Eight Times Eight on Shark Tank India Season 5 Episode 28: A Strategic Chess Move in EdTech

One of the more impressive pitches on Shark Tank India Season 5 Episode 28, which aired on February 11, 2026, came from Eight Times Eight, an edtech business located in Kerala that is bringing online chess instruction for kids to the Tank. The founders of Eight Times Eight set out to persuade the Sharks that teaching children to play chess was not just a revolutionary idea but also a viable business strategy, in addition to pitches from propFTX and The Binge Town.

Related: PropFTX on Shark Tank India: A Big Idea That Failed to Win the Sharks

With its main office in Cochin, Kerala, Eight Times Eight is an online chess school dedicated to teaching kids—particularly those between the ages of five and fifteen—the game of chess through planned, interactive courses. A group of six individuals, some of whom have played chess for India internationally, launched the company in 2020. Its goal is to make competitive chess training more accessible to all while utilizing the strategic thinking advantages of the game to teach kids important life skills like patience, reasoning, focus, and problem-solving.

Eight Times Eight draws students from India and overseas with its beginner-to-advanced curriculum and group and one-on-one teaching through its platform. They combine conventional coaching with contemporary edtech delivery to create engaging, entertaining, and instructional material and course structures.

Official Website – Eight Times Eight

In an increasingly saturated field of educational technology, Eight Times Eight stands out by emphasizing chess as a tool for character and cognitive development rather than as a mere extracurricular pastime. The startup sets itself apart from generic edtech firms and traditional online tutoring platforms by presenting chess training as a means of fostering critical thinking abilities rather than just board game skills.

The format includes:

• Structured lesson plans tailored to different skill levels.
• Interactive live sessions with experienced coaches.
• A community of learners from over 30 countries.

It has gained popularity among parents looking for growth-oriented activities for their kids outside of the traditional academic realm because of its hybrid approach of skill development and edtech delivery.

Pricing:

Group Classes (6 Students)

• 3 Months – Rs 7000
• 6 Months – Rs 12000

1 on 1 Classes

• 14 Classes – Rs 14000
• 27 Classes – Rs 24000

Current Students – 1148

Customer Spilt:

India – 71%

International – 29%

Sales:

FY 21-22 – Rs 18 Lakhs

FY 22-23 – Rs 42 Lakhs

FY 23-24 – Rs 1.33 Crores

FY 24-25 – Rs 2.1 Crores

FY 25-26 Projected – Rs 2.7 Crores

In Season 5 Episode 28, the founders of Eight Times Eight entered the Shark Tank India battlefield with a daring proposal rather than just another edtech platform:

Can chess become a mainstream cognitive development tool for children?

The resulting proposal combined business logic, psychology, scalability, and education to transform a board game into an alluring investment opportunity.

A significant void in contemporary education was pointed out by the founders. Academics frequently place more emphasis on grades and memorization than on abilities like concentration, strategic thinking, and decision-making.

They explained that chess naturally cultivates these skills. However, the majority of parents still view chess as an extracurricular activity or hobby rather than as a methodical way to develop mental skills.

When asked about their performance, the founders gave positive figures. Thousands of students from various nations have already signed up for the site.

They emphasized good retention rates, which is more significant. This implied that rather than viewing the program as a temporary activity, parents and children were seeing long-term benefits from it.

Sharks’ Key Concerns

The Sharks, predictably, brought up significant issues. Given the specialized positioning of chess, market size became the main concern.

In order to solve this, the founders connected chess to more general concepts like skill training, cognitive growth, and worldwide edtech trends. The apparent commercial opportunity was increased by this rephrasing.

Competition and scalability were also covered in great detail.

Shark Varun Alagh was the first to back out, he shared his experience in investing in edtech and weren’t fond of the results and their survivability.

Shark Anupam Mittal wasn’t impressed by the online functioning of the business and the market dynamics and competition to AI, thus he opted out.

Shark Vineeta Singh pointed out that she couldn’t see the unique element in their website where children could actually learn anything special cognitively, she backed out as well.

Shark Namita advised the founders to get one more co-founder who understands business and unlock the potential of their offering. She was not confident in the current team, so she didn’t make any deal.

Shark Kunal Bahl showed concerns around the scalability of the company due to market dynamics, thus, he said no to any offer.

Eight Times Eight were unable to get a deal and exited Shark Tank India without any offer.

Although Eight Times Eight did not secure a deal on Shark Tank India Season 5 Episode 28, the pitch still marked an important milestone for the startup. The Sharks engaged in meaningful conversation when the creators successfully reframed chess as an organized cognitive growth tool rather than merely a pastime. The decision to not invest stemmed largely from concerns around scalability, differentiation, and long-term defensibility, rather than a dismissal of the core idea itself.

Eight Times Eight seems to be in a strong position to continue expanding in the future. The business has already established strong foundations with a growing student body, robust revenue growth, and global traction. The startup can achieve higher potential by boosting scalability, strengthening product distinctiveness, and fine-tuning its commercial positioning. Shark Tank exposure frequently serves as a catalyst for increased awareness, credibility, and client acquisition, all of which can be extremely beneficial for the company’s long-term success.