Hair Originals

Jitendra Sharma, Piyush Wadhwani, and Ashish Tiwari are Season 1's most globally-travelled founding team — three IITians (Jitendra from IIT, Piyush from IIT Delhi 2008 batch, Ashish from IIT Kharagpur) whose founding insight came not from domestic market research but from four decades of international professional experience observing foreign colleagues' reverence for Indian hair quality. Jitendra Sharma (Co-founder & CEO) brings over 40 years of professional and international experience, having worked across 40+ countries in industrial and chemical sectors. His cosmopolitan career gave him the direct personal observation — foreign colleagues asking him to bring Indian hair on return trips — that crystallised into Hair Originals' founding premise. Piyush Wadhwani (Co-founder) is an IIT Delhi 2008 graduate with 11 years of experience in the chemical field across 40 different countries. He worked in 40 different countries for 11 years in the chemical field before starting this venture.

Hair Originals is India's first premium brand for 100% natural human hair extensions — sourcing ethically acquired hair donated at South Indian temples, processing it without chemicals in a manufacturing plant in Gurugram, and delivering finished permanent extensions, temporary extensions, and wigs across India and globally, through direct-to-consumer D2C platforms as well as B2B exports — with a founding commitment to ethical sourcing, zero chemical processing, and free professional installation at partner salons. They produce permanent hair extensions, temporary hair extensions, and wigs. Their products are available through their website, and they even offer free installation at nearby salons to consumers.

Amount Asked: ₹60 lakhs Equity Offered: 2% Implied Pre-Money Valuation: ₹30 crore

Hair Originals' pitch opened Episode 22 — which also featured Poo de Cologne, Moonshine Meads, and Falhari — with a product demonstration that was simultaneously visceral and compelling: real human hair extensions, displayed in their various lengths and types, with a narrative about temple donations, women artisans, global luxury markets, and a category that India dominated as raw commodity but had never owned as finished brand. Hair Originals came on the show looking for an investment of ₹60 lakhs for 2% equity, company valuation is ₹30 crore. After the pitch and demonstration, Aman and Vineeta gave a combined offer of ₹60 lakhs for 6% equity. The World Hair Congress France story — a luxury French hairstylist who styles Ivanka Trump's hair becoming Hair Originals' brand ambassador after seeing the product quality — provided global luxury market validation that no Indian startup pitch of Season 1 had previously demonstrated.

Aman Gupta and Vineeta Singh moved together first. Aman and Vineeta gave the first offer at the same valuation as the last round — ₹60 lakhs for 6% of the company. Peyush Bansal, Ashneer Grover, and Anupam Mittal countered with ₹60 lakhs for 5% — a competing coalition that created competitive pressure. This led to a heated negotiation between Ashneer and Aman.

Aman and Vineeta offered ₹60 lakhs for 6%. Peyush, Ashneer, and Anupam offered ₹60 lakhs for 5%. Hair Originals countered Ashneer, Peyush, and Anupam at 4%. Aman jumped in to also offer 4%. The company chose Ashneer, Peyush, and Anupam at ₹60 lakhs for 4%, which they accepted, confirming the deal.

Deal Secured: YES — CONFIRMED AND FORMALLY CLOSED Investment Amount:- ₹60 lakhs Equity Given:- 4%