Since 2009, Shark Tank has been entertaining audiences and helping entrepreneurs to raise money for their businesses. The Sharks have made over 500 televised deals but not all of them have closed! Below are ten of the biggest Shark Tank deals in the show’s history.
Largest Ever Shark Tank Deals:
1. Zipz Wine – $2.5 Million
Zipz shot to fame for popularizing single-serve wine in creative packaging. The business was started by Andrew McMurray and J. Henry Scott. However, only Andrew pitched the product in season 6, seeking $2.5 million for 10% equity.
Wine connoisseur, Kevin O’Leary agreed to Andrew’s initial ask with a few adjustments. After the show, Zipz faced tough competition and wasn’t able to make a profit. As a result, they stopped making wine and focused on packaging other drinks.
Still, Zipz Wine makes $600,000 annually and is valued at $1 million. This is a far cry from their initial valuation of $25 million when they entered the Tank!
2. Vengo – $2 Million
Traditional vending machines are bulky. Vengo vending machines are different; they are small but smart. The machines can be installed anywhere and only need up to two feet of wall space.
These machines were originally called Taxi Treats by founders Brian Shimmerlik and Steven Bofill. The duo featured on season seven, asking for $2 million for a 12.5% equity stake.
Kevin and Lori Greiner made a deal to loan them $2 million at 7% interest for 3% equity, but the deal never closed. Vengo raised capital from other investors at a $50 million valuation. Today, Vengo earns $20 million in annual revenue.
3. Ten Thirty One Productions – $2 Million
Ten Thirty One Productions was an entertainment company that produced live horror shows. Melissa Carbone appeared on season five, asking for $2 million for 10%.
Mark Cuban invested $2 million for 20% and it’s still his largest ever investment on Shark Tank. In an interview with Business Insider in 2015, Cuban claimed it was one of his best deals at the time.
Ten Thirty One Productions was doing well until 2018, an accident at an event in New York led to an expensive lawsuit. This pushed the founders to sell the company to Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group for an undisclosed price.
4. Numilk – $2 Million
Plant-based milk has a lot of benefits, but not many people have access to it. Thankfully, there’s Numilk, a device that makes almond milk on-demand without too many ingredients.
Founders Ari Tolwin and Joe Savin are serial entrepreneurs in the beverage industry. They knew that Numilk had massive potential when they signed up for season 12 in hopes of getting $1 million for a 5% stake.
Mark Cuban gave them more than they asked for, with $1 million in cash for 7% equity and a $1 million loan at 3% interest. This investment helped Numilk boost distribution and the machine is now sold in 133 stores across the US. The startup isn’t profitable yet but is currently valued at $55 million.
5. Rugged Events – $1.75 Million
Another event-organizing startup, Rugged Events, is the company that created Rugged Maniac, a race that spans 3.1 miles and features insane obstacles like towers, shipping containers, and colossal water slides.
Rugged Events was founded by retired attorneys Brad Scudder and Rob Dickens. The duo featured on season five of Shark Tank, seeking $1 million for 10% equity.
Cuban eventually bagged 25% of Rugged Events and their second company, Bull Run, for $1.75 million. The business sold an 80% stake to New Media Investment Group in 2018 for $10.4 million. The acquisition led to Cuban getting a huge return on his investment.
6. xCraft – $1.5 Million
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are slowly becoming more mainstream. xCraft and its X PlusOne drone model were influential in turning this vision into a reality.
JD Claridge and Charles Manning teamed up to develop xCraft and make it an industry leader. The two gentlemen appeared in season seven to sell 20% of the company for $300,000.
All five Sharks teamed up to invest $1.5 million for 25%. The deal didn’t go through, so the entrepreneurs resorted to crowdfunding. In 2021, xCraft made $199,122 in revenue but made a net loss of $392,496. xCraft was valued at $34 million after its latest round of fundraising.
7. LARQ – $1.5 Million
Premium water bottles are very trendy nowadays. LARQ is a leading provider in this niche, and it makes self-cleaning water bottles that use ultraviolet-C LED technology.
As a hiking enthusiast, Justin Wang noticed that most water bottles develop a bad odor over time. So, he created LARQ and pitched on season 13 of Shark Tank, asking for $500,000 for 1% equity.
It was an eye-watering valuation, but Kevin and Lori eventually agreed to do $1.5 million for 4%. With this, LARQ is expecting to do $30 million in sales for 2022. LARQ is currently worth around $30 million. In February 2024, LARQ was acquired by Brita.
8. SparkCharge – $1 Million
Perhaps the biggest concern of electric vehicle owners is running out of power on the road. SparkCharge’s Roadie, the first portable EV charger, is the solution for this.
The device was created by Chris Ellis and Josh Aviv to fill a large gap in the market. They entered the Tank in season 12, asking for $1 million for a 6% stake.
Lori and Mark joined forces to invest $1 million for 10% equity and 4% advisory shares. SparkCharge then raised money from other investors. Now, it has $5 million in annual sales and is valued at $30 million.
9. Breathometer – $1 Million
The Breathometer is a breathalyzer for smartphones. It measured the blood alcohol content, which helps a user determine if it’s safe to drive after drinking.
Charles Yim invented the product and pitched the app in season five, requesting $250,000 for 10% equity. He made a five-way deal of $1 million for 30% with all five Sharks.
This helped Breathometer rack up millions in sales. However, the FTC shut down the product after discovering that its claims were misleading. Breathometer is still in business but is considered one of the worst deals on the show.
10. Yellow Leaf Hammocks – $1 million
Woven by Thailand’s Mlabri tribe, Yellow Leaf Hammocks are more than just tools for relaxing. They are produced with the intention of empowering underprivileged individuals.
Married couple, Rachel Connors and Joe Demin founded the hammock company. To grow the business, they appeared in season 11 to give away 7% equity for $400,000.
Guest investor Daniel Lubetzky was the one who closed a deal of $1 million for 25%. Currently, Yellow Leaf Hammocks make around $1 million in annual revenue and are worth an estimated $4 million.
