Pitch Introduction: Urban Naps Shark Tank India
Urban Naps Shark Tank India presentation brought a revolutionary concept to the panel: locally manufactured automated sleeping pods designed to solve Indias workplace fatigue and airport transit rest problems. Founders Kewal and Mihir entered the tank seeking ₹50 lakh for 4% equity, valuing their innovative hardware startup at ₹12.5 crore. Their pitch demonstrated not just a product but a complete ecosystem including IoT-enabled mobile applications, automated massage features, and a Made in India manufacturing model that significantly undercut international competitors. Vineeta Singh immediately took a personal demonstration of the napping pod, experiencing the heating seat and vibration features firsthand while discussing the hygiene and privacy advantages over traditional airport bench sleeping.
Business Overview
Urban Naps operates in the business services and wellness infrastructure sector, offering automated sleeping pods designed for high-traffic locations like airports, corporate offices, and co-working spaces. The company addresses a critical market gap in India where multinational companies provide rest facilities for night shift workers, but standard Indian companies lack such infrastructure. Their napping pods feature advanced functionalities including automated doors controlled via mobile app, heating and massage seats for pain relief, music therapy, vibration options, and manual override safety features for power failures. The pods also include under-seat luggage storage compartments, making them ideal for airport transit passengers.
The Unique Selling Proposition centers on Make in India manufacturing, reducing costs by 60% compared to imported UK or Chinese alternatives while maintaining premium quality. The target market includes premium travelers at airports who refuse to sleep on benches due to hygiene concerns, corporate IT parks requiring rest facilities for employees working late shifts, and modern co-working spaces needing phone booths and private rest areas.
| Company Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Urban Naps |
| Founded | August 2018 |
| Founders | Kewal and Mihir |
| Location | Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Industry | Sleep Solutions & Hardware |
| Website | urbannaps.com |
About Founders
Kewal and Mihir bring complementary technical backgrounds to Urban Naps. Kewal holds an MSC IT degree and previously worked as a software developer for a US-based company, where he personally experienced the need for workplace rest facilities while working late-night shifts until 2 AM or 4 AM. Mihir is a mechanical engineering graduate who joined the venture in December 2020, bringing manufacturing expertise to scale production. The duo established their workshop in Ahmedabad under the Make in India initiative, creating indigenous manufacturing capabilities rather than importing expensive foreign units.
The founding team includes a third cofounder from IIT specializing in electronics, who handles the IoT and automation aspects of the pods though he was not present during the pitch. The company received early validation when the National Institute of Design invested ₹12 lakh for 4% equity, recognizing the innovative industrial design and engineering capabilities of the team.
- Founded in August 2018 by Kewal after experiencing workplace fatigue
- Mihir joined as cofounder in December 2020
- Headquartered in Ahmedabad with manufacturing workshop
- Backed by NID with ₹12 lakh strategic investment
- Third IIT-educated cofounder handles electronics engineering
- Combined expertise in software, mechanical, and electronics engineering
Shark’s and Founder’s QnA
How do you two know each other?
We were working together. I was a software developer in a US-based company where we used to work with clients till late nights, sometimes 2 AM or 4 AM. In multinational companies, they have facilities for rest, but normal companies do not have such facilities. So I researched this with my friend and found that there is no manufacturer in India for such products. People have to import them from UK or China.
What is your education background?
Sir, I have done MSC IT and I am from Mechanical Engineering college.
When did you start this?
I started myself in August 2018, and Mihir joined in December 2020.
How did you do manufacturing in India?
We took a workshop and started making this with the Make in India concept.
Are both of you the only ones, or is there someone else?
We have two founders and one co-founder who is from IIT and works in electronics. He is sitting inside. No sir, he is not here right now.
At airports, people sleep on normal chairs or three benches together, why would they take this specifically?
Specifically for premium travelers who do not want smell issues. If someone removes socks and sleeps, there is a smell problem. That cannot happen in this enclosed pod.
Then you will need to keep one person for this?
Sir, that is why we have the app benefit. But yes, you need an operator.
What is the price of this product?
We are exporting to France at ₹7 lakh, and our cost is ₹3.5 lakh.
How much order do you have right now?
We have two sample orders from France.
What is your shareholding?
It is not equal shared. NID had invested at that time. They invested ₹12 lakh and took 4% equity.
Have you thought about making a bigger business with your talent and capability, maybe different products or different markets?
Sir, we launched one product called Work From Home. We made cubicles where you can book by phone and we install at client location. We were getting monthly revenue from it. When offices reopened, people needed private space in open floor offices for calls, so we are also making that product. But that is not under Urban Naps, it is a new brand called NextFurd.
How does the airport business model work financially?
This costs ₹50,000. In around four months, ₹2 lakh revenue comes. From this, 25% cost goes to operations, 25% to the operator, and around 50% is our net profit. So we earn ₹25,000, spend ₹25,000, and save ₹25,000 on minimum basis.
Why did you keep the phone booth business separate from Urban Naps?
Sir, that name has Naps at the end, so people think power naps. We wanted to separate the identity.
Anupam offers ₹50 lakh for 25% in the phone booth business specifically. What is your response?
Our valuation was based on 3 years. We would like to counter with ₹50 lakhs at 12% equity.
Key Stats & Financials
Urban Naps presented a unique financial model combining hardware sales with rental revenue streams. Their export business targets European markets at premium pricing while the domestic airport model operates on a capital-light rental basis. The company demonstrated impressive margins with 50% net profit retention after operational expenses, though the heavy operational involvement required for airport installations concerned the Sharks regarding scalability.
- Investment Asked: ₹50 lakh for 4% equity
- Company Valuation: ₹12.5 crore
- Export Price: ₹7 lakh per pod with ₹3.5 lakh production cost
- Airport Installation Cost: ₹50,000 per unit with 6-8 month ROI
- Net Profit Margin: 50% on airport rental model after operator and opex costs
- Previous Funding: ₹12 lakh from NID for 4% equity stake
| Financial Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Ask | ₹50 Lakh for 4% |
| Valuation Requested | ₹12.5 Crore |
| Export Unit Price | ₹7 Lakh |
| Manufacturing Cost | ₹3.5 Lakh |
| Domestic Installation | ₹50,000 |
| Monthly Net Profit Per Pod | ₹25,000 |
Business Potential and TAM
The total addressable market for Urban Naps spans multiple sectors including aviation infrastructure, corporate wellness, and commercial real estate. With over 100 operational airports in India and growing corporate emphasis on employee wellbeing, the theoretical market size extends to hundreds of crores. However, the B2B sales cycle length and tender-based procurement processes create significant barriers to rapid scaling. The post-pandemic hybrid work culture has additionally opened opportunities for their phone booth concept, addressing privacy needs in open-plan offices.
- 100+ operational airports across India requiring transit amenities
- Growing corporate wellness market estimated at ₹1,500 crore
- Post-pandemic hybrid work model creating phone booth demand
- Export potential to Europe, Middle East, and Southeast Asia
- Co-working space expansion in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities
- IT parks and special economic zones requiring 24/7 facilities
Urban Naps: Ideal Target Audience & Demographics
| Demographic Category | Specific Details |
|---|---|
| Primary Users | Premium travelers and business flyers |
| B2B Clients | Airport authorities and Corporate IT parks |
| Secondary Market | Co-working spaces and startup hubs |
| Geographic Focus | Metro airports and Tier 1 cities |
| Age Group | Working professionals aged 25-50 |
| Income Level | Upper middle class and corporate travelers |
Marketing and Distribution Strategy
Urban Naps employs a hybrid B2B sales strategy combining direct institutional sales with subscription-based rental models. For airports, they pursue tender-based contracts through airport authorities, operating on a revenue-sharing basis rather than outright sales. The corporate strategy involves direct outreach to HR departments and facility managers, emphasizing productivity gains from power naps. Internationally, they leverage export partnerships, evidenced by their sample orders from France.
- Airport authority partnerships via government tenders and PPP models
- Direct B2B corporate sales targeting HR and facilities teams
- International export to European markets starting with France
- Subscription-based rental model for recurring revenue
- Phone booth vertical under NextFurd brand for office market
- Mobile app integration for seamless user booking experience
Urban Naps Deal Outcome
Urban Naps generated significant interest from the Sharks due to their exceptional engineering capabilities and Make in India innovation, but ultimately left without a deal due to business model concerns. Anupam Mittal expressed particular interest not in the napping pod business, but in the phone booth vertical the founders mentioned. He offered ₹50 lakh for 25% equity specifically in the phone booth business, contingent on the founders focusing exclusively on that scalable model rather than the operationally intensive airport pods.
The founders countered with ₹50 lakh for 12% equity, maintaining their valuation based on three years of work and existing IP. Anupam insisted on 25% given the operational involvement required. After discussion, the founders declined the offer, choosing to retain control and continue both business lines. Vineeta Singh also went out citing concerns about B2B sales cycle unpredictability and operational dependencies.
| Deal Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Original Ask | ₹50 Lakh for 4% |
| Anupam Mittal Offer | ₹50 Lakh for 25% (Phone Booth only) |
| Founders Counter | ₹50 Lakh for 12% |
| Vineeta Singh | Out – B2B cycle concerns |
| Peyush Bansal | Out – Business model sustainability |
| Final Outcome | No Deal |
Urban Naps Post-Show Update
Following their Shark Tank India appearance, Urban Naps continued operations maintaining their dual focus on airport sleeping pods and office phone booths. The company maintains an active website at urbannaps.com and continues to promote their Make in India manufacturing capabilities. Despite not securing a deal, the national television exposure provided brand recognition in the B2B infrastructure space. The founders reportedly pursued their export opportunities to France and continued developing the NextFurd phone booth brand as a separate entity, taking Anupam Mittal’s advice regarding scalability while maintaining their original napping pod vision for airport installations.
Business Analysis & Lessons
The Urban Naps pitch illustrates the critical difference between engineering excellence and business model viability. While the Sharks universally praised the product innovation and frugal engineering that reduced costs from ₹20 lakh (imported) to ₹7 lakh (indigenous), they identified fundamental issues with the B2B service model. The requirement for operators at each location, dependency on airport tenders, and capital-intensive nature of hardware rentals without asset-light scaling mechanisms concerned investors focused on high-growth software-light businesses.
The pitch also highlighted the importance of founder flexibility. Anupam Mittal’s offer specifically targeted the phone booth business because it addressed a clear post-pandemic office need with potentially SaaS-like recurring revenue. The founders’ attachment to their original napping pod concept, while admirable for vision consistency, potentially cost them a strategic partnership that could have funded their broader ecosystem. For hardware startups, the lesson remains clear: product innovation must align with distribution channels that do not create operational bottlenecks for every unit sold.
- Engineering excellence does not guarantee investable business models
- B2B hardware requires asset-light scaling mechanisms to attract venture capital
- Founder flexibility on product pivots can determine funding success
- Make in India cost advantages create export opportunities
- Operational intensity per unit remains a key investor concern
Pitch Conclusion
Urban Naps Shark Tank India journey showcased exceptional hardware innovation addressing genuine workplace wellness needs, yet highlighted the scaling challenges inherent in B2B infrastructure businesses. The founders demonstrated remarkable engineering capabilities by creating world-class sleeping pods at fraction of international costs, validating Make in India’s potential. However, the operational complexity of managing physical assets across multiple locations ultimately deterred the Sharks from investing in the original model, despite recognizing the team’s technical talent. For entrepreneurs watching this pitch, the key takeaway centers on balancing product passion with business model pragmatism, ensuring that innovation translates into scalable, investable opportunities. Urban Naps continues their mission to transform India’s approach to workplace rest, proving that sometimes the best innovation requires patient capital rather than rapid venture scaling.