Rare Planet, featured on Shark Tank India Season 1, Episode 25, is a Kolkata-based brand specializing in handcrafted terracotta and copper products. Founded in 2017, the company promotes and sells indigenous Indian handicrafts through both offline and online markets, while providing a sustainable income to local artisans. The founder sought ₹65 lakhs in exchange for a 1% equity stake on Shark Tank India.
In 2020, the global handicrafts market was valued at USD 647.57 billion, with significant growth projected. Indian handicraft products are highly valued worldwide, and many Indian states are renowned for their artisanal products.
Rare Planet operates as a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model, initially focusing on terracotta kulhads and expanding to include a diverse range of products such as handicrafts, stationery, jewelry, pottery, bottles, and home décor items made from materials like terracotta, copper, ceramic, brass, wood, and marble.
The founder explains that their team designs and lists products, then forwards orders to artisans. Once the artisans complete the orders, payments are made directly to them. Prices for their products start at ₹399.
Company Name | Rare Planet |
Founder | Ranodeep Shah, Vijaya Kumar TR |
Product | handmade terracotta & copper product |
Asked For | ₹65 Lakh for 1% Equity |
Final Deal | ₹65 Lakh for 3% Equity |
Shark | Namita Thapar |
Episode (Shark Tank India) | Season 1 Episode 25 |
Business Status | In Business |
Net Worth/Valuation | ₹65 Crores |
Website | Visit Website |
Who Is The Founder Of Rare Planet?
Rare Planet was founded in 2017 by Ranodeep Saha, who holds a BTech degree from the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Kalyani. In 2019, Vijay Kumar joined as a co-founder.
Before appearing on Shark Tank India, Rare Planet had achieved significant success, generating business worth ₹1 crore. The company collaborates with 2,500 local artisans across five states and has its products available in over 60 stores, including Crossword, Stratmark, WH Smith, and Sapna Books.
Rare Planet’s products are also sold online through platforms such as Flipkart, Amazon, and MenXp, in addition to their own website. The founder reported a revenue of ₹6 crore for the previous year.
In October, Ranodeep Saha raised ₹3.5 crore in a pre-series funding round from Venture Catalysts and Sagar Daryani, co-founder of Wow! Momo. Additionally, in 2019, he secured ₹1.1 crore in funding from Venture Catalysts.