REINVENTING SOUND

Hubli-based Sonic Lamb is building a global premium audio brand, powered by haptics and a lot of hustle By Sahil Mohan Gupta

- Sahil Mohan Gupta

SONIC LAMB isn't just building headphones; they're crafting an entirely new dimension of sound, engineered ground-up right here in India. Fresh off a nerve-wracking 90-minute pitch in the Shark Tank India den - condensed to a gripping 20-odd minutes for television audiences back in January - the Hubli-based startup is tuning up for significant expansion. Their unique audio technology, designed to make listeners feel sound through the body as much as hear it, not only captivated viewers but also secured a crucial vote of confidence, notably Rs 50 lakh from Lenskart founder Piyush Bansal as part of an ongoing larger fundraise, valuing the young company at a cool Rs 50 crore.

For co-founder Navjith Karkera, the Shark Tank ordeal, filmed last October after navigating multiple rigorous selection rounds, was more than just a fundraising exercise. “Primarily, we wanted to use Shark Tank as a platform to reach a wider audience and convey our product experience,” Karkera explains. While the capital infusion is vital - Sonic Lamb is currently raising Rs 3 crore in equity - Karkera stresses the strategic value. “Beyond capital, they [the Sharks] can help us with their experience and learnings... All of that will help us immensely while we build our business.” This comes after initially bootstrapping growth through revenues, following a Rs 4.2 crore raise across three rounds concluded before May 2023, which fuelled the initial R&D, product development, and manufacturing setup.