INVEST 'O' MANIA: The Reverse Shark Tank

participating teams step into the shoes of an investment committee — evaluating a set of real companies, deciding which one deserves funding, and defending that decision with rigorous market, financial, and risk analysis. Who Should Apply The competition is open to all college students across India. There is no cap on the number of entries a single institute may send, making it accessible to students from any campus. Teams must consist of 2 to 3 members, and a participant cannot be part of more than one team. Format & Timeline The competition runs across two rounds, both hosted live on Unstop. Round 1 — Fit for Investment (Quiz): Runs from 14th September (00:00) to 21st September (23:59). The quiz contains 20 questions to be completed in 10 minutes, scored at +1 per correct answer for a maximum of 20 points. Only the team leader from each team may attempt the quiz, and each team gets a single attempt. Round 2 — Hot Shot Investor: Shortlisted teams receive a case and must prepare a 5-slide pitch deck, submitted between 22nd September (00:00) and 30th September (23:59). The deck must cover: (1) Executive Summary & Fund Allocation; (2) Market Opportunity analysis with competitor analysis using data visualisation; (3) Risk Assessment and Financial assessment covering the top three business/market risks plus mitigation and investment strategies; (4) Why the chosen startup wins over incumbents and direct competitors; and (5) Concrete reasons why the other two startups were rejected, plus the expected exit path. Judging & Rules Teams must select only one company from a given set of six. Each team submits one common response as a unit. Ties at the cutoff rank are broken first by accuracy, then by submission time. Quiz results and the Round 2 shortlist are communicated within 24 hours of quiz closure. The deck must not exceed 5 slides — any content beyond this will not be evaluated. The final slide must clearly state why the two non-selected startups were rejected along with the expected exit path for the chosen investment. Submissions must be in PPTX format via the official portal before the deadline. The decision of the organisers and judges is final and binding. Prizes Champion — ₹3,000; 1st Runner Up — ₹2,000; 2nd Runner Up — ₹1,000. All participants receive a participation certificate. Total cash prize pool: ₹6,000. About the Organiser Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon is a business school offering postgraduate management programmes, and runs student-driven case and finance competitions through platforms such as Unstop. How to Apply Registration is free and closes on 21st September 2026. Teams register via the official Unstop listing linked above, after which the team leader attempts the Round 1 quiz.