Mumbai: Making a successful pitch on Shark Tank India Season 3, WYLD, a social media monetization platform, received offers from all 5 ‘Sharks’ ultimately accepting an investment from Anupam Mittal. This achievement underscores the uniqueness and potential of WYLD’s approach to empowering social media users.
Social Fintech Startup WYLD monetizing the content creator economy secures investment from Anupam Mittal on Shark Tank India, Season 3
Founded by Dishant Sanghvi, Rij Eappen & Yash Sakhlecha, WYLD is a dynamic and youthful brand that empowers individuals to leverage the value of their social currency. Targeted towards active social media users aged 18 to 30, and budding influencers, content creators, and deal seekers, WYLD is a platform that enables everyday social media users to monetize their followers, just like influencers do. The USP of WYLD is its first-of-its-kind payment card, powered by VISA, the WYLD Card, which allows users to earn 30% to 100% cashback on purchases from partner brands. This cashback is earned by simply posting about their shopping experiences on Instagram.
The WYLD Card is more than just a payment tool; it is a lifestyle upgrade for users who have more than 1,000 followers on Instagram and a WYLD Score of at least 100 out of 1,000. This proprietary social scoring algorithm rates users based on their number of followers, reach, engagement, and more. Additionally, WYLD users gain access to the biggest concerts and events in the country, which they can avail of by giving the event a shout-out on Instagram. The WYLD card is renowned for its exquisite design, offering three sleek options to choose from.
The Shark Tank India Journey:
WYLD’s presentation on Shark Tank India was a testament to the brand’s innovative vision and its strong appeal to the contemporary market. Each of the five Sharks saw the potential in WYLD’s unique business model and the significant impact it could have in the realm of social media and e-commerce. The investment secured from Mittal will play a crucial role in expanding WYLD’s reach and enhancing its platform, further empowering social media users across the country.
In a post-show chat, Anupam Mittal said, “Social media Influencers have become integral to brand marketing, but I believe that the next evolution in influencer marketing lies in harnessing the power of the personal network, leveraging the reach individuals have on social and digital media platforms, which is what WYLD is enabling. Their platform, which converts socially active shoppers into brand ambassadors with every purchase by rewarding them for marketing the brand, plays perfectly into this. The TAM is massive, given India’s rapid digital and social adoption. The team is passionate, smart, and has ample experience in the Influencer marketing space. I’m happy with my investment in WYLD and quite excited to see them unlock the network potential of half a billion socially active Indians.”
Future Plans:
This investment from Shark Tank India marks a significant milestone for WYLD as it continues to break new ground in the digital and social media landscape. Previously, WYLD had raised a pre-seed round from early-stage VC Better Capital and also from another shark, Aman Gupta, founder of boAt, along with influencers and other founders in the creator ecosystem. WYLD is committed to providing a platform that not only benefits its users financially but also enriches their social media experience.
