Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | In the corridors of IMT Ghaziabad, Ankit Aggarwal noticed a simple yet persistent gap. Students were constantly sharing information about case competitions and hackathons in WhatsApp groups, but most of it never reached the right people at the right time. To solve the problem, he began posting opportunities on a small blog. What started as a side effort to help his peers soon grew bigger than expected. When large companies like Reliance and the Aditya Birla Group reached out to collaborate, Ankit realized that what he had built was no longer just a blog but a platform with real potential.
In 2019, he formally launched the venture as Dare2Compete, positioning it as a hub where students could participate in competitions, learn skills, and connect with recruiters. By 2022, he rebranded it as Unstop, a name that carried a global appeal and symbolized the spirit of unstoppable talent. The platform quickly found its place as a unique ecosystem that combined opportunities, learning, and hiring in one space, serving as a bridge between ambitious students and companies searching for early talent.
The response was overwhelming. Within a short span, Unstop had built a community of millions of students across more than 20,000 colleges. Companies like Flipkart, Amazon, Tata, Hindustan Unilever, Wipro, and several others began using the platform to connect with students through contests, hackathons, and skill-based challenges. For students, it became a way to not only showcase their abilities but also build resumes that mattered. For recruiters, it served as a data-driven hiring tool that offered much more than traditional job portals.
This growing success paved the way for Unstop’s appearance on Shark Tank India. Ankit walked into the Tank with a bold ask: Rs. 1 crore for just 1% equity, signaling confidence in both his valuation and the future of the company. The sharks were impressed, and Amit Jain of CarDekho went on to make one of the biggest offers in the show’s history-Rs. 5 crore for 10% equity. While the offer created waves, Ankit turned it down, explaining that such heavy dilution would compromise his employees’ ESOPs and long-term vision. Instead, he chose a deal of Rs. 2 crore for 4% equity from a combination of four sharks, striking a balance between capital and strategic support.
The Shark Tank moment brought Unstop into the national spotlight. Post the show, the startup experienced a surge in attention and opportunities. Within months, it raised $5 million in funding led by Japan’s HR-tech giant Mynavi, with participation from Coursera, Venture Catalysts, 9Unicorns, and Caret Capital. The funds were directed towards strengthening product features, investing in technology, and expanding into global markets.
Over time, Unstop evolved from a contest-hosting platform into a full-fledged talent discovery and engagement ecosystem. It integrated assessments, gamified experiences, coding challenges, company-branded competitions, and even AI-powered interviews, creating a robust pipeline between students and employers. Revenues grew steadily, and the platform reached users across more than 70 countries, with reports valuing it as a Rs. 200 crore enterprise.
Students embraced it wholeheartedly. Beyond just competing, they found learning resources, upskilling opportunities, and communities that helped them collaborate and prepare for placements. Some even called its subscription offerings-like data structures, algorithms, and Python courses-well worth the investment. Recruiters, meanwhile, found the mix of engagement and evaluation far superior to conventional hiring methods. For Ankit Aggarwal, the journey from a college blog to a global platform has been marked by clarity and conviction. His decision to walk away from the biggest single cheque in Shark Tank India’s history was not about ego but about ensuring sustainable growth. With millions of students, top-tier employers, and international investors now part of the Unstop ecosystem, his original mission to democratize opportunities for young talent has transformed into an enduring infrastructure for how careers begin.
Written & Edited By:
Rajshree Upadhyaya
