The co-founders of Capture A Trip, Nitin Khanna and Anurag Singal, presented a movement centered on community-driven experiences when they entered the Shark Tank in the first episode of Season 5. In contrast to traditional tour packages, they presented their business as an experience travel startup that specializes in carefully planned group tours for young Indians, particularly single travelers and first-time explorers who seek safety, friendship, and unforgettable adventures.
They began by explaining the core problem in the travel industry:
The majority of young tourists desire to visit unusual places, but they are hesitant because of worries about safety, the difficulty of preparing, and the absence of reliable travel partners. This is addressed by Capture A Trip, which arranges fully managed group travel experiences, including transportation, lodging, activities, and on-site coordination, all while fostering a strong sense of camaraderie among participants.
The Ask
The founders asked for:
₹75 lakh for 5% equity
Implied valuation: ₹15 crore
In order to attract more young tourists to Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities, they boldly declared that the money will be utilized to scale operations, increase foreign destinations, bolster their local staff, and enhance marketing.
Business Model Explained
They detailed their revenue model:
- Revenue comes from package-based group trips (domestic and international).
- Domestic trips are priced in the affordable adventure segment, while international trips cater to premium experiential travel.
- In addition to delivering value through trip curation, safety procedures, and community management, the company makes money by negotiating bulk agreements with hotels, transporters, and activity partners
Additionally, they emphasized that, in contrast to conventional travel agencies, Capture A Trip markets itself as a youth lifestyle brand, fostering enduring loyalty as opposed to one-time reservations.
Sharks’ Reactions & Key Questions
The Sharks appreciated the clarity of the concept but raised sharp business questions:
Scalability:
- How will they scale without compromising experience quality?
- Can the model grow beyond founder-driven operations?
Competition:
- How are they different from MakeMyTrip experiences, Thrillophilia, or backpacker communities?
- What is their long-term defensibility?
Financial Discipline:
- Questions were raised about cash burn, operational costs, and debt.
- The Sharks probed whether the business could become consistently profitable or would remain marketing-heavy.
Brand vs Travel Agency:
- Some Sharks challenged whether Capture A Trip is a true “brand” or just a well-marketed tour operator.
- The founders countered by explaining their repeat customer rate, strong Instagram-led community, and word-of-mouth driven growth.
The Sharks — Kunal Bahl, Mohit Yadav, Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, and Namita Thapar — reacted with mixed emotions. While some were cautious about scalability and travel-industry risks, others were intrigued by the youth-led, experience-driven model.
After a few negotiations and counteroffers, a deal was finalized when Kunal Bahl and Mohit Yadav teamed up to invest ₹75 lakh for 5 % equity, valuing the company at ₹15 crore.
