Issac M. John and Rahul Krishnan are the founders of Ivory, a Mumbai-based cognitive wellness startup founded in 2022.
Issac M. John: Former marketing head of Puma India, inspired by his father’s battle with Parkinson’s disease to focus on early detection of cognitive impairments.
Rahul Krishnan: A mechanical engineer and MBA graduate with a passion for neuroscience, driven by witnessing cognitive decline in his community in Kerala.
Brand Overview
Ivory is a cognitive wellness platform focused on early detection of neurodegenerative risks and personalized brain health solutions.
The Ivory app combines neuroscience-backed assessments, interactive brain games, and tailored recommendations to improve mental agility and slow cognitive decline.
Ivory’s mission is to make brain health as accessible and prioritized as physical health, empowering users to take proactive steps toward cognitive well-being.
Shark Tank India Appearance & Ask
The founders pitched on Shark Tank India Season 4, Episode 41, seeking ₹50 lakh for 1.25% equity, valuing the company at ₹40 crore.
Their pitch highlighted:
The app’s ability to detect neurodegenerative risks early through structured assessments.
Personalized solutions for maintaining brain function via interactive games and expert recommendations.
The importance of addressing cognitive health as a lifelong priority.
Season and Episode Air Date
Season: 04
Episode: 41
Episode Air Date: Monday, 03 March 2025
Product Overview
Ivory offers a neuroscience-based app designed to improve brain health through:
Cognitive Assessments: FDA-registered tools that evaluate brain health and dementia risk.
Interactive Games: Engaging activities tailored to enhance memory, focus, and attention while slowing cognitive decline.
Personalized Recommendations: Tailored solutions based on individual assessments to strengthen cognitive function.
Investor Reactions
Namita Thapar: Invested ₹50 lakh for 5% equity, resonating with the mission due to personal experience with Alzheimer’s in her family.
Kunal Bahl: Appreciated the intent but opted out due to insufficient market validation at this stage.
Aman Gupta: Suggested developing proprietary games for scalability but stepped out due to concerns about monetization.
Ritesh Agarwal: Found the assessment feature promising but felt the business model needed refinement before investment.
Vineeta Singh: Praised the mission but believed the startup was too early-stage for investment.
Customer Engagement Philosophy
Ivory aims to empower users by providing accessible tools for proactive brain health management.
The platform emphasizes trust through clinically validated solutions and personalized experiences tailored to individual needs.
Product Highlights
Early detection of neurodegenerative risks through FDA-registered assessments.
Interactive games designed to improve memory, focus, and attention.
Personalized cognitive health recommendations backed by neuroscientists and clinicians.
Proven traction with growing user engagement:
Paid Users: 150
Monthly Active Users: Grew from 1,500 to 4,500
Daily Active Users: 500–600
Retention Rate: 20%
Future Vision
Expand User Base: Increase marketing efforts to attract more paid users and grow active user engagement.
Improve Retention Rates: Enhance game design and assessment tools for better user experience and long-term engagement.
Develop Monetization Strategies: Introduce subscription models and explore B2B partnerships with healthcare providers.
Scale Operations: Expand reach across India while strengthening collaborations with neurology experts.
Raise Awareness: Launch campaigns like #TimeToAct to educate people about the importance of early cognitive care.
Deal Finalized or Not
Namita Thapar invested ₹50 lakh for 5% equity, revising the startup’s valuation to ₹10 crore.
Namita connected personally with the mission due to her family’s experience with Alzheimer’s and saw long-term potential in Ivory’s approach to cognitive wellness.
Ivory Shark Tank India Review Website Data
Category
Details
Website Information
Website
Ivory
Build on CMS
WordPress
SEO Performance
Poor, Improvement needed
Organic Traffic
87 visitors per month
Founders
Founders
Issac M. John, Rahul Krishnan
Year Founded
2022
Headquarters
Mumbai, India
Issac M. John
Former marketing head of Puma India, inspired by his father’s battle with Parkinson’s disease
Rahul Krishnan
Mechanical engineer, MBA graduate, passionate about neuroscience due to cognitive decline cases in Kerala
Brand Overview
Mission
Make brain health as accessible as physical health
Features
Early detection of neurodegenerative risks, personalized brain health solutions
Grow users to 10,000 MAUs, increase retention from 20% to 35%, secure funding
Medium-Term (1-3 Years)
New app features, healthcare partnerships, ₹10 crore revenue
Long-Term (3-5 Years)
International expansion, AI-driven tools, 1M+ users
Roadmap to Increase Valuation
Brand Equity
Collaborate with neurologists & specialists
Market Expansion
Enter Tier-2 cities
Tech Upgrades
AI-based cognitive assessments
Ivory Shark Tank India Business Plan
Business Potential in India
Market Context:
India has 8.8 million dementia cases (2023), growing annually due to aging demographics and sedentary lifestyles.
By 2030, India’s elderly population (aged 60+) will reach 194 million, creating a significant demand for cognitive wellness solutions.
The global brain health supplements market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.4%, reaching $13.4 billion by 2030, with India emerging as a key growth region.
Opportunity:
Rising awareness about neurodegenerative risks like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Lack of accessible, affordable tools for early detection and prevention of cognitive decline in India.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
TAM Calculation:
Target audience: Elderly population aged 55+ (~135 million in India).
Estimated penetration: ~10% of this group (~13.5 million individuals).
Annual spend per user: ₹3,000.
TAM = ₹4,050 crore (~$500 million).
Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM):
Focus on urban elderly (~30% of the target audience).
SAM = ₹1,215 crore (~$150 million).
Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM):
Targeting early adopters (~5% of SAM initially).
SOM = ₹60 crore (~$7.5 million).
Ideal Target Audience and Demographics
Age: Primarily individuals aged 55+, including retirees.
Gender: Both genders equally.
Income Level: Middle-class to affluent households (₹6–15 lakh annual income).
Location: Urban and semi-urban areas with access to smartphones and healthcare services.
Psychographics
Health-conscious seniors aiming to maintain mental acuity.
Families seeking preventive care solutions for aging parents.
Individuals concerned about hereditary neurodegenerative risks.
Content and Digital Marketing Strategy for Ivory
Content Marketing:
Publish blogs like “Early Signs of Cognitive Decline” and “How Brain Games Improve Memory.”
Share success stories from users experiencing improved cognitive health.
SEO Optimization:
Improve SEO performance to drive organic traffic from the current 87 visitors/month to at least 5,000 visitors/month within six months.
Target keywords like “cognitive wellness apps” and “brain health solutions India.”
Social Media Campaigns:
Use platforms like Facebook and YouTube to target elderly users and their families.
Launch campaigns like “#HealthyMinds” to raise awareness about cognitive health.
Paid Ads:
Run Google Ads targeting high-intent keywords such as “prevent dementia” or “brain training games.”
Retarget website visitors with personalized offers to boost conversions.
Distribution Strategy for Ivory
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) model via the Ivory app and website.
Partner with hospitals, neurologists, and geriatric care centers for referrals.
Collaborate with senior citizen organizations and retirement communities for outreach programs.
Explore B2B partnerships with healthcare providers and insurance companies to include Ivory in wellness packages.
Advantages of Ivory
First-mover advantage in India’s largely untapped cognitive wellness market.
FDA-registered tools ensure credibility and compliance with global standards.
Growing traction with a user base of over 4,500 monthly active users despite being pre-revenue.
Challenges for Ivory
Low awareness about cognitive wellness among the elderly population in India.
Monetization challenges due to dependency on paid subscriptions.
High competition from global brain health apps entering the Indian market.
Reasons for Success for Ivory
Increasing prevalence of dementia underscores the urgent need for early detection tools.
Strong backing from investors like Capital A ensures financial stability for scaling operations.
Namita Thapar’s mentorship provides strategic guidance for growth in healthcare markets.
Mitigation Strategies
Launch educational campaigns targeting both seniors and caregivers to raise awareness about cognitive health.
Introduce affordable subscription tiers or freemium models to attract more users.
Invest in R&D to develop proprietary games that improve engagement and retention rates.
Future Business Roadmap
Short-Term Goals (0–1 Year):
Increase monthly active users from 4,500 to at least 10,000 through targeted marketing campaigns.
Improve app retention rates from the current 20% to at least 35% by enhancing game design and user experience.
Secure additional funding rounds to support scaling efforts.
Medium-Term Goals (1–3 Years):
Expand product offerings with new features like real-time progress tracking and advanced analytics for users.
Establish partnerships with insurance companies and healthcare providers for B2B revenue streams.
Achieve ₹10 crore annual revenue by monetizing through subscription plans and corporate collaborations.
Long-Term Goals (3–5 Years):
Expand internationally into Southeast Asia where aging populations are growing rapidly.
Develop AI-driven tools for personalized cognitive training based on user data.
Establish Ivory as the leading cognitive wellness brand in India, serving over one million users annually.
Roadmap to Increase Valuation
Strengthen brand equity through collaborations with neurologists and geriatric care specialists.
Scale operations by entering Tier-2 cities where elderly populations are underserved.
Invest in technology upgrades like AI-based assessments for better accuracy and scalability.
Ivory has immense potential to revolutionize cognitive wellness in India by addressing the growing need for early detection of neurodegenerative risks among aging populations. With strategic marketing efforts, strong mentorship, and innovative product development, it can establish itself as a leader in this emerging industry while achieving long-term profitability and scalability.
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