Ideabaaz

Know what you're applying for

Ideabaaz runs two separate things under one brand, and mixing them up is the easiest way to waste money. Getting cast on the televised show — the auditions — costs nothing to enter. The Ideabaaz Startup Fest is a different, paid, in-person event with its own passes for a Demo Day pitch slot, an award nomination, an investor pass, or an exhibitor stall. Buying a Fest pass does not get you on the TV show, and applying for the TV show does not require buying anything at the Fest.

How to apply for the show

Register on the Ideabaaz auditions page with your founder details, sector, current stage, a one-line description of the business, your problem statement, current traction, current revenue, and a pitch deck (PDF, PPT or PPTX, up to 10MB). There is no application fee for this step.

How selection works

Applications go through four stages: an initial screening and shortlisting, a detailed conversation with the Ideabaaz team about the business and the founder, a live audition in front of a jury panel (in person or online), and a final executive pitching round. Founders who clear all four are selected to pitch on camera before the Investing Titans for the televised show.

Who tends to get through

The site's own eligibility rules matter here: applicants must be Indian citizens aged 18 or older, comfortable pitching in spoken Hindi (the show airs primarily in Hindi), and not already employed by or affiliated with the company. Beyond that, the show is open to any sector and any founder with a scalable idea — there's no stage or sector gate stated, so a clear one-line pitch, honest traction numbers, and a tight pitch deck matter more than which category you fall into.

If you're considering the Startup Fest instead

The Fest's Demo Day, Award Nomination, Investor Access and stall products are all paid and stated as non-refundable once you pay, including if you are not shortlisted, don't win an award, or can't attend for any reason. Read the specific terms for whichever pass you're considering before paying.

Ideabaaz is a Hindi-language reality television series where founders pitch their startups live to a panel of investors, called the Investing Titans, who decide on the spot whether to invest. It is produced by Ideabaaz Tech Private Limited and broadcasts on Zee TV and Zee5, in partnership with the network. The company also runs a separate, paid, in-person event called the Ideabaaz Startup Fest.

How the show works

Getting on Ideabaaz runs through four stages. First, a founder registers online with basic details, a one-line description of the business, traction and revenue figures, and a pitch deck. Next, the Ideabaaz team shortlists applicants and holds a detailed business and personal conversation with them. Shortlisted founders then attend an audition, in person or online, where a jury panel scores them against set parameters. Founders who clear the audition move to an executive pitching round, and the strongest performers from that round are selected to pitch on camera in front of the Investing Titans panel for the televised show. There is no entry fee for this process, and the site itself warns founders to be wary of anyone claiming otherwise.

Selected founders get real-time feedback from domain experts, direct introductions to investors and mentors, national television exposure on Zee TV, and the chance of an on-air investment offer, which is entirely at each Investing Titan's own discretion. Season 2 auditions are open at the time of writing, with no published closing date.

Who can apply

The show is open to startups, student entrepreneurs, technical and non-technical founders, and "anyone with a scalable idea" — there is no stated sector restriction. Formal eligibility requires applicants to be Indian citizens residing in India, 18 years or older (a parent or legal guardian may register on behalf of a minor), of sound mind and health, and conversant in spoken Hindi, since the show airs mainly in that language. Employees and affiliates of the company, non-resident Indians, and the Investing Titans or their controlled entities cannot apply, and each applicant may enter with one idea at a time.

The Ideabaaz Startup Fest

Separately from the televised show, Ideabaaz Tech Private Limited also runs the Ideabaaz Startup Fest, a five-day in-person event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, held from 26 to 30 August 2026. The Fest bundles several distinct, paid products under one roof: a Demo Day track where a purchased pass lets a founder apply for a pitch shortlist chosen at the company's discretion; an Award Nomination track; an Investor Access Pass for investors attending the event; and exhibitor stalls at several tiers for startups wanting a stand at the venue. All of these are described as non-refundable once paid, and none of them is the same thing as being cast on the televised show — a founder can buy Fest access without ever going through the audition process, and clearing the audition process does not require buying anything at the Fest. Fest partners named on the site include IIT Madras as an incubation partner, the National Stock Exchange as a capital-markets partner, Razorpay Rize as a startup enabler, House of IP for intellectual-property support, and Wizcraft as the entertainment agency running the event.

Scale

The company reports that Season 1, which aired on Zee TV and Zee5, resulted in deals for 86 startups, according to its own site; it does not publish independently verified figures. Its pages do not name founders, a founding year, or specific portfolio startups beyond that aggregate count.

Who runs it and where

The operating entity is Ideabaaz Tech Private Limited, registered at Andheri West in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Zee is credited as the show's broadcast partner ("presented by Zee"), and the platform itself was built by Promena. The company's pages do not name its leadership or founders.