Startup Singam is an Indian Tamil-language business reality television series that airs on Star Vijay every Sunday and streams digitally on JioHotstar. Produced by Baanhem Ventures Private Limited and conceived by founder Hemachandran L, the show features entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu — referred to on the programme as "Singam" (meaning lion in Tamil) — who pitch their ventures to a panel of investors and industry leaders.
Startup Singam focuses on the South Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem and positions itself as a platform for Tamil Nadu-based founders to access capital, mentorship, and national visibility.
The first season premiered on 26 January 2025 — Republic Day — and featured 39 startups across 14 episodes, resulting in over ₹55 crore in investment commitments. The second season premiered on 25 January 2026, expanded to 26 episodes and 75 featured startups, with cumulative investment commitments reaching ₹115 crore after 20 episodes were filmed.
Season 1 (2025)
Overview
Startup Singam Season 1 premiered on Star Vijay on 26 January 2025 — Republic Day — symbolising entrepreneurial independence, and concluded on 27 April 2025 across 14 episodes. The show was hosted by Angelin and was simultaneously made available for digital streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
The season received over 1,500 applications from Tamil Nadu-based startups. Approximately 50 were shortlisted and 39 were ultimately featured across the 14 episodes. The season resulted in over ₹55 crore in total investment commitments, with notable startups including Raptee EV, Kaigal Jobs, Savemom, and Uru Custom Instruments.
The show was built around what its founders call the "Founders First Principle," in which the word SINGAM is interpreted as representing startup founders — not investors — reflecting the programme's mission of centering the entrepreneur in the investment conversation.
Season 1 Startups
Season 1 featured 39 startups from Tamil Nadu spanning sectors including electric vehicles, agri-tech, consumer goods, healthcare, and creative industries. Notable startups featured include Raptee EV, Kaigal Jobs, Savemom, and Uru Custom Instruments. A full episode-by-episode listing is available in the Events table below.
Notable deals Total investment commitments: ₹55 crore Startups featured: 39 Notable deal: Keerthy Suresh invested ₹60 lakh in young entrepreneurs
Season 2 (2026)
Overview
Startup Singam Season 2 premiered on 25 January 2026 on Star Vijay and JioHotstar, hosted once again by Angelin, following the platform's rebranding from Disney+ Hotstar. The season was expanded to 26 episodes with a stated target of ₹100 crore in investment commitments, and an expanded mandate to attract founders from across India, not solely Tamil Nadu.
Season 2 received over 4,000 startup applications from across India, demonstrating significantly expanded national reach. 75 startups were selected for the 26-episode run. Cumulative investment commitments reached ₹115 crore after 20 episodes were filmed.
Kumar Vembu, co-founder of enterprise software company Zoho Corporation, served as Chief Mentor, lending the season significant credibility within the Indian startup ecosystem.
Season 2 Startups Season 2 featured 75 startups from across India across sectors including robotics, medtech, agri-tech, AI, consumer goods, logistics, sustainability, and education. The expanded applicant pool of over 4,000 reflected Startup Singam's growing national profile beyond Tamil Nadu.
Total investment commitments (25 episodes, April 2026): ₹138.29 crore
Investors
Investors of Startup Singam Mudhal Partners NAN (Native Angel Network) Metis Family Office JITO JIIF Navyug Global VenturesXB GroupSthira PartnersGirish MathruboothamShyam SekharAparna ThygarajanChinnakannan Sivasankaran
Notable Deals
Startup Founder Deal Size Robonetics Automation Solutions Prasanna ₹11 crore Sirimiri Rajan Srinivasan ₹10 crore Buyofuel / Buyo India Sumanth Kumar ₹5.7 crore Alphageek Ansha ₹5 crore B-Arm Medical Technologies Bharath ₹5 crore
Startup Singam Ecosystem and Community
Beyond the television format, Startup Singam operates an ecosystem and incubation arm that serves startups who participate in the application process but are not selected to appear on the show. Recognising that a large number of viable ventures apply each season — over 4,000 in Season 2 alone — the programme channels these founders into a structured support pathway rather than leaving them without recourse.
Initiatives
Season Prep BootCamp Season Pitch BootCamp Scale Hub Editions The Founder Room Edition Regional Ecosystem meet-ups Regional Startup Roadshow
Industry Impact
Following Season 1, several direct-to-consumer brands that appeared on the show reportedly saw revenue growth of up to seven times after their episodes aired, driven by the combination of investor backing and national television exposure.
A notable example is Palm Era, founded by Kannan Hari, whose monthly revenues grew from ₹3–4 lakh to ₹50 lakh following the episode's broadcast.
The platform attracted government recognition: Dr T.R.B. Rajaa, Tamil Nadu's Industries Minister, served as Chief Guest at a Season 2 investor event.
Startup Singam is noted in Indian startup media for expanding access to investment capital beyond traditional hubs such as Bengaluru and Mumbai, connecting investors directly with Tamil Nadu-based and South Indian founders.
Cultural Significance
Startup Singam is widely regarded as the first mainstream startup reality show in Tamil, focused specifically on the Tamil Nadu and broader South Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The show differentiates itself through its "Founders First Principle" philosophy, regional language medium, and a deliberate focus on MSMEs, direct-to-consumer brands, and first-generation entrepreneurs from non-metropolitan backgrounds.
By Season 2, the show's application base had grown from 1,500 (Season 1) to over 4,000 applications from across India, reflecting expanded national recognition of the platform.
References
External links
Startup Singam on YouTube Startup Singam on JioHotstar