Traditional vending machines are profitable but bulky. Steven Bofill and Brian Shimmerlik solved this problem by creating small but smart vending devices called Vengo. They pitched their business on Shark Tank and got a deal with Lori Greiner and Kevin O’Leary. By 2025, Vengo is worth an estimated $50 million.
Shimmerlik and Bofill’s Background
Brian Shimmerlik and Steven Bofill are both from New York. Steven graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from UMass Amherst. Brian has an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business.
Brian initially worked as a financial analyst at JP Morgan until he became a senior associate at Emigrant Bank. He later changed careers and interned at a tech startup called Conductor Inc.
In 2008, Steven founded and worked as the lead front-end developer for a web development firm, Scratch Interactive. A couple of years later, he was a mechanical engineer at Sikorsky Aircraft.
Establishing Vengo
One day, while working on his MBA, Brian Shimmerlik got stuck in traffic inside a taxi. The time he spent waiting sparked the idea of making snacks available everywhere. He partnered with Steven Bofill and a design team to turn his vision into a real product.
They came up with a vending machine that was only inches thick and occupied two feet of wall space. It was a built-in system with touch screen technology. Brian and Steven entered the NY Business Plan Competition to promote the business.
The pair and their tiny vending machines won first place. Using the prize money, they launched the company in 2012. Initially it was called Taxi Treats but later rebranded to Vengo, a much better name.
Shark Tank Appearance
Brian and Steven appeared on Shark Tank in 2016, looking for a $2 million investment in exchange for 12.5% of their company. The aspiring entrepreneurs did a good job presenting and explaining the potential of their business.
However, after giving further details, the Sharks were not fully convinced, so Kevin O’Leary asked if they were in debt. After knowing that they were not, Mr. Wonderful made his usual proposal.
He wanted 6% of Vengo for a 3-year, $2 million loan at 7% interest. The entrepreneurs asked Lori Greiner if she wanted to team up with Kevin. The two investors ended up agreeing to the same loan agreement, but this time for 3% equity.
After Shark Tank
Unfortunately, the loan deal with Lori and Kevin never closed. Most likely the founders pulled out of the deal after changing their minds when the cameras stopped rolling. Giving away equity for a loan would be a bad move in the long term.
Nevertheless, Vengo managed to survive and thrive. The appearance on the show helped the startup ink a deal with Blackstone Launchpad. In addition, the Hyatt Hotel provided the vending business with generous support for its expansion. In 2019, they raised $7 million from investors, which included the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk and Cherry Tree Investments.
When the pandemic hit, Vengo added a Digital Out-of-Home ad model alongside vending. Today their screens are in over 27,000 locations and they’re monetizing both product sales and targeted ads.
In 2021, Vengo placed over 1,500 machines in New York areas such as colleges, residential buildings, gyms, and public transportation. Currently, it’s making around $10 million to $12 million per year and is valued at $50 million.
