For years, parents have been changing diapers in filthy public restrooms. Pluie hopes to change that by creating the world’s first self-cleaning diaper changing station. Founders Addie Gundry and Brittany Hizer pitched their product on Shark Tank but didn’t land a deal. After Shark Tank, Pluie was valued at $8 million.
Founder of Pluie
Originally from Keller, Texas, Addie Gundry started out as a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant owned by Christian Etienne in France, and returned to the United States to become a successful executive chef.
After working as an executive assistant at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she became the star of the Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen. Gundry went on to publish 24 cookbooks with more than 1,000 recipes.
Brittany Hizer is a Chicago native and Northwestern University graduate. Hizer is a former owner of Crestliner Boats and a fitness enthusiast who previously designed exercise bikes, treadmills, and cross trainers.
Pluie’s inspiration
Mother of two Addie’s dislike of using public changing tables prompted her to take a break from the kitchen to create hygiene products for moms and babies around the world.
She teamed up with Brittany, who serves as COO, and a small team of employees to help them develop a diaper changing station with a patented UV-C light system that eliminates 99.9% of bacteria and viruses.
The UV-C light reportedly takes just one minute to clean the table after it’s folded, making it convenient for use in public restrooms. Gundry and Hizer launched Pluie in 2020 as people began to pay more attention to hygiene.
Appeared on Shark Tank
Pluie’s success didn’t come overnight, but the company is slowly expanding. Currently, their products are in public restrooms in parks, stadiums, and airports in more than 20 states. At the end of 2022, the startup won the Chicago Innovation Award’s “Rising Star” award.
In early 2022, the founders applied to join Shark Tank and were selected for Season 14 from approximately 40,000 applicants. Of those 40,000 applicants, Shark Tank filmed 140 pitches, 96 of which made it to air. When they found out their segment would be on TV, the two worked hard to prepare the material for the show. They appeared on the show seeking $500,000 in funding for a 5% equity stake.
Pluie’s success after Shark Tank
The episode aired in March 2023, and the founders noticed a dramatic increase in customer interest. Pluie follows a B2B model, which is different from the consumer products usually shown on the show. They also plan to release a consumer product later in 2023. A few days before their appearance, it was announced that 50 Pluie diaper changing tables would be installed at the Indianapolis International Airport.
You can check out their diaper changing station at HelloPluie.com. There are no customer reviews on their website, but the product was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Inventions of 2021. With approximately 4 million public restrooms in the United States, this is a huge opportunity!
It’s a great product that solves a real problem for parents, and the exposure on Shark Tank will take it to the next level. According to Linkedin, the startup is valued at $8 million and has 12 employees.
Categories: Shark Tank
Source: dut.edu.vn
