‘India doesn't grow by selling shampoos’: Hair-care brand founder slams Shark Tank India, calls it 'worst'

Entrepreneur says Shark Tank India is misguiding India’s smartest minds. (AI-generated representational pic)

Haircare entrepreneur Ashutosh Singh has launched a sharp critique of Shark Tank India, calling the popular reality series one of the most damaging influences on how young Indians imagine startups today.

In a strongly worded LinkedIn post, Singh argued that the show has skewed entrepreneurial ambition by repeatedly spotlighting consumer-facing D2C brands, while largely ignoring technology-led ventures and deep innovation. According to him, this has nudged aspiring founders toward building shampoos, oils, snacks, and cosmetic brands rather than working on AI tools, core tech, or scientific breakthroughs.

Singh wrote that startups were originally meant to stretch a nation’s technological and economic limits, by solving complex problems, creating new capabilities, and strengthening global competitiveness. But a quick look at Shark Tank India, he said, reveals a predictable pattern which pitch after pitch focused on consumer goods with minor differentiation and heavy reliance on branding and marketing.

‘India is flooded with D2C brands,’ says Singh

Questioning the sustainability of this trend, Singh asked how many similar oil or shampoo brands the Indian market can realistically absorb. While admitting he didn’t have precise numbers, he observed that India, despite having an economy far smaller than the US, appears to be flooded with D2C brands, a comparison he said should prompt serious introspection.

He stressed that the real concern isn’t the products themselves, but the message being sent. With millions of young viewers tuning in, Singh warned that shows like Shark Tank India shape perceptions of success, equating it with flashy packaging, valuations, and margins, rather than with scientific progress or technological depth.

In his post, Singh also pointed out what’s missing from mainstream startup storytelling. Ventures working on semiconductors, advanced materials, biotechnology, climate technology, or core engineering rarely get the spotlight, largely because they aren’t considered “television-friendly.” Yet, he argued, nations don’t become powerful by selling more consumer goods but they grow stronger by inventing what didn’t exist before.

Internet debates

“If deep tech and real innovation don’t become aspirational,” Singh cautioned, “we’ll keep confusing commerce with progress and later wonder why we’re stuck selling while others keep inventing.”

His comments sparked debate online. Some users pushed back, noting that Shark Tank India is designed for entertainment, not as a comprehensive reflection of the startup ecosystem. “It mirrors what works on TV, not the full range of innovation happening in the country,” one user wrote. Others pointed out that the show naturally favors consumer brands because most of the judges come from that background, adding that truly novel tech ideas often struggle due to a lack of investors who understand their long-term business value.