“Hum investors nahi hai, tycoons hai!” says Dr Velumani as ONYC Founders seek ₹80 Cr valuation to build ₹500 Cr brand by 2030

Indian billionaire entrepreneur Dr A. Velumani, founder of Thyrocare Technologies Ltd, has once again grabbed public attention with a candid remark on the business reality show Bharat Ke Super Founders, where he asserted that he is a tycoon and not merely an investor, when the pitchers asked for at least 4x valuation.

About the pitch from ONYC Founders

Founders of Gurugram-based children’s footwear brand ONYC sought ₹5 crore for 5% equity, placing the company’s valuation at ₹80 crore.

“Hum investors nahi hai, tycoons hai!” (We are not investors, but tycoons!) Dr Velumani told the pitchers in a calm, dignified way.

ONYC was founded in 2023 by Praval Pratap Singh, Mritunjay Prasad and Ayush Singh.

The company made a confident pitch on the show, positioning itself as a safety-first, ergonomically designed footwear brand for children. The founders outlined an ambitious roadmap to scale ONYC into a ₹500-crore brand by 2030, seeking ₹5 crore for 5% equity at a proposed valuation of ₹80 crore.

While the pitch received unanimous interest from the investor panel, the valuation quickly emerged as a point of contention.

Ankur Mittal and Nitish Mittersain offered ₹1 crore each for 1.67% equity, Dr A. Velumani and Dr Aarti Gupta proposed ₹25 lakh each for 0.41%, Aaditya Singh put forward ₹30 lakh for 0.6%, and The Market offered ₹65 lakh for 1.3% equity along with ₹1.5 crore in debt.

Despite the strong backing for the product and founding team, the investors collectively held firm on a ₹60 crore valuation, resulting in a clear deadlock.

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About Bharat Ke Super Founders

Hosted by actor-turned-entrepreneur Suniel Shetty, Bharat Ke Super Founders is India’s latest indigenous business reality show, currently streaming for free on OTT platform MX Player.

The show made its debut on January 16 and has quickly emerged as a strong contender to Shark Tank India, offering a Bharat-centric lens on entrepreneurship, investment, and wealth creation.

Unlike traditional investor-led formats, the show emphasises long-term business building, scale, and leadership.

As the self-made founder of Thyrocare, a company he built from scratch into one of India’s largest diagnostics chains, Dr Velumani’s perspective stands apart from cheque-writing investment models.

His journey from humble beginnings to building a multi-billion-rupee enterprise continues to inspire entrepreneurs across the country.

With strong viewership, viral moments, and substantial capital deployment, Bharat Ke Super Founders is fast becoming a defining platform in India’s business entertainment space.

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