SIPPLINE Founder Rohit Warrier in conversation with Indian Business Times

Indian Business Times spoke with Sippline Founder Rohit Warrier in a candid and exclusive interview. Rohit Warrier earlier in Jan 2022, appeared at Shark Tank India Season 1 to pitch his unique product idea. Sippline’s net worth is approx. Rs. 5 crores as per Rohit’s pitch on Shark Tank India Season 1.

Table of contents

• About Rohit Warrier – Sippline Founder
• Sippline Glass ka Mask Product
• Sippline at Shark Tank India
• Rohit Warrier Investor Pitches
• Other Entrepreneurial Ventures
• Rohit Warrier Net worth | Sippline Net worth

Who is Rohit Warrier?

Rohit Warrier began his entrepreneurial journey in 2010 at the age of 24. He has over 12 years of experience, most of which were spent building and leading companies. Rohit is the founder of Sippline along with Warrier Sicura and Warrier Electronics (WEFIRE). He is an IHM graduate who also holds a certificate in fire industrial and safety engineering. In his spare time, Rohit enjoys reading, listening to music, sky diving and golf.

Sippline was Rohit’s idea to re-examine hygiene which was fueled by his passion to bring change and for his experience in Hospitality Industry. Sippline is a sterilized drinking shield that protects our lips from the glass rim when we drink. The rim of a glass or cup is the area that is most frequently touched by people. When we drink outside, Sippline shield ‘Glass ka mask’ makes sure that our lips always come into contact with a hygienic surface. It comes in a medical-grade packaging and is both pocket-friendly in terms of size and cost. It can be used easily in most mugs and glasses.

Inception of Glass ka Mask product

Any new innovation does not occur to a person out of nowhere; rather, it originates in the mind after experiencing a real-life problem.

“Every time someone visits a hotel or mid-level restaurant, they subconciously take a tissue and wipe the glasses, especially the rims. I was doing it myself and was witnessing it with other folks. So as a man with hotel management experience, I started looking for a solution which will benefit me and other people,” shares Rohit Warrier Sippline Founder.

The Sippline product, ‘Glass ka Mask’ was created in 2016 but was never launched since it was believed to be ahead of its time. The founder was waiting for the ideal opportunity and decided to launch it in 2020 during the covid pandemic.

Also read: Traya Health Founders on a Mission to become Largest Hair fall solutions brand in India.

Pre-Shark Tank and Post-Shark Tank scenario for the product

As a new concept and novel notion, there was no context about the product when it was placed forward. The founder was battling to gain market recognition and reach. Despite their best efforts to explain the product and its purpose, many still did not get it. Co-incidentally, that was when Rohit appeared on Shark Tank India Season-1 to pitch this unique product idea.

Shark Tank created both awareness and reach for Sippline ‘Glass ka Mask’. However, it also received unwarranted negative press and faced criticism. The criticism was not only aimed for the merchandise but also for the founder. With time, Warrier posted a number of reels that included the show’s intercuts and projected the popularity of his product. At that point, people began to express their appreciation for it.

Sippline has gained a lot of online popularity. The product promotes safety and hygiene as it protects the utensil’s rim, preventing the user from coming in touch with any potentially harmful bacteria or viruses that may be on the glass rims. Rohit Warrier Sippline Founder was also invited to a trade event in Dubai to exhibit his products at the renowned The Hotel Show Dubai 2022. It was a premier event for domestic and international entrepreneurs, companies and suppliers in the Middle East’s hotel and hospitality industry.

Is Rohit Warrier still pitching investors?

Sippline is a project which is primarily funded by the parent company Warrier Electronics (WEFIRE). Rohit Warrier highlights, “We exclusively pitched for investors on Shark Tank India. After that we never sought other investors, but only attempted once to obtain government financing. Mostly, we require a strategic investor to help us advance from the current stage to scale. We are looking for the ideal moment to carry out that action.”

For a product like this, the herd mentality was a concern, but Warrier is hopeful that the mindset will evolve. “It has been a good journey and learning experience. Recently, we did a survey (check the full report here) in collaboration with Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune in which 30 hotels were chosen consisting of all categories. Three random glasses were swabbed at the rim and bottom and sent for testing. The results indicated that 89% of the rims were in unsanitary condition where-as 47% of the glass bottoms were in unsanitary condition. They frequently become contaminated after washing at the rims, and hence the bottoms of glass were mostly clean but the rims weren’t. The survey should officially be out in the coming months.”

Rohit Warrier’s Other entrepreneurial ventures

Warrier Electronics (WE), a Warrier Consortium group firm and parent company of Warrier Sicura as well as Sippline, specializes in providing solutions for Automatic Fire Detection and Suppression systems for critical assets and machines in a business.

WE first began operating in 2010. “I struggled so much in the first two years of WE, similar to what is happening with Sippline now; but post the first 2-3 years of WE there hasn’t been turning back since,” Rohit Warrier adds.

They introduced a number of items after the Sippline Glass ka Mask, including the Sippline Glacier Wine Chiller. It is a product that keeps a wine bottle chilled with just 5 ice cubes. In hotels and pubs, the bottle is typically kept in a bucket. “The glacier wine cooler is energy and space saving. We have magic tissues and t-shirts as well. It is how we promote our primary product, Glass ka Mask. A lot more previously unheard-of concepts are in the works and will soon come to light.”

Their products are marketed on their own website as well as on Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho.

Rohit Warrier’s tips to budding entrepreneurs

Warrier shares, “Whatever we do, failures are inevitable. There are two types of people: those who quit after failing, and those who learn from their mistakes, get back up and try again. Therefore, everyone should view it as a learning experience and continue with their journey. There is always a way if there is a will. Never stop imagining and daydreaming. I enjoy reading books, and I think they may be quite beneficial, especially biographies. My favourite books are The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon and the biography of Steve Jobs. Each entrepreneur has their own unique perspective and ideas, and it can be incredibly motivating.”

Some Lesser Known Facts about Rohit Warrier | SIPPLINE Founder | Rohit Warrier Net Worth | Sippline Net Worth

Also read: Rekha Atri – Founder of iKargos, Transforming India’s Cargo Management Industry.