Shark Tank India 5 today episode: The upcoming episode of Shark Tank India 5 will feature NapTapGo and BLR Pods, two pod hotel startups chasing the same budget travel segment with sharply different strategies. Both teams will pitch compact, affordable stays to the sharks, hoping to win investment and national visibility.
NapTapGo and BLR Pods share a common goal of bringing pod-style, low-cost accommodation to Indian travellers, but their business journeys vary. One startup is building a tech-heavy hotel network across cities, while the other currently focuses on a single Bengaluru property with a strong wellness angle.
NapTapGo vs BLR Pods pod hotels on Shark Tank India 5
NapTapGo is founded by longtime friends Nitin Malhotra and Himanshu Shukla, who launched the company in 2023. Nitin is an electronics engineer with an MBA and earlier built an after-sales service startup. Himanshu comes with hospitality experience, and together the duo targets frequent working travellers.
Introducing NapTapGo’s philosophy, the founders said, “With a vision to provide clean and reliable accommodation for travelling professionals, we are building a standardized, hygienic and efficient stay model at NapTapGo. Through our appearance on Shark Tank India 5, we hope to introduce this concept to a wider audience and make quality budget stays accessible without compromising on cleanliness or consistency.”
NapTapGo aims to fix the lack of predictable standards in many franchise-led budget hotels. The chain highlights hygiene and technology in its pod hotels, using a uniform model across locations. The startup is currently operational in Noida and Amritsar, while new sites in Katra and Pune are in the pipeline.
BLR Pods, by contrast, began operations in 2024 in Bengaluru under founders Nagakarthik Doddamani and Rajesh Badami. Their partnership grows from years of family friendship. Naga comes from a wholesale grocery business background, while Rajesh started working early with Rajesh’s father as a pigmy collector.
Sharing the inspiration behind BLR Pods, the founders said, “A dream that began in a small town, inspired by Japan’s capsule innovation. Our mission is to build smart, compact pods for modern travellers, offering private spaces with comfort, hygiene and innovation. We aim to redefine smart, affordable hospitality in India, and our experience on Shark Tank India has given us the feedback and confidence to keep pushing forward.”
BLR Pods currently runs single and twin pod options within one Bengaluru property, aimed at travellers seeking privacy at budget prices. Alongside the core stay product, the team is exploring a Sleep Wellness Program that links compact stays with better rest and wellness-focused services for guests.
| Startup | Founders | Founded | Base / Operations | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NapTapGo | Nitin Malhotra, Himanshu Shukla | 2023 | Noida, Amritsar; Katra and Pune upcoming | Tech-enabled pod hotels, hygiene focus, standardised budget model |
| BLR Pods | Nagakarthik Doddamani, Rajesh Badami | 2024 | Bengaluru | Single and twin pods, inspiration from Japanese capsules, Sleep Wellness Program |
As both NapTapGo and BLR Pods enter the Shark Tank India 5 arena, the sharks will evaluate two distinct paths for pod hospitality. One offers a rapidly scalable, tech-led chain across cities, while the other presents a local, wellness-focused model rooted in one property.
Viewers across India can watch this pod hotel face-off when Shark Tank India 5 streams on Sony LIV at 8 pm. The same episode will also air on Sony Entertainment Television at 10 pm, giving audiences two slots to follow the pitches.
The episode places NapTapGo and BLR Pods side by side, highlighting different ways pod hotels may shape India’s budget travel market. Their pitches, backgrounds and concepts will show how technology, hygiene, wellness and standardisation compete for investor trust on Shark Tank India 5.
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