Deepinder Goyal, founder and CEO of Zomato, announced on October 5 that he will not be participating as a "Shark" for the fourth season of the popular reality show Shark Tank. Goyal explained that his exclusion is due to Swiggy, Zomato's biggest rival, becoming the sponsor of the upcoming season and requesting his removal as part of the sponsorship agreement.
“The startup culture of India is too much about showmanship. I went there to set a different narrative, be real and change how people perceive. I felt a moral obligation to go there. I shot for one weekend and gave my perspective. I, unfortunately, can’t go back because Swiggy sponsored Shark Tank and kicked me out; at least that’s what I heard," he said in a fireside chat with Economic Times during ET Startup Awards 2024.
Goyal had made his debut in the third season of Shark Tank. Shooting for the fourth season has recently begun. Anupam Mittal (Founder and CEO at People Group), Aman Gupta, (Co-Founder and CMO, boAt Lifestyle), Namita Thapar, (Executive Director at Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited), Peyush Bansal, (Co-Founder and CEO at Lenskart) and Ritesh Agarwal, (Founder and Group CEO at OYO) will be returning as sharks.