Appearing on Shark Tank India Season 4 and gaining the attention of sharks is not a piece of cake. However, Dyumna Madan, founder of Project Clay, managed to do so. How?
A 15-year-old girl who is working 16 hours a day on a global startup which aims to offer free alternative for summer schools in India.
Rewind => 2020.
In the past four years, significant developments unfolded. Dyumna attended the prestigious Woodstock Boarding School in Mussoorie.
Nothing is a coincidence in life.
Maybe it was destined, because there she crossed paths with Shivom Sood. Little did she knew, that he would later become the co-founder of Project Clay.
The duo secured a grant of Rs 2.25 lakh from Ankur Warikoo. It provided a substantial boost to their initiative. With Warikoo’s insightful guidance, Project Clay started afresh on its journey.
Forward => 2025.
Once the school was completed, Dyumna shifted to Bangalore alone and started working with 2 edtech startups. This was to gain insightful experience to run her own startup. Thoughtful!
Now, 19-year-old Dyumna, with Shivom standing in front of the sharks in Shark Tank India Season 4.
Ye to bollywood movies wala ho gaya, bhagte bhagte bade ho gae!
Early Life and Background
Dyumna Madan is from Goa and she comes from a family that values entrepreneurship. Her mother is a fashion designer, and her father owns a factory. Fir to usne sahi hi kaha tha Shark Tank me, entrepreneurship is in her genes, bro.
And this is evident because before Project Clay, Dyumna and her brother started a home-based bakery business. And whoaa! They generated around Rs 8 lakh. Bang! The girl has got it right.
This is why her parents were never against her dream project and even back in 2020, when she was gathering students while working on Project Clay, her father was sure that she is working productively.
Why Did She Started Project Clay?
Flashback!
When she was 15 years old, Dyumna joined a summer school. Yeah, it is a common practice, and many kids do so. But they do not notice the problem.
Yes, the fees. At the tender age of 15, she noticed the expensive fees of summer schools as a problem and wanted to solve it.
SOLUTION?
Dyumna decided to start her own summer school. Mic drop!
Her vision to start Project Clay was simple but impactful—to make studying abroad simpler and easier for students.
Unique Working Pattern: Students Teaching Students
Dyumna worked on a unique pattern and mailed 1,000+ college students globally. WHY? You can’t guess it.
She asked them to teach Indian high schoolers for free. WHAT?
I can see your facial expressions, mine was the same when I read about this.
However, her effort was not in vain because out of 1k+ students, 20 people accepted the request. Not much in our view, but for Project Clay’s beginning, it was more than enough. At least, she wasn’t starting from Zero.
Climbing, No—Flying up the Ladders of Success
It is true.
And her efforts in gathering students also paid off when, in the first year of her startup, 2020, around 800 students attended the free summer school.
In 2021, there was an immense rise in the number of students attending her summer school. 800 -> 4,000. Rukiye mazedar bat to reh hi gai.
These students were not just from India but from 30+ countries across the globe.
Isiliye to bola tha flying up the ladders of success.
Encounter with the Co-Founder
While studying at the Woodstock Boarding School in Mussoorie during her 11th grade, Dyumna met her batchmate Shivom Sood, who explained mathematics to her. Wahi apna exams se ek rat pehle sab samjhane wala friend.
Eventually, their bond strengthens and soon Shivom also joined Project Clay but as a co-founder and not a general student. Since then, he has been taking care of everything for the startup. They made a great team because both are working on the startup as their sole focus.
Securing the Grant: A Huge Step Towards Guidance and Success
Ankur Warikoo, a famous finance influencer and entrepreneur came across the duo and their startup at Masters’ Union in 2023. Impressed by their approach, Ankur invested Rs 2.25 lakh grant in the initiative in December 2023.
But his involvement does not end here. Their meeting was a boon in disguise because Ankur not only invested but also guided the co-founders thoroughly. He explained how working on a one-on-one mentorship model would be more scalable and beneficial for the startup.
Under his guidance, Dyumna and Shivom turned Project Clay to a study abroad startup with an aim to bring the traditional career counselling industry in India.
Now, that’s revolutionary.
How Project Clay is Better than Traditional Counselling?
Traditional: Usually, in the field of career counseling, particularly regarding studying abroad, students are guided by large agencies and independent consultants primarily in navigating their choices for international universities, assessing eligibility, and exploring scholarship opportunities. Hamare young entrepreneurs, ke according, a personal touch is missing in the market. Kids are hitting the nail on the right spot.
Obviously, they are right because career counselors are merely working to get the job done and get their commissions, as that is their job. However, in the process, they fail to grasp the idea of what the student really wants, and which university is ideal for them.
Project Clay: On the contrary, the startup facilitates connections between school students and current students enrolled at their desired universities, who serve as mentors to the aspiring students. They guide aspiring applicants with the support of a trusted sibling. They provide comprehensive feedback on essays, Statements of Purpose (SOPs), and résumés. This way they ensure each learner is well-prepared for their future academic journey.
Which is why the founders consider their approach as Elder Sibling Approach. Bhai ab apne bade bro and sis hi behtar samjh sakte hain. Hence, this approach suits the intention behind the entire concept.
Following this, Project Clay presently has more than 500 vetted mentors from 10+ study-abroad locations around the world.
This Must have Cost a Fortune!
We have developed a mindset: Bhai aisi services hain ya itna acha hai to bahut mehnga hai!
No, this is not applicable here because Dyumna started this venture because she wanted to provide affordable summer school. And it is evident that the young founder has not given up that aspect.
For just Rs 2,500, a student gets the following benefits with Project Clay:
- Top university mentors to guide them with expertise.
- Teens get personalized support tailored for them.
- Committed mentors who are ready to go the extra mile.
With a steady and affordable plans, the startup has been climbing the revenue charts:
- June 2024 – Rs 22,900.
- July 2024 – Rs 41,800
- August – Rs 90,600
- September – Rs 1,05,000
Swimming Among the Sharks
The young co-founders appeared on Shark Tank India Season 4 and received not just appreciation for their energy and balance but also Rs 15 lakhs in exchange for a 10% equity from Namita Thapar. The deal was made against a valuation of Rs 1.2 crore.
And with the episode airing in October 2024, the startup received a huge number of leads; many of the students secured admissions in universities like Warwick and the London School of Economics.
What Lay Ahead?
Currently, Dyumna is studying Economics at the Boston Northeastern University. While Shivom is at Emory University, Atlanta, studying finance.
Impressively, with a boost in clients, Goa-based Project Clay FY25 revenue is expected to be around Rs 37 lakhs, with an additional 10x growth in FY26 while targeting a revenue milestone of Rs 3.7 crore.
So go ahead and get guidance to get admission at your dream college with @Project Clay
