Shark Tank India 4: Ritesh Agarwal points out pitchers’ brand logo copied from International automotive company, still offers deal

A brand faced intense criticism on Shark Tank India 4 as Anupam Mittal slammed their pitch and Ritesh Agarwal pointed out a major logo controversy. Despite this, they walked away with a deal.

By Shaibalina Choudhury

Updated on Mar 02, 2025 | 10:23 AM IST | 26.8K

(PC: Sony LIV)

A recent episode of Shark Tank India Season 4 turned into a heated session when two Delhi-based founders pitched their cushion brand, Trajectory. What started as a business pitch quickly became one of the most intense moments of the season, with Anupam Mittal delivering harsh criticism and Ritesh Agarwal calling out the founders for copying Tesla’s logo.

The entrepreneurs sought ₹1 crore for a 2% stake, valuing their company at ₹50 crore. They highlighted their strong financials, forecasting ₹15 crore in revenue this year with an EBITDA of 21%. Their distribution strategy included e-commerce platforms, Amazon, and airport retail. Peyush Bansal was particularly impressed by their ability to keep marketing expenses below 5%, an uncommon feat in the consumer goods space.

However, Anupam Mittal was unimpressed from the very beginning. Before the founders could properly introduce their brand, he questioned their business model, calling it too generic. "What the hell are you pitching? This is such a commoditized business. Why are you even in it?" he asked.

As one of the founders, Raghav, tried to narrate their journey, Anupam cut him off, saying, "Will this story ever end?" A rehearsed joke from Raghav fell flat, prompting Anupam to remark, "Your rehearsed jokes aren’t landing, my friend." Even Peyush stepped in, advising him to stop forcing humor as it was harming the pitch.

The tension escalated when Namita Thapar asked how their neck pillows and seat cushions were different from competitors. Instead of giving a direct answer, Raghav spoke about fabrics and materials, which irritated Anupam even more. “Kya bakwas kar rahe ho? Aap hamesha baat ghuma ke kyu bolte ho?” (What nonsense are you saying? Why can’t you give a straight answer?), he snapped.

Ritesh Agarwal pointed out that their logo looked suspiciously similar to Tesla’s. Raghav attempted to explain the minor differences, but Anupam burst into sarcastic laughter, making it clear he wasn’t buying it. Aman Gupta also added to Ritesh’s observation.

One by one, the sharks backed out—Anupam, Namita, and Aman all refused to invest, with Namita bluntly stating that she couldn’t trust the founders. Despite the harsh criticism, Ritesh and Peyush saw potential in the business. In the end, the founders accepted Ritesh’s offer of ₹50 lakh for 3% equity, along with ₹50 lakh in debt at 8% interest. However, Ritesh attached certain conditions for scaling, which the founders agreed to.