Shark Tank has been entertaining viewers and helping entrepreneurs raise money since 2009. Shark Tank has closed over 500 TV deals, but not all of them have closed! Here are the ten biggest Shark Tank deals in the show’s history.
The biggest Shark Tank trades of all time:
1. Zipz Wine – $2.5 million
Zipz rose to fame by promoting single-serve wines in creative packaging. The company was founded by Andrew McMurray and J. Henry Scott. However, only Andrew pitched the product in Season 6, seeking $2.5 million for a 10% stake.
Wine connoisseur Kevin O’Leary agreed to Andrew’s initial request, but made some adjustments. After the show, Zipz faced stiff competition and was unable to turn a profit. As a result, they stopped making wine and focused on packaging other beverages.
Despite this, Zipz Wine was generating $600,000 in revenue per year and was valued at $1 million. This was a far cry from their initial valuation of $25 million when they entered Tank!
2. Vengo – $2 million
Traditional vending machines are bulky. Vengo vending machines are different; they are small, yet smart. These machines can be installed anywhere, requiring only a maximum of two feet of wall space.
The machines were originally named Taxi Treats by founders Brian Shimmerlik and Steven Bofill, who appeared in season seven and demanded $2 million for a 12.5 percent stake.
Kevin and Lori Greiner reached an agreement to lend them $2 million at 7% interest in exchange for 3% equity, but the deal was never completed. Vengo raised funds from other investors at a valuation of $50 million. Today, Vengo has annual revenue of $20 million.
3. Ten Thirty One Productions – $2 million
Ten Thirty One Productions is an entertainment company that produces live horror shows. Melissa Carbone appeared in the fifth season and asked for $2 million for 10% of the show.
Mark Cuban invested $2 million for a 20% stake, which remains his largest investment on Shark Tank. In a 2015 interview with Business Insider, Cuban called it one of his best deals at the time.
Ten Thirty One Productions was doing well until 2018, when an incident at an event in New York led to a costly lawsuit. This forced the founders to sell the company to Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group for an undisclosed price.
4. Numilk – $2 million
Plant-based milks have a lot of benefits, but few people get to drink them. Thankfully, there’s the Numilk, a device that makes almond milk on demand without too many ingredients.
Founders Ari Tolwin and Joe Savin, serial beverage entrepreneurs, knew Numilk had huge potential when they signed on for Season 12 in exchange for $1 million for a 5% stake.
Mark Cuban gave them more money than they asked for, giving them $1 million in cash for 7% equity and a $1 million loan at 3%. The investment helped Numilk expand sales, and the machines are now sold in 133 stores across the U.S. The startup is not yet profitable, but is currently valued at $55 million.
5. Rugged Events – $1.75 million
Another event organizing startup, Rugged Events, is the creator of Rugged Maniac, a 3.1-mile race that features crazy obstacles like towers, shipping containers and a giant water slide.
Rugged Events’ founders, retired attorneys Brad Scudder and Rob Dickens, who appeared on Season 5 of “Shark Tank,” are hoping to get $1 million for a 10 percent stake.
Cuban eventually bought a 25% stake in Rugged Events and its second company, Bull Run, for $1.75 million. The company sold an 80% stake to New Media Investment Group for $10.4 million in 2018. The acquisition gave Cuban a huge return on his investment.
6. xCraft – $1.5 million
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are becoming mainstream. xCraft and its X PlusOne drone model have played a major role in turning this vision into reality.
JD Claridge and Charles Manning teamed up to develop xCraft and make it an industry leader. The two gentlemen sold 20% of the company for $300,000 in season seven.
The five sharks joined forces to invest $1.5 million for a 25% stake. The deal didn’t work out, so the entrepreneurs turned to crowdfunding. In 2021, xCraft had revenue of $199,122 but a net loss of $392,496. After the latest round of funding, xCraft is valued at $34 million.
7. LARQ – $1.5 million
Premium water bottles are all the rage these days. LARQ is a leading supplier in this space, producing self-cleaning water bottles that use UV-C LED technology.
A keen hiker, Justin Wang noticed that most water bottles developed an unpleasant odor over time, so he created LARQ and pitched it on Season 13 of Shark Tank, asking for $500,000 for 1% equity.
This was an eye-popping valuation, but Kevin and Lori eventually agreed to buy a 4% stake for $1.5 million. This would give LARQ projected sales of $30 million in 2022. LARQ is currently valued at around $30 million. In February 2024, LARQ was acquired by Brita.
8. SparkCharge – $1 million
Perhaps the biggest worry for electric car owners is running out of juice on the road. SparkCharge’s Roadie is the first portable electric car charger that solves this problem.
The device was invented by Chris Ellis and Josh Aviv to fill a gap in the market. They entered Tank in Season 12, asking for $1 million for a 6% stake.
Lori and Mark teamed up to invest $1 million for a 10% equity stake and a 4% advisory share. SparkCharge subsequently raised money from other investors. It now has annual sales of $5 million and a valuation of $30 million.
9. Breathometer – $1 million
Breathometer is an alcohol tester for smartphones. It can measure the alcohol content in the blood and help users determine whether it is safe to drive after drinking.
Charles Yim invented the product and pitched the app in season five, asking $250,000 for 10% equity. He struck a five-way deal with five sharks for $1 million each and 30% equity each.
This helped Breathometer earn millions of dollars in sales. However, the Federal Trade Commission found that the product’s advertising was misleading and discontinued it. Breathometer is still in business, but is considered one of the worst deals on the show.
10. Yellow Leaf Hammock – $1 million
Woven by the Mlabri tribe in Thailand, the Yellow Leaf Hammock is more than just a tool for relaxation, it is also designed to help the disadvantaged.
Married couple Rachel Connors and Joe Demin founded the hammock company and sold a 7% stake in Season 11 for $400,000 in an effort to grow the business.
Guest investor Daniel Lubetzky purchased a 25% stake for $1 million. Currently, Yellow Leaf Hammocks has annual revenue of approximately $1 million and is valued at $4 million.
Categories: Shark Tank
Source: dut.edu.vn
