Delhi-based experiential travel startup Capture A Trip (CAT) has successfully secured a ₹75 lakh investment on the latest episode of Shark Tank India Season 5. The deal, struck at a ₹15 crore valuation, was clinched by a powerhouse duo of Sharks: Kunal Bahl (Co-founder, Titan Capital & Snapdeal) and Mohit Yadav (Founder, Minimalist).
The investment marks a pivotal moment for the youth travel ecosystem in India, as CAT looks to transform from a community-led travel operator into a global experiential brand.
The Pitch: Scaling “Humanized” Travel
Founders Nitin Khanna and Anurag Singal entered the Tank seeking ₹75 lakhs for 5% equity. They presented a compelling case for “Experiential Community Travel”—a model that focuses on first-time travelers, solo explorers, and young professionals who crave safe yet immersive journeys.
The pitch was notable for its authenticity and humor. Nitin Khanna shared how his personal transformation during a trek to Kutla inspired him to start the brand in 2016. Since then, the brand has built a community of over 50,000 travelers and established a massive social media presence with over 541k followers.
A Competitive Bidding War
While the “OG Sharks” Aman Gupta and Namita Thapar expressed concerns over scalability and regulatory risks in the travel sector, Kunal Bahl and Mohit Yadav saw the potential in the “Experience Economy.”
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Kunal Bahl noted that the younger generation is increasingly prioritizing “spending on memories over material objects.”
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Mohit Yadav, bringing his expertise in building D2C giants, was impressed by the brand’s high repeat rate and strong community trust.
After a brief negotiation on the valuation—where the Sharks initially sought a higher stake—the founders successfully held their ground, closing the deal at their original ask of ₹75 lakhs for 5% equity.
Roadmap: Expanding Offbeat and International Horizons
The infusion of capital will be used to accelerate Capture A Trip’s growth across two primary frontiers:
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International Expansion: Scaling existing routes in destinations like Vietnam, Bali, Georgia, and Almaty, while introducing new “bucket-list” journeys.
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Domestic Deepening: Strengthening its presence in “offbeat” Indian locations (like Tosh, Meghalaya, and Spiti Valley) where professionalized, community-led travel remains underserved.
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Tech Integration: Enhancing the “Travel-Tech” aspect of their platform to make group onboarding and itinerary customization more seamless for solo travelers.
A New Standard for Youth Travel
Capture A Trip has positioned itself as more than just a travel agency; it’s a movement. By removing the fear factor for solo travelers and providing a curated “community” for every trip, CAT is addressing the loneliness and safety concerns often associated with modern exploration.
“Capture A Trip is building the future of how young India explores the world. It’s safe, social, and deeply experiential—exactly what the market needs right now,” remarked Kunal Bahl following the deal.
By: Vanshika Tayal
