Amazon to Launch ‘Shark Tank’-Like Reality Show in India

A new “Shark Tank”-like reality show reportedly may help Amazon “reshape the narrative” around its Indian business.

The firm has faced challenges in the country, including criticism from mom-and-pop store owners and the government, Bloomberg reported Tuesday (July 18).

The new show is called “Mission Start Ab” (with “ab” being the Hindi word for “now”) and will be shown on Prime Video, according to the report.

It is backed by the Indian government, will feature three yet-to-be named investors and will bring together India’s top startups and entrepreneurs for an opportunity of investment and the chance to make their businesses a reality, the report said.

The timing of the show appears fortuitous, as India’s startup economy recently entered a funding winter, per the report. It also comes a month after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, signaling the potential for greater cooperation between the country and the company.

“Mission Start Ab” will focus on the lure of India for global internet companies seeking growth, according to the report.

Amazon announced Wednesday (July 12) that it created the new reality show in cooperation with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, a part of the government of India.

“Our mission at Prime Video has always been to be a force for good and an enabler of India’s economy, directly and indirectly,” Sushant Sreeram, country director at Prime Video, said in a press release.

Ajay Kumar Sood, principal scientific advisor for the government of India, said in the release: “I am optimistic that [the reality series] will offer immense learning opportunities to grassroots innovators in India, providing valuable insights into sustainable startup practices and attracting the right investors. Furthermore, the series promises to entertain viewers while promoting the growth of our nation’s grassroots innovation ecosystem.”

In another recent move in the country, Amazon is experimenting with dine-in payments in India via Amazon Pay. Users dining at some restaurants in select areas of Bengaluru can make payments under the “dining” section of Amazon Pay on the Amazon app, TechCrunch reported May 30.

This pilot is happening as Amazon finds itself playing defense against rival Walmart on the Indian eCommerce front, where Walmart has been able to grab a greater market share due to its ownership of Flipkart.