33,000% Returns: boAt Co-Founder Aman Gupta Reveals 'Best Investment' He Made As Shark Tank Judge

Aman Gupta, the co-founder of boAt Lifestyle, who also served as a judge on Shark Tank revealed that his "best in history" investment was on the snack brand 'Let's Try', turning an investment of Rs 12 lakh into a Rs 40 crore return, effectively a 33,233% surge.

Gupta told Republic World that his Rs 12 lakh investment for up to 7-8% equity resulted in the healthy snack brand having a purchase offer of Rs 40 crore, calling it the "best investment in the history of Shark Tank India."

"In the last five years, the best company has been Let’s Try. I invested in them in season one. Nobody else invested with me. They make chips, bhujia. All the Excel sheet investors said it can’t make it," Gupta said.

Gupta said that when founder Nitin Vinod Kalra showcased his proposal for the snack brand, the other judges did not have much faith in the product's success, while he saw potential there.

"The guy had guts, I knew he will do something. He had that fire," Gupta said about the snack brand that was only six or seven months old at that time.

The firm had made Rs 16 lakh in five months and made the offer for Rs 45 lakh for 2% equity to judges. Shark Tank India judges Namita Thapar and Ashneer Grover declined the opportunity, not feeling confident in the 'fried food' aspect of its product range.

Gupta and Anupam Mittal had agreed to invest Rs 45 lakh for 12% equity. But, Anupam exited the deal after some analysis with Gupta left as the sole investor in Let's Try.

The startup's valuation went from Rs 3.75 crore around the time of its Shark Tank India pitch to Rs 324 crore in present day, going up 50 times.

The brand promoted itself as a healthier option to competitors such as Haldiram's with a price that was 15% higher.

"Everybody said there are so many big companies in this sector, how big a company can you make? But the founder proved them wrong," Gupta said.