STRANGEST INVENTIONS FROM SHARK TANK

1. The Sullivan Generator

The Sullivan Generator is a conceptual machine by inventor Mark Sullivan. Mark went into the Shark Tank with his patents and drawings and asked for $1 million for 10% equity in his idea, but failed to make the impression he was hoping for. Sullivan claimed his generator, if built, would use the Coriolis effect caused by the Earth’s rotation to create electricity from salt water, or industrial waste water. The water would undergo a desalination process where it is turned to steam. Sullivan says the machine would then create a steam vortex powered by the rotation of the Earth. This controlled hurricane would turn turbines that would produce electricity. Sullivan claims that aside from generating cheap Earth-driven power, the Sullivan Generator would also make clean water as a byproduct, as well as mineral deposits including gold.

Since the concentration of gold in seawater is an estimated 10-30 parts per quadrillion, vast amounts of water would need to be filtered to accumulate a moderate quantity of gold. The ocean is full of many other trace elements and minerals, which would need to be separated in order to extract the gold. The primary byproduct would be an absurd amount of salt. In fact the salt would be worth more than the gold.

shark tank sullivan generator


2. Ionic Ear

Have you ever used a bluetooth headset? They’re great right? But wouldn’t it be easier to have the device surgically implanted in your skull? Darren Johnson thought it was a good idea when he went into the Shark Tank with the Ionic Ear, a bluetooth device that would be implanted just below your ear. The device would contain a microphone, a speaker, and a battery. When your battery runs low, you simply plug the AC adapter into the charging port which is located conveniently inside your ear. And don’t worry when you want to get an upgrade, all you’ll need is some additional surgery to remove the outdated device and install the new one.

Darren went into the Shark Tank asking for $1 million for a 15% stake in his company. The Sharks had a hard time taking this one seriously and they all dropped out as soon as they understood what he was pitching. There is no sign of the Ionic Ear today and no website. He would have needed FDA approval and clinical trials to get the product on the market.

shark tank ionic ear


3. Drive Suits

Drew Beaumier came up with his Robot Drive Suits concept in 2009 while working on an entry for a costume contest. It’s a simple idea that any young boy can relate to, the desire to be a real-life Transformer. Since creating his first model, Drew has traveled around the globe performing at events and demonstrating his invention, a robot suit that is a functioning vehicle capable of about 12 mph. You can get a motorcycle, muscle car, sports car, pickup truck, or monster truck suit. While standing up (robot mode) your suit will just make you look insane, but if you want to take things to a suicidal level, just transform yourself into vehicle mode and drive away.

Drew went into the Shark Tank asking for $150,000 for a 20% share of his company. Mark Cuban was interested and made an offer, but in the end, Drew made a deal with Kevin O’Leary for 30% equity contingent on partnering with an existing toy manufacturer. It looked promising but the deal fell apart before the show even aired, during the due diligence period. Either Mr. Wonderful pulled out or the toy companies weren’t interested. Drive Suits is still making humans into transformers though, and their website has moved to robotsandcarsentertainment.com.


4. UroClub

If you’re a golfer it’s a story you know well. You’re out on the back nine far from the clubhouse when nature calls. You could run off into the bushes or try to find a restroom, but isn’t there a more convenient solution? There is now that we have UroClub, a fake golf club with a hidden reservoir that you can pee into. Just unscrew the cap on the club’s handle and fill’er up. It even comes with a privacy towel to help you cover up when in use. Don’t worry, that won’t look unusual at all.

Dr. Floyd Seskin, the creator of UroClub, went into the Shark Tank asking for $25,000 in exchange for 51% ownership of his company. Kevin Harrington saw potential in it as a novelty product and struck a deal for a whopping 70% equity. Dr. Seskin admitted that he would have taken even less and knew that Kevin would turn the UroClub into a big hit.


5. Under-Ease

Do you suffer from embarrassing flatulence? Finally there’s an easy solution to keep your gases from reaching the nostrils of the innocent – the stylish and comfy Under-Ease anti-flatulance underwear. These giant diaper-like undergarments lock your offending odors up with their airtight seal, and direct the gas to exit through a fanny-side activated carbon filter. Now you can confidently cut the cheese anytime, and each filter will last weeks or months depending on the amount of stink you’re pushing through. Please note these fashionable underpants are not recommended to be worn in the swimming pool or hot tub, in case you were tempted by that idea.

Buck and Arlene Weimer, the creators of Under-Ease, went into the Shark Tank asking for $55,00 for a 25% stake in their company, but the Sharks smelled something rotten and didn’t invest.

shark tank anti fart underwear


6. I Want To Draw A Cat For You

Steve Gadlin went into the Shark Tank asking for $10,000 for a 25% stake in his company called I Want To Draw A Cat For You. The company does just what the name says, and amazingly Steve has completed more than 18,000 cat drawings for people all over the world. These are people that likely had no idea what they were buying, or perhaps accidentally clicked the buy now button. The cost of a drawing went from a ridiculous $9.95 to a bewildering $29.95. At the time of this post, Steve’s website lists cat drawings as out of stock, so he must have found a more lucrative use of his time. The most surprising part of Steve’s pitch to the Sharks was when Mark Cuban said he got it, and invested $25,000 for 33% of the company, proving that all it takes is a dream and it doesn’t need to be one that makes any sense.


7. Wake’n Bacon

What meat-eater doesn’t love waking up to the smell of bacon? If only there was a way to automate the process, so no one needs to actually get up and do the cooking. Matty Sallin thought he had it figured out with his invention, Wake’n Bacon, when he went into the Shark Tank asking for $40,000 for his bacon cooking alarm clock. What could go wrong with a machine like that? Sadly, the world may never know. While the concept of a bacon cooking alarm clock may be heavenly for some, the idea failed to entice the Sharks and the product is nowhere to be found today.

shark tank wake n bacon alarm clock bacon cooking


8. DrumPants

DrumPants is a wearable sensor that connects to a smart phone speaker. Just hide the DrumPants device under your clothes and “play” it by tapping the trigger button. Lei Yu and Tyler Freeman went into the Shark Tank asking for $150,000 in exchange for 5% equity in their company. The Sharks thought that the product wouldn’t have a broad appeal, and questioned if there would be many people who want to turn their bodies into a musical instrument. However, Robert saw some potential for these giant strap on sensors and offered $150,000 for 20% equity. Daymond figured he could license the technology somehow and offered $250,000 for 20% of whatever deal that would be. However, both proposals where countered awkwardly and both Sharks withdrew their offers. DrumPants is alive and well and you can get your groove on at drumpants.com.

shark tank drum pants


9. Arkeg

Successful products usually solve a problem for consumers. Like this one, the Arkeg. For all those times you’re playing your full-sized 1980’s video game, and really want a beer, but don’t want to be hassled to go over to your refrigerator or tap to get it. Now you can have access to both video games and beer from the same giant dinosaur of a machine. After all, video games and beer kegs are like peanut butter and jelly. Surprisingly the $4,000 Arkeg did not secure deal with the Sharks and is not currently for sale, but you can visit them on Facebook.

shark tank arkeg


10. Morning Head

Morning Head sounds like it would be a winner, but it turns out it’s just a shower cap with a towel inside. For those mornings when you wake up with bed-head and don’t have time to take a shower or groom yourself, just put water in your Morning Head cap and rub it around on your head. Why can’t you just use a towel or washcloth you ask? Good question. Morning Head is actually doing well and has not only been featured on Shark Tank but also on TechCrunch, TED, CNN, The New York Times, and The Huffington Post. You can get all the Morning Head you want from their website or from Amazon.


11. Elephant Chat

Do you have trouble starting difficult conversations with your partner? Maybe a stuffed elephant would help. When you want to talk, you just reveal the elephant in the room by exposing the little stuffed animal. Then your partner will know that an uncomfortable discussion is inevitable. If they don’t escape through a window, they can acknowledge the elephant and you can take turns passing the stuffed animal back and forth, each sharing what is on your mind. What could be more grown-up than that? And you get all this for just $60. Or you could have anyway. Sadly, Elephant Chat is no longer in business and its creators are no longer together.

shark tank elephant chat


12. Moberi

Moberi is the obvious and perfectly natural combination of a bicycle and a blender. Sure, you could plug your blender in and use electricity, but where is the challenge? Instead you could earn your blended treat by burning off some calories first with Moberi. Better yet, if you’re in Portland Oregon you can stop by the Moberi stand in person, and have Ryan Carpenter pedal for you. If you’re outside of Oregon you can order your own blender kit from the Moberi website, and begin your very own workout/food prep routine.


13. Kook’n Kap

Kook’n Kap solves a problem most people don’t know exists – hair that smells like food. When you cook, all those delicious aromas could get trapped in your clothes and hair. You could change outfits easily enough, but what if your hair smells like the fish and liver pudding you just prepared? You won’t need to worry if you have a Kook’n Kap, or if you don’t have one, you could try a shower cap, or hat, or just have smelly hair. Unfortunately if you didn’t get your Kap when the show aired, you are out of luck now. The website is gone and the Facebook page is inactive.

shark tank kook n kap


14. Wired Waffles

There is a huge market for energy shots in America. They are quick and effective. But what if you could eat that energy shot instead? Maybe as a cold, dry waffle? Roger Sullivan thought it was a winning idea when he took his Wired Waffles into the Shark Tank and asked for $75,000 for 25% equity in his company. Wired Waffles is no longer around so you’ll have to stick with the regular caffeine free variety, or maybe pour a 20 oz cup of coffee over your waffles – that’s how much caffeine they packed per serving. After the Sharks sampled the product they did get a boost of agitated energy as they argued over business strategies. However, none of the Sharks thought the product tasted good, and Roger left the Tank without an investment.

shark tank wired waffles


15. Cougar Limited

Cougar energy is a energy drink made for middle aged women who seek the companionship of younger men. Why would these women need a different energy drink than the rest of the population? You’d have to ask its creator Ryan Custer. He might tell you that Cougar Energy gives the cougar stronger hair, hormonal balance, anti-aging benefits, plus all the energy a cougar needs to hunt. Resident Shark Tank cougar Barbara Corcoran thought it tasted like chalk, and was the first Shark out. The male Sharks had no interest and were generally confused by the concept of a gender and age specific drink. If you’d like to do your own cougar research you can get your Cougar Energy on their website and Amazon.

shark tank cougar energy drink shot


16. CityKitty

This is one of the oddest ideas in Shark Tank history, that turns out, actually works and solves a problem. People across the world have used CitiKitty to successfully train their cats to use the toilet, and have said goodbye to their litter boxes forever. Cats use a litter box instinctively to cover their smell. Once they learn that the water in the toilet does a better job they are no longer interested in the litter. Plus 9 out of 10 toilet trained cats say they feel more dignified using the toilet like the rest of civilization. No word on how to train them to flush. CitiKitty is selling very well, and its creator reappeared on the Shark Tank with another strange product – The HoodiePillow – a combination of a hooded sweatshirt and a pillow. You can find both products on Amazon.


17. No Fly Cone

The device is very simple – a cone with sticky fly paper on the inside. At first the concept seems reasonable, catch flies where they breed, by placing a No Fly Cone over the dog poop in your yard. But on second thought, you could get just get rid of the poop. If your dog is like most, they will need to do their business once or twice a day, which would equate to a yard full of No Fly Cones. But less flies. The No Fly Cone is alive and well and available to order online.


18. Throx

Where does that odd lone sock come from? Where did its partner disappear to? There are some mysteries that we may never unravel. Edwin Heaven thought had this universal problem solved when he decided to sell socks in threes, called Throx. With three socks you can always lose one and still have a pair. You could also of course buy two pairs of socks and just have four. Or you could look behind your washing machine, that’s probably where the missing ones are. Edwin went into the Shark Tank asking for $50,000 for 25% equity in his socks, but failed to make a deal. Throx are still available online.

shark tank throx 3 socks


19. Llama Brew

Llama Brew is the first (and last) liquefied llama manure for retail sale. You can feed all your loved ones with this poop juice, by using it to fertilize your garden and grow your own food. This is premium crap folks, produced by a USDA approved llama, and liquified so you can have the unique experience of spraying excrement. Aida and Phil Lough went into the Shark Tank asking for $125,000 for a 10% share of their turd business, but failed to make a deal. You can visit the Llama Brew website to check on the current supply.


20. Pet Paint

Put down that can of Rustoleum! There’s a better way to spray paint your dog! Pet Paint is a completely safe way to add a little pizazz to your Schnauzer. If you’ve ever looked at Fido and thought, a nice green would really make him pop, then this is the product for you. Decorate your doggy with fun stencils, make a purple hamster, make your cat look like a skunk, the options are endless. After airing on Shark Tank, Pet Paint has grown into a big success, apparently there are lots of canine Michelangelos out there.

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