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Ahmedabad-based entrepreneur Chhail Khalsa
Last year, Ahmedabad-based designer and entrepreneur Chhail Khalsa appeared on Shark Tank India Season 4, gaining national visibility for her venture, Anuvad Innovations Studio, and its pioneering woven circuit technology.
Chhail is tapping into the rapidly expanding global smart clothing and e-textiles market, valued at approximately USD 7.46 billion in 2025 and projected to surpass USD 25.5 billion by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.6%.
Smart fabrics are textiles with built-in technology that can sense, respond, and connect. They can track health data, detect movement or temperature, and even interact with devices. By weaving this technology directly into traditional handlooms, they make advanced tech feel more natural, personal, and emotionally connected to everyday life.
Chhail is not only bridging the divide between unorganised village craft communities and highly precise tech manufacturing but also channelling her curiosity into building tech-driven decor that addresses real-world aesthetic challenges.
"The name 'Anuvad' translates to 'translation.' The venture began with the simple idea that we must translate traditional crafts through the lens of technology and, conversely, translate modern technology through the language of craft," Chhail Khalsa tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.
About the Founder of Anuvad Innovations Studio, Chhail Khalsa
Chhail Khalsa grew up in Ahmedabad in a family that encouraged curiosity and independent thinking. In school, she studied commerce in her 11th and 12th standards, as she was interested in business fundamentals, which later helped her launch her own venture.
Later, Chhail joined the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, where she specialised in Textile Design.
She completed her graduation in 2014. At NID, she went beyond aesthetics, treating dyeing as chemistry and weaving as engineering.
This scientific approach to textiles later became the foundation for integrating electronics into fabric.
In 2013, during her final six-month graduation project, she moved to Lucerne, Switzerland, where she shifted her focus from creating decorative fabrics to engaging in design research and innovation.
After completing her project in 2014, she returned to India and worked as an independent home furnishings designer.
First Experiment and Growth
While working as an independent home furnishings designer, Chhail Khalsa felt restricted, as India had limited opportunities in textile research and innovation at the time.
In 2015, she applied for a research assistant role at the Smart Textile Design Lab in Sweden, but could not move forward because she did not have a master’s degree.
Instead of giving up, she chose to pursue her idea on her own. Although she had a strong design background, she had no experience in electronics. She reached out to a friend from NID to learn the basics.
They travelled to Bhujodi, a well-known weaving hub in Kutch, and worked with local artisans to add a simple circuit to a traditional handloom. At that point, it was not a business, but a personal experiment driven by her desire to do more meaningful work.
In 2016, she returned to Switzerland to pursue her master’s degree while working as a research assistant at a products and textiles competency centre.
By mid-2019, her company, Anuvad, started taking shape as a research-led venture.
Her luxury heating textiles, created as a sustainable response to rising European energy costs, won awards and received support from Creative Hub Switzerland and IKEA, helping her move toward building a formal business.
In 2020, she came back to India for fieldwork just as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global travel. With her visa expiring and heating textiles not suitable for India’s climate, she faced a major turning point.
She invested 5–7 lakh rupees of her personal savings, combined with the remaining grant funds she had previously received from the IKEA Foundation, to pivot Anuvad toward interactive home décor. Her goal was to humanise technology by blending it with traditional weaving.
Since then, Anuvad has grown from a research project into a recognised luxury brand. Its first breakthrough was a large installation project for Godrej, worth around Rs 6–7 lakhs.
"Fabric is the only material on this planet that stays with you from the moment of your birth until the day you die; it is an incredibly intimate medium that defines our human experience," she tells Startup Pedia.
Challenges Faced by Chhail Khalsa
While working in Switzerland with support from the IKEA Foundation, Chhail developed Luxury Heating Textiles.
These were high-tech fabrics designed to provide warmth in sub-zero European winters, a perfect use case for a cold climate, where temperatures can reach 45°C; the product no longer made sense. She had to completely rethink the business.
Another big challenge was combining delicate handwoven fabrics with high-precision electronics. The work depends on traditional artisans, and the sector is largely unorganised.
Electronics are sensitive, so even small mistakes can cause the system to misfire or stop working. Managing this balance has been difficult.
"Anuvad was always intended to be a research project. I never set out with the goal of becoming a businesswoman; this path only unfolded because I was responding to the changes in my life," Chhail says.
She also had to educate customers. Many people are unsure or uncomfortable about having electronics inside fabric, especially in items used at home.
Explaining the value of woven circuits and building trust has taken constant effort. On top of that, technology usually becomes outdated quickly, while handmade textiles are meant to last for generations, so maintaining long-term value is another challenge.
Leaving a successful research career and award-winning projects in Europe was also a big risk. Even today, balancing fragile handmade art with complex electronic hardware remains an ongoing challenge.
About Anuvad Innovations Studio
Anuvad (which means “translation”) was founded in 2019. It brings together traditional Indian craftsmanship and modern electronics and is known for creating woven circuits in the field of e-textiles. Its core idea is simple: to humanise technology.
"Our guiding tagline is 'humanising technology.' Our goal is to take the same advanced tech we use daily but provide it with a deeply emotional and human interface that resonates with the user," Chhail tells Startup Pedia.
Working with artisans in places like Bhujodi, Kutch, the studio weaves conductive threads into textiles just like wool or cotton. The result is soft, beautiful fabric that also functions like a circuit.
Anuvad treats its products as interactive art rather than gadgets. Using a modular design approach, the technology can be repaired or upgraded over time, while the handwoven textile remains timeless and long-lasting.
The studio offers interactive home décor, such as sound-and-light tapestries, frames, and globes that respond to touch.
It also creates large custom installations for corporate clients, including brands like Godrej. In addition, Anuvad operates as a high-end R&D studio, collaborating with global companies on advanced electronic-textile projects.
The team includes seven core members and a wider network of 12–13 people, including skilled weavers.
What Technology Does Anuvad Use?
Anuvad creates something called woven circuits. This means special conductive threads are woven into fabric just like normal threads.
When someone touches the fabric, the built-in system can play sounds or light up.
The touch-sensing technology and some key electronic parts, including microcontrollers and capacitive touch modules, are imported from the USA.
These parts are then combined with Indian handwoven textiles.
The electronics are also modular, which means that if the technology becomes outdated after a few years, it can be replaced without damaging the handwoven fabric.
Products Offered by Anuvad Innovations Studio and Their Pricing
Anuvad Innovations Studio is a luxury brand that mixes traditional Indian hand-weaving with modern electronics. Each product is handmade and includes carefully fitted technology, so most pieces are sold on a ‘price on request’ basis. Customers usually contact the brand through Instagram or its website to know the price.
Interactive Home Décor (For Homes)
These products are designed to make technology feel warm and natural instead of mechanical.
Interactive Sound & Light Frames
These are handwoven wall artworks.
When you touch certain areas, they play sounds like birds or nature.
Some parts also light up.
Prices start from Rs 1.40 lakh + GST.
Interactive Bird Globe
A decorative globe made with textile art.
Touching different parts plays different sounds.
Priced at Rs 63,000.
Smart Cushions & Rugs
These were first developed in Switzerland.
They have built-in heating elements to provide warmth.
Mostly made as limited or custom pieces because they are expensive to produce.
Business Model and Partners
Anuvad Innovations Studio operates a hybrid business model that balances high-end, artistic Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) retail with specialised Business-to-Business (B2B) research and development.
Some of the partners and associations include Politecnico di Milano, Ikea Foundation Switzerland (Ikea Stiftung Schweiz), Fashion Tech Week NY, HSLU (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts), Godrej, Creative Hub, the European Space Agency (ESA), the National Institute of Design (NID), Dutch Design Week (DDW), Raw Collaborative, LENS, and Godrej Interio.
Distribution and Sales Channel
Anuvad does not follow a normal add-to-cart online shopping model because it positions itself as a luxury brand, and its products require explanation and technical understanding.
About 90% of its sales come from Instagram, and rest 10% come from the website.
Anuvad also grows through partnerships with architects and interior designers who include its interactive art pieces in high-end homes and commercial spaces.
In addition, Chhail regularly participates in three to four major design exhibitions every year. These shows help her display new ideas, gather feedback, and sometimes secure advance orders.
Anuvad has served between 70 and 80 customers and sold over 100 products.
The Road to Shark Tank India Season 4
Anuvad Innovation Studio did not apply for Shark Tank at first. A producer found Chhail on Instagram and invited her to participate.
Initially, she was unsure because she felt her business was very different from the usual fast-moving consumer brands seen on the show.
The full process took about 9 months. It included filling out an online form, recording a pitch video in Hindi, attending an audition in Mumbai, and finally shooting the episode.
The Experience
Chhail describes the shoot as overwhelming. She stood in front of 5 Sharks (Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar, Vineeta Singh, Aman Gupta, Kunal Bahl, and Peyush Bansal), with 10-12 cameras recording every movement and reaction.
While the opening pitch was polished with the help of writers so that viewers could easily understand it, the actual discussion inside the tank was unscripted and intense.
During the episode, Sharks Anupam Mittal and Kunal Bahl questioned why she had not brought more functional products like thermal wear or medical trackers.
Anupam said the business looked more like a research studio still searching for a clear use case.
They felt that while the technology was impressive, it needed a stronger mass-market application to scale into a large business.
In the show, she didn’t receive any investment offer.
The Impact on Chhail and Anuvad
The show did not lead to an instant sales boom, but it gave the brand strong credibility. Being featured on national television helped architects and corporate clients see Anuvad as a serious and legitimate startup.
Anuvad’s growth was more focused on building credibility and legitimacy within the industry. This increased visibility has since allowed the brand to maintain a steady 2x year-on-year growth without requiring a large marketing budget.
Chhail believes the experience helped her grow as an entrepreneur. It forced her to examine every detail of her business and think more clearly about its long-term direction.
“Appearing on Shark Tank forces you as an entrepreneur to dissect your business through a purely commercial lens, right down to the smallest possible pixel of your story,” theAhmedabad-based entrepreneur says.
She also believes that while the Sharks gave tough feedback, the show is still reality television. It can help market a company, but it does not determine its true value.
"At the end of the day, it is a reality TV show. While it serves as a fantastic platform to market yourself, it is important to remember that it does not define your ultimate worth as a founder,"she says
Growth After the Show (2025–2026)
More than a year after the shoot, Anuvad has become more stable and organised. The company now has clearer systems, defined roles, and smoother operations.
Chhail says she is now less stressed about the daily technical challenges and more focused on delivering high-quality luxury products.
Based on the feedback she received, she continues to improve her technology 2-3 times a year.
While she remains focused on corporate R&D projects and direct-to-consumer décor, her long-term goal is to make e-textiles common in everyday life.
In the future, she may expand further into heating and medical technology as the product becomes more advanced.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Chhail Khalsa’s vision for Anuvad is to transition from a niche design studio to a global household name synonymous with smart textiles, much like Apple is for smartwatches.
"Apple doesn't just execute technology well; they master design with clear thought and intent. Within their ecosystem, nothing is ever done simply for the sake of doing it. What we create is an heirloom art piece that you can be truly proud of. It is designed to be a definitive statement piece within the sanctuary of your home," Chhail tells Startup Pedia.
As she completes her entrepreneurship program at IIM Ahmedabad in 2026, her primary goal is to stabilise and scale her business model by launching a major new collection in September 2026 and expanding her B2B R&D licensing to global apparel and home furnishing brands.
Beyond interactive decor, Chhail is steering Anuvad toward high-impact sectors like Med-Tech and Thermal-Tech.
Drawing from her award-winning Swiss research, she plans to reintroduce sustainable heating solutions that can replace energy-heavy climate control systems.