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Dyumna Madan’s Project Clay is a mentorship platform designed to revolutionise the college application process by offering personalised one-on-one guidance.
Shark Tank India 4 hosted a special campus episode. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
Shark Tank India 4 welcomed a diverse range of entrepreneurs, providing them with a platform to showcase their innovations. This season also introduced a special Campus Episode, highlighting a new generation of student entrepreneurs. Among them was Project Clay, founded by 19-year-olds Dyumna Madan and Shivom Sood. After securing a promising deal on the show, Dyumna shared insights into how the Sharks approached and mentored the young innovators.
In an interview with Times of India, Dyumna Madan said, “From the sharks, they have been really supportive. Shark Tank India as a whole has been very supportive towards young entrepreneurs. The sharks gave us great constructive criticism. We really appreciated that they didn’t treat us as kids.”
Project Clay is a mentorship platform that promises to transform the college application process by providing personalized one-on-one advice for developing passion projects and gaining admission to prestigious universities. Reportedly, Dyumna Madan abandoned formal schooling after 10th grade and began his journey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Project Clay offers over 300 vetted mentors from 10+ study abroad areas. Shivom Sood and Dyumna Madan asked for Rs 15 lakh for 10% equity, with a valuation of Rs 1.5 crore. They finally sealed a deal with Namita Thapar on the exact terms.
Speaking about her investment and guidance, the founder stated, “We have been in contact with the team and the process is on with Namita. One important thing was she was one of the sharks whose child recently went through the process. As a parent, she understands what the child needs. It’s an adult perspective with a business mind.” He added that Namita knows the situation, and in terms of execution, she could reduce their struggle by pointing out our obvious mistakes.
Dyumna described the experience as “surreal,” admitting that he could hardly believe they had come this far. He reflected on their four-year journey, noting that for the first three and a half years, they saw little progress and often found themselves chasing opportunities without knowing if their idea would ever turn into a viable business. So, when Shark Tank happened, it was hard for them to process the reality of being selected.
