In one of the most recent episodes of Season 5 of Shark Tank India, the pitch was for an offline dating and social meet-up platform called Offline by Happy Hour. Their aim was to keep youngsters away from swipe-based dating apps and move them towards curated, in-person experiences. However, sharks Aman Gupta, CEO of boAt, and Shaily Mehrotra, founder and CEO of Fixderma, brought up safety concerns.
The pitch by Offline by Happy Hour on Shark Tank 5
Offline by Happy Hour founders Tanay Baweja and Aastha Sethi opened their pitch by highlighting the challenges in today’s dating landscape. They emphasised how dating apps continue to dominate the global market, but how they aim to create an alternative that enables offline dating events, curated to individual personalities and preferences. The founders sought an investment of ₹50 lakh for a 5% equity stake, valuing their company at ₹10 crore. While the pitch seemed interesting, the sharks also raised concerns about safety and long-term sustainability.
Aman Gupta, Shaily Mehrotra question safety measures
While the other sharks turned down the dating app pitch for various reasons, Aman and Shaily cited safety concerns. Aman compared the app to a real-life version of the 2011 rom-com Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge and even told the platform, “You are just one kaand (incident) away from shutting the business.” Shaily also questioned the founders whether they had bouncers on hand when they held these offline events, only to be told that security was provided only for large turnouts. She also explained how offline dating platforms need strong safety systems, especially when male users take it lightly.
When Shaily stated she wouldn’t invest in dating apps
{{/usCountry}}While the other sharks turned down the dating app pitch for various reasons, Aman and Shaily cited safety concerns. Aman compared the app to a real-life version of the 2011 rom-com Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge and even told the platform, “You are just one kaand (incident) away from shutting the business.” Shaily also questioned the founders whether they had bouncers on hand when they held these offline events, only to be told that security was provided only for large turnouts. She also explained how offline dating platforms need strong safety systems, especially when male users take it lightly.
When Shaily stated she wouldn’t invest in dating apps
{{/usCountry}}Incidentally, in January this year, Shaily released a Reel on Instagram that she captioned, “Not dismissing the idea but in India, nearly 2 in 3 users on dating apps never meet their matches offline, 77% report fake profiles, and 39% have encountered scams. Real world safety, location, and trust concerns make offline dating a high risk space. With strong identity verification, safety protocols, and engagement measures in place, this concept could be viable but these challenges must be addressed first.”
“To be honest, I will not invest in any dating app start-up. Anything can happen. Because even today, our Indian youth, especially boys, don’t have the maturity for it. They don’t take dating apps seriously. To them, it’s fun. I don’t want to say more. There will be those 15% men who are actually sincere, but who will handle the rest?” she said in the video, explaining her scepticism.
Shark Tank India 5 airs Monday through Friday at 8 PM on Sony LIV and Sony Entertainment Television. The show is available to stream for free on mobile via the Sony LIV app.
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