Shark Tank India 4: Aman Gupta Questions Startup Claiming to Predict Cancer
A recent episode of Shark Tank India 4 featured a health-tech startup that made a bold claim—it could predict cancer and heart diseases years in advance. The startup, SugarStrings.ai, was founded by Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy Ravuri, Dhaneesh Jameson, and Tony Jose. They pitched their DNA-based preventive health screening test, which they said used machine learning to detect diseases caused by genetic defects.
The team asked for ₹1 crore in exchange for 2.5% equity, valuing their company at ₹40 crore. However, their pitch left the Sharks unconvinced.
Can This Test Really Predict Cancer?
The founders claimed their test was more accurate than others available in the market, which usually have a 40% success rate. However, they did not reveal the exact accuracy of their test. They also shared that 32 units of their product had been sold in the last six months, and in four cases, their test had correctly predicted cancer diagnoses.
Hearing this, Shark Azhar Iqubal was shocked and asked,
“You are saying you can predict cancer?”
The team confirmed, but when asked if their predictions could be scientifically verified, they admitted that there was no way to prove their test was accurate unless the people they diagnosed actually developed the disease in the future.
Aman Gupta and Vineeta Singh Raise Concerns
The idea of early disease prediction sounded interesting, but Aman Gupta and Vineeta Singh pointed out major flaws in the business model.
Aman Gupta questioned,
“In a country like India, where many people don’t even have insurance, will people really spend ₹58,000 on a test that has no proven results?”
He also added,
“I don’t know if this is genuine or not.”
Another ethical issue was raised—what if the test falsely diagnosed someone as high-risk for cancer? Aman imagined himself in such a situation and said,
“Meri toh zindagi kharab ho jayegi” (My life will be ruined).
Vineeta Singh agreed that while the cost was not too high, the lack of scientific proof made the business too risky.
Other Sharks Weigh In
- Ritesh Agarwal felt the product was still in its early stages.
- Azhar Iqubal pointed out that such a big claim needed to be backed by global research, but the founders had no published scientific papers to support it.
- Kunal Bahl liked the innovative concept but wasn’t sure it could become a successful business just yet.
Did the Sharks Invest?
Despite their confidence, the founders of SugarStrings.ai failed to convince the Sharks. The lack of proof and ethical concerns about how the test results could impact people’s lives led to no offers from the Sharks.
