Why this health startup featured on Shark Tank India sent legal notice to Sony

A startup previously featured on Shark Tank India has taken legal action against Sony Entertainment Television, citing damages and unfair treatment. Pratik Patil, founder of Fit & Flex, a gut health startup, revealed through a LinkedIn post that the company had no choice but to send a legal notice to Sony.

The controversy stems from allegations that Sony targeted Fit & Flex without prior notice, claiming trademark infringement. According to Patil, this action has severely impacted their direct-to-consumer (D2C) business, rendering it inactive for nearly 50 days. Patil expressed frustration in his LinkedIn post, stating, "We feel bad to do this, but there was no other way left."

Fit & Flex had appeared on Shark Tank India with hopes of securing funding and expanding their business. However, instead of propelling their growth, Patil claims that Sony's actions have had detrimental effects, including the disabling of their social media accounts and blocking of their advertising account.

The startup founder also alleges that content related to their Shark Tank India appearance was flagged by the show's creators on social media, leading to further restrictions on their online presence. Patil contends that the use of clips from the show for marketing purposes was within the guidelines provided by Shark Tank India, which permits such use for a period of three months post-episode airing.

Highlighting the broader impact, Patil mentioned that Fit & Flex is not alone in facing these challenges, asserting that over 70 startups are experiencing similar difficulties.

The situation underscores ongoing tensions between startups and media platforms regarding intellectual property and promotional rights. Sony Entertainment Television has yet to publicly respond to the allegations made by Fit & Flex.