritesh Agarwal saw potential in the founders’ spirit and the data they could collect from gyms. Ritesh suggested a pivot: instead of just a subscription platform, they should build a low-cost software for independent gyms to manage their entire operations. They offered a conditional deal: ₹7 Lakhs for 10% equity, provided the founders bring on a tech co-founder and focus on the SaaS model for gym owners.
| Shark | Offer Detail |
|---|---|
| Ritesh Agarwal | ₹3.5 Lakhs for 5% (Co-deal) |
| Amit Jain | ₹3.5 Lakhs for 5% (Co-deal) |
| Anupam Mittal | Out – Believed model was a waste of time |
| Aman Gupta | Out – Not attractive for consumers |
| Final Decision | Accepted Offer: ₹7 Lakhs for 10% (Conditional) |
MEPACK Post-Show Update
Verified post-show updates for MEPACK are not yet available. We will update this section as reliable information is published regarding their progress with the new tech co-founder and the SaaS management platform suggested by the Sharks.
Business Analysis & Lessons
The MEPACK Shark Tank India pitch serves as a classic case study on the importance of founder flexibility. While the original business model faced heavy criticism from veteran Sharks, the founders’ willingness to pivot was what secured the deal. Ritesh Agarwal’s insight into the “operating system” for gyms highlighted that the real value wasn’t in the small commission from a ₹67 gym session, but in the data and management control over thousands of independent businesses.
Strategically, the pitch showed that “raw” entrepreneurs can still find backing if they demonstrate high coachability. The Sharks recognized that at 20 years old, these founders have the energy and time to fail, learn, and iterate. The condition of bringing in a tech co-founder was a vital lesson in team composition; for a tech-led startup, having the coding expertise in-house is non-negotiable for scaling beyond an MVP.
Key Takeaways
- Flexibility is Key: Being attached to a mission (fitness) rather than just a feature (subscriptions) allows for a successful pivot.
- B2B Over B2C: In fragmented markets, solving the business owner’s operational headache (SaaS) is often more lucrative than solving a minor consumer convenience issue.
- Team Balance: A startup needs a balance of business hustle and technical depth. A “tech co-founder” is often the missing piece for young visionaries.
- Market Validation: Even with small sales (₹12,500), having real-world data and user feedback is essential to survive the Shark Tank questioning.
Pitch Conclusion
The journey of MEPACK on Shark Tank India Season 3 was a testament to the power of youthful entrepreneurship. By securing a deal from Ritesh and Amit, Rishabh and Rohan proved that even with minimal revenue, a well-timed pitch and a coachable attitude can open doors to mentorship from the biggest names in Indian business. If they successfully pivot to the gym automation software model, MEPACK could become a significant player in organizing India’s local fitness landscape. If you enjoyed this breakdown, check out Solinas, Nawgati, and Play Box TV.
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