Ideabaaz: India's Newest Startup Show Hits It Out Of The Park With Record Ratings

Ideabaaz, India’s first multilingual startup reality show, has made an extraordinary debut across the linear and digital entertainment platforms of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (‘Z’), reaching an impressive 30.9 million viewers on its launch week on October 25 and 26. According to BARC data, the homegrown show outperformed its global counterparts, such as Shark Tank India Season 1.

Ideabaaz: A celebration of Made-in-India innovation

Ideabaaz, a Zee Original created in partnership with IIT Madras, celebrates the spirit of innovation across India, giving entrepreneurs a platform to pitch, in their own languages, across eight Indian languages. 

The show's creators champion the idea that big ideas aren’t born only in metros; they rise from every lane, lab, and living room of this country. 

Ideabaaz is built around mentorship, inclusion, and real value creation. The show brings together a rare mix of Titans (investors)— founders who’ve built in both old and new sectors, from manufacturing to AI, from healthcare to deep tech — to guide and invest in the next generation of Indian entrepreneurs. 

One such dynamic Titan is Shaili Chopra, founder of SheThePeople and Gytree, who carries forward her mission to celebrate women and small-town entrepreneurs on Ideabaaz.

Alongside her are fellow Titans Arjun Vaidya of V3 Ventures, American entrepreneur Sandesh Sharda, Liberty Shoes Ltd. Executive Director Anupam Bansal, and Rukum Capital's Archana Jahagirdar, among others.

Actor Pratik Gandhi's role as the Ideabaaz host gives the show a distinct charm, blending entertainment with entrepreneurship and making the stories of Indian innovators both engaging and inspiring.

Ideabaaz makes a smashing debut

According to BARC data, Ideabaaz reached an impressive 30.9 million viewers (All India 2+) across its first two airings on October 25 and 26. The show was telecast on nine key Zee Network channels — Zee TV (SD & HD), Zee Bangla, Zee Marathi, Zee Kannada, Zee Tamil, Zee Telugu, Zee Sarthak, Zee Punjabi and Zee Keralam — making it one of the widest multilingual rollouts for a new reality format.

On Zee TV in HSM Urban 15+, Ideabaaz reportedly achieved a cumulative reach of 5.7 million in the 1st week, with an average TVR of 0.19 and average time spent (ATS) of 10 minutes per viewer. For a new property with no legacy, these are very encouraging figures.

In comparison, Shark Tank India Season 1 — which aired on Sony Entertainment Television in 2021 — recorded an average TVR of 0.51 and an estimated reach of around 20 million viewers during its debut week. This means Ideabaaz surpassed Shark Tank’s launch reach by more than 50%, powered by its expansive network presence and multilingual storytelling.

Speaking about the show's impressive launch, Raj Nayak, Chief Curator of Ideabaaz, said, “Ideabaaz is proof that an Indian idea, created for Indian audiences, can achieve global scale. By allowing founders to pitch in their own languages, we’ve made entrepreneurship more inclusive, relatable, and inspiring. The early numbers reaffirm our belief that India is ready to celebrate its own innovators and storytellers.”

Ideabaaz digital success

Beyond television, Idebaaz also recorded strong traction on Zee 5. This dual-platform strategy has given Idebaaz a combined footprint exceeding 31 million viewers across TV and digital, a remarkable milestone for a debut Indian IP in the entrepreneurial reality space.

Nayak projects that the show will continue to grow exponentially through word of mouth as more people discover its authenticity, emotion, and power to inspire everyday dreamers across India.

Mukund Galgali, Dy. CEO and CFO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., echoed Nayak's words, saying, "Z has always believed in the power of ideas to shape culture and create change. With Ideabaaz, we are putting the spotlight on the thinkers and builders who are defining India’s tomorrow. This is just the beginning — we firmly believe that it will ignite an idea revolution across the Nation.”

Ideabaaz champions the power of Indian ideas and entrepreneurs, beyond just glossy corner offices or startup buzzwords.

The show brings together a panel of leading Titans who evaluate, invest in, and mentor promising startups from across the country. The format encourages founders to pitch in their native languages, making entrepreneurship accessible to every Indian dreamer.

Ideabaaz airs every Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 PM & 11 PM on Zee TV and streams on Zee 5 in multiple languages.