From co-founding leading electronics brand boAt to investing in emerging businesses, entrepreneur and ‘Shark Tank India’ investor Aman Gupta continues to explore new opportunities.

By Nichola Marie

The 1982-born, Delhi-bred Aman Gupta combines a sharp business mind with an instinct for what consumers want. His career took him from finance and corporate strategy at Citibank, KPMG and HARMAN International to co-founding boAt, now one of India’s best-known electronics brands. This ability of his to spot an opportunity and turn it into a business is what sets him apart as an entrepreneur.

The Making Of boAt

Founded in 2016 by Gupta and Sameer Mehta, boAt entered a competitive consumer electronics market dominated by established international brands. The founders saw an opportunity to offer products that combined practical features, distinctive designs and accessible prices.

The company’s first product was a durable, braided charging cable designed to address a familiar consumer frustration: cables that broke easily. It subsequently expanded into earphones, headphones, speakers and other accessories.

The founders recognised that younger consumers wanted more than functional products. Accessories were becoming part of personal style, and customers were looking for products that reflected their tastes without costing a fortune. boAt responded with bold designs, colours and marketing aimed at a young, digitally connected audience.

Building a brand in a crowded market was not easy. In an interview with ‘Forbes’, reproduced on boAt’s website, Gupta recalled the scepticism surrounding the company’s entry into the market: “People started writing our obituary even before we were born.”

The remark captures the challenge of competing against established names, but also the confidence with which the founders approached the business.

boAt invested in online sales, social media and influencer partnerships to reach its target audience. Customer feedback helped the company understand what buyers wanted and identify areas for improvement. The term ‘boAtheads’ became part of its brand identity, helping create a community around its products.

The company gradually expanded beyond audio accessories into wearables and other consumer technology categories. Its rise demonstrated how an Indian brand could build recognition and compete in a market where international names had long held sway.

Shark With A Difference

Gupta’s public profile grew considerably when he joined ‘Shark Tank India’, the business reality show that gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors. The programme brought discussions about business models, valuations, funding and risk into living rooms across the country.

In a conversation with ‘YourStory’ founder Shradha Sharma at TiECon Delhi in March 2023, Gupta said, “My line on Shark Tank, hum bhi bana lenge (we too can create a brand) is not a mere statement.” He pointed to boAt’s own experience of entering a crowded market and building a recognisable brand.

The sentiment reflected his belief that entrepreneurs should not be discouraged by established competitors. A new business may not have the resources of a large company, but it can still find a market by understanding its customers and doing things differently.

The show also gave Gupta a platform to invest in businesses beyond his own. Evaluating pitches requires him to consider not only the product but also the people behind it, the size of the market, the business model and the potential for growth.

His public persona is different from that of a conventional corporate executive. Humour and an accessible style have helped him connect with audiences, while his business background gives him a practical perspective on the challenges founders face.

Learning From Failure

Gupta has spoken openly about the setbacks that preceded his success. In an interview published by ‘YourStory’ in 2023, he said, “I have failed five times but you need only one success to do well.”

The statement reflects a recurring theme in his career: failure is part of the process, not necessarily the end of the journey. For Gupta, entrepreneurship involves more than having an appealing idea. A business must understand its market, develop products people want and build the systems needed to deliver them. Product quality, distribution, customer feedback and financial discipline all matter.

As boAt grew, the company also needed to evolve beyond its founders’ individual efforts. Building a professional management team became important as the business expanded. The transition illustrates a challenge familiar to many entrepreneurs: the skills needed to start a company are not always the same as those required to manage it at scale.

His experience as an investor on ‘Shark Tank India’ has added another dimension to this perspective. He now assesses the ideas and ambitions of other founders, drawing on his own experience of building a consumer brand.

Beyond boAt: A New Venture

In March 2026, Gupta announced his next entrepreneurial venture, OFF/BEAT, also known as OffBeat Studios. The move marked a new chapter for the entrepreneur, whose public identity had become closely associated with boAt.

In April 2026, OFF/BEAT raised ₹100 crore in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners. Gupta said he wanted partners who could help him use technology and artificial intelligence to address changing consumer aspirations. OFF/BEAT is positioned at the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence and changing consumer aspirations, although details of its business model and offerings remain limited.

The new venture gives Gupta an opportunity to apply his experience of building and scaling boAt to a different set of opportunities. Building a portfolio of brands presents challenges that go beyond launching an individual product: each business needs a clear identity, an understanding of its customers and a sustainable route to market.

Gupta has also spoken about bringing people with different experiences into the venture, including founders who have faced setbacks and younger talent. His approach challenges the idea that a failed business should permanently damage a person’s professional prospects.

Backing The Next Generation

Gupta’s entrepreneurial interests extend beyond building his own businesses. In September 2026, he invested in FIG Living, a design-led lighting and home décor brand founded by Sushant Sharma, who had previously worked with him at boAt. The investment was made through SailThru Ventures, Gupta’s investment firm.

The investment brings Gupta’s journey full circle. Someone who previously worked alongside him at boAt is now building an independent brand, with Gupta backing his next step. It also highlights another aspect of his work: using his experience, network and understanding of consumers to support other entrepreneurs.

For Sharma, the investment provides an opportunity to expand the business, increase distribution and develop new product categories. For Gupta, it is another way to participate in the creation of a consumer brand without being involved in its day-to-day operations.

Man Behind The Brand
Away from business, Gupta is married to Priya Dagar, and the couple have two daughters. He has spoken about the demands of entrepreneurship and the family moments he missed while building his career, acknowledging the personal sacrifices that accompanied his professional success.