Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar Launch 'Pitch To Get Rich' Season 2

MUMBAI — Prominent Bollywood figures Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar are returning for the second season of Pitch To Get Rich, India's premier fashion-focused business reality show. Announcing the launch on June 19, 2026, the backing organization, the Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF), officially opened public registrations alongside a dedicated ₹100 crore investment commitment for emerging fashion startups. This newly allocated venture pool represents a 150% capital increase over the debut season, aiming to provide institutional financial backstops, technical mentorship, and national distribution scale to homegrown lifestyle disruptors across the country.

Escalated Capital Pool Targets Homegrown Fashion Ventures

According to an official regulatory and media brief issued by the Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF), the ₹100 crore deployment corpus is explicitly structured to bridge an existing credit gap within India's domestic fashion ecosystem. Market evaluations indicate that while India's aggregate fashion and retail landscape is currently valued at over ₹10 lakh crore, early-stage niche designers often struggle to secure traditional institutional financing.

The upcoming season of Pitch To Get Rich, which previously broadcasted its inaugural run on the JioHotstar streaming network, will use a venture studio format. This framework provides selected startup founders with immediate liquidity injections alongside deep structural integrations, including supply chain optimization, direct-to-consumer (D2C) logistical alignments, and corporate governance consulting.

Broad Application Spectrum and Success Metrics

The investment body clarified that registration portals are broadly accessible to multi-tiered lifestyle sectors. Eligible corporate entities seeking funding through Pitch To Get Rich season 2 must showcase a scalable business framework across specific target verticals:

• Apparel and Footwear: Mass-market streetwear, traditional textiles, and activewear labels.

• Couture and Luxury: Premium custom design firms showing localized artisanal manufacturing capability.

• Sustainable Fashion: Earth-conscious eco-apparel ventures focused on circular economies and organic material sourcing.

• D2C and Accessories: High-growth direct-to-consumer internet brands specializing in jewelry, eyewear, and companion lifestyle goods.

Internal tracking metrics published by the FEF board indicate that early beneficiaries from Season 1—including breakout labels such as Love Kiki, Banana Club, and DMO Dot—secured critical expansion milestones, successfully tripling production capacities and expanding physical retail footprints post-show.

Corporate Structure and Institutional Alliances

Beyond the celebrity promotion of promoter-investor Akshay Kumar and director Karan Johar, the financial apparatus is governed by a prominent roster of Indian corporate titans. Strategic advisors and board members directing the fund allocation include Vagish Pathak (Chairman of the Fashion Entrepreneur Fund) and Sanjay Nigam (Founder of FEF).

The underlying institutional backing features key capital contributions from notable industry leaders, including Ravi Jaipuria (Varun Beverages), Naveen Jindal (Jindal Steel & Power), Gaurav Dalmia (Dalmia Group), alongside Sonali Dugar and Manju Yagnik. This diverse array of corporate leadership ensures that participating startups receive long-term institutional network sharing rather than temporary broadcast publicity.

Official Sources Section

The corporate allocations, program guidelines, and strategic targets detailed in this news report are compiled directly from the following official institutional entities:

• The Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF) Season 2 National Launch Directive.

• Official media registries and press statements released via the promoters.

• The streaming catalog data registered by
  JioHotstar
  .

Quote Section

"According to officials managing the venture fund, the structural mission of Pitch To Get Rich goes beyond simple television entertainment. Organizers stated that the overarching goal is to discover and actively scale domestic creators into internationally recognized retail brands by deploying a robust venture studio model backed by India’s prominent corporate chairs."

Why It Matters

For independent designers, craftspeople, and modern tech-enabled D2C lifestyle entrepreneurs, the launch provides a highly accessible alternative to conventional banking credit lines or rigorous venture capital cycles. With India’s domestic consumption patterns shifting toward premium and highly specialized labels, the institutional support system acts as a stabilizing force, accelerating commercialization pipelines for small businesses.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Financial Corpus: Season 2 introduces a ₹100 crore investment pool, marking a 150% increase over the ₹40 crore available in the first season.

• Celebrity Leadership: Actor Akshay Kumar and filmmaker Karan Johar return as key promoters, investors, and faces of the reality television property.

• Distribution Channel: The show continues its alignment within the premium digital landscape, following its initial debut phase on the
  JioHotstar
  OTT platform.

• Open Registrations: Applications are now formally live via the
  Fashion Entrepreneur Fund Registration Portal
  for all viable fashion, accessory, and eco-couture startups.

FAQ Section

Who is eligible to apply for Pitch To Get Rich Season 2?

Founders and co-founders owning scalable businesses across apparel, footwear, accessories, luxury couture, sustainable fashion, and direct-to-consumer lifestyle brands can apply.

Where can interested business owners register for the program?

Eligible fashion entrepreneurs can submit their comprehensive company briefs, operational histories, and pitch decks directly through the Fashion Entrepreneur Fund Official Portal.

Is the selection based entirely on reality TV show pitches?

No. While the presentation format is televised, all prospective businesses go through a thorough corporate screening process managed by the FEF's institutional investment analysts.

Source: Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF) Official Business Registry, JioHotstar India Entertainment Archive