In the latest episode of Shark Tank India season 4, Ayush Chauhan, a young entrepreneur, presented his gaming resale business, Dacby. Ayush explained that his business focuses on buying and reselling used gaming consoles and accessories through online platforms.
Ayush, an IIT dropout, revealed that he convinced two of his classmates to join him in launching Dacby. However, as their peers secured high-paying jobs and the business faced challenges, disagreements arose. Ayush eventually bought out his co-founders, taking on debt to do so.
Currently, Ayush is running his business at a loss. With just ₹4,000 left in his bank account and no salary for over a year, he approached the sharks seeking ₹75 lakh for a 2.2% equity stake, valuing his company at ₹34 crore.
Despite raising ₹2 crore earlier, he disclosed that his business burns through ₹5 lakh monthly, mainly on the salaries of his 16 employees. His remaining funds amount to ₹15 lakh, and he relies on ₹30,000 pocket money from his father for personal expenses.
This is not just a story of entrepreneurship; it’s a story of resilience. Watch the courageous journey of DACBY’s founder now on Shark Tank India Season 4, only on Sony LIV!#SharkTankIndiaSeason4onSonyLIV#SharkTankIndia#SharkTankIndiaOnSonyLIV@amangupta0303 @AnupamMittal pic.twitter.com/ctyMcY2xJm
— Sony LIV (@SonyLIV) January 20, 2025
The panel of sharks—Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar, Peyush Bansal, and Ritesh Agarwal—had mixed reactions. Some admired Ayush’s resilience, while Aman Gupta was highly critical of his decisions. Ritesh Agarwal empathized with Ayush, recalling his own modest beginnings, and offered a ₹10 lakh personal grant but declined to invest. Namita Thapar, touched by Ayush’s story, refrained from investing, as did Anupam Mittal, who instead praised Ayush’s father for his unwavering support.
Aman Gupta, however, was blunt. He highlighted Ayush’s missteps, including dropping out of IIT, encouraging his friends to leave, depending on family funds, and raising investor money without generating returns. “You’ve made a lot of mistakes. You left IIT, made your friends leave, took money from parents, and raised funds. If I call you a good entrepreneur, I’d be lying. You’re not made for this. My advice: don’t do business,” he said.
Namita countered, suggesting Aman’s comments were too harsh, but ultimately, none of the sharks invested. Ayush left the show without securing funding, despite earning some praise for his determination.