Shark Tank Pitches That Address Social Issues
Highlights
- Shark Tank has offered its audiences a variety of pitches that take on different societal issues.
- EveryTable was driven to provide food that was affordable yet healthy.
- Sand Cloud and Bambooee contributed towards marine life and the conservation of trees, respectively.
Shark Tank has earned an edge over other reality TV shows due to its niche content focused on the concepts of entrepreneurial space. While both the judges and pitchers are driven towards making money at the end of a pitch, some Shark Tank pitches are much more than mere financial gains.
Through its long run of fifteen different seasons, entrepreneurs have often come up with products/business ideas that are committed to dealing with issues related to society. In this write-up, we will attempt to learn about this.
Below are 5 Shark Tank pitches that have addressed a variety of social issues through different seasons:
1. EveryTable
The entrepreneur duo of David Foster and Sam Polk made their way to the judges with one of the most thoughtful Shark Tank pitches. Seeking $1 million at 5% equity, they introduced their healthy, fast-food venture. With EveryTable, they were driven to offer food that was affordable yet healthy.
Going ahead in the pitch, the entrepreneurs emphasized on their healthy fast food options, including Kale Caesar Salad and Jamaican Jerk Chicken. They stated that their delicacies would be offered to people across the nation without any discrimination of localities.
The investors loved both the samples and the mission. However, they were skeptical of the high investment value and opted out of the deal one after the other. Rohan Oza was the only one interested; after some offers and counteroffers, the deal was finalized at $1 million for 10% equity.
After the show, EveryTable grew manifold, with a lifetime revenue of $61 million (by 2023).
2. Sand Cloud
Entrepreneurs Bruno Aschimanini, Brandon Leibel, and Steven Ford approached the investors with Sand Cloud. Seeking $200K for 8% equity, they discussed how their company offered beach towels made from pure Turkish cotton. But what impressed the Sharks the most was their mission for marine life.
Starting their pitch with a funny presentation, the entrepreneurs stated that each of the towels was extremely soft and comfortable. They started the business in 2014 via a Kickstarter initiative, which offered them a little over $15K. Plus, about 10% of the sales profits were used for the preservation of marine life.
The entrepreneur trio then claimed that they made about $2.4 million in sales in 2016, which further impressed the judges. As a result, offers came flying in. But eventually, Robert Herjavec managed to finalize the deal at $200K for 15% equity.
As of 2024, the company is making an annual revenue worth $7 million.
3. Cabinet Health
In one of the eco-friendly Shark Tank pitches, entrepreneurs Achal Patel and Russell Gong tried to convince the judges to invest. The duo sought $500K for 2.5% equity in Cabinet Health, emphasizing on their goal of tackling the growing issue of single-use plastics.
Their pharmaceuticals venture, focused on sustainability, considered handling the issue through glass medical containers and compostable pouches. Experts also packaged the products through a smart manufacturing process that delivered sustainable solutions.
While all the investors were happy with the idea, they were not eager to make an offer due to the high valuation. Ultimately, Kevin O’Leary and Tony Xu made the final offer at $500K for 7% equity, alongside a 2% royalty till their amounts were recouped.
By 2023, the business made $25 million in annual revenue.
4. Bambooee
The entrepreneur couple of Noam and Irene Krasniansky tried their luck on the show with their line of kitchen items that were eco-friendly. They presented one of the most enthusiastic Shark Tank pitches on the show and sought $200K for 10% equity. Bambooee started way back in 2009.
Pitching their product as a sustainable alternative to paper towels, they revealed that they had made $122K through sales in the year of their launch, continuing with $300K in 2010. But the highlight of the pitch was that the duo planted a tree for every unit of Bambooee sold.
The profits made in 2012 were $900K, with a total sales of $1.6 million. Although impressed with the numbers, the only investor to make an offer was Lori Greiner. She finalized the deal for $200K for 10%.
Bambooee did quite well after its appearance on the show with an annual revenue of $5 million (by 2022).
5. Bombas
The entrepreneurs Randy Goldberg and David Heath made their way to the panelists with their line of socks. They went ahead in the pitch revealing their plans for a social cause. Seeking $200K for 17.5% equity, the entrepreneurs entered the show a year after starting Bombas in 2013.
Detailing the business figures, Randy and David revealed that they had made $140K through an Indiegogo campaign. Further, their focus was on offering comfort and donating a pair of socks for everyone who sold them. This is because the founders felt socks were one of the prime necessities of homeless people.
While the Sharks liked their vision for the homeless people, they did not make any offers due to the high investment ask. After four panelists backed out, the entrepreneurs bagged an offer from Daymond John at $200K for 17.5% equity.
The latest update is that its lifetime sales stand tall at $1.3 billion. Additionally, it donated more than 100 million items to homeless shelters.
Conclusion
The different Shark Tank pitches showcased on the show through the years have often reflected their emphasis on dealing with pressing issues of society. Be it Bombas’ attempt to provide socks to the needy or EveryTable’s mission of offering affordable, fast food items, each of them has exemplified the true meaning of innovation and social change.
These pitches act as inspiration for the pitchers looking to come up in the next seasons of the show.
References
- Everytable: Here’s What Happened After Shark Tank, Food Republic, Khyati Dand
- Shark Tank’s Most Successful Brand of All Time Wasn’t Even Supposed to Be a Business at First. Here’s How It Became One With $1 Billion in Lifetime Revenue., Entrepreneur, Witten By Amanda Breen, Edited By Jessica Thomas
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
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