17 promising Shark Tank businesses that failed miserably 

Businesses are a tricky venture as there is no guarantee that they will be successful. Still, thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs come to Shark Tank every season to secure visibility and funds for their innovative products. There have been times when the show has helped scale a business and made them household names. But there have also been times when even with the help of sharks, the companies went defunct. Here are 17 such instances where businesses that came on Shark Tank failed.

1. The Breathometer

When founder Charles Michael Yim presented his breathalyzer that could connect via an app and monitor a person’s blood alcohol level, all the sharks were impressed with the product and invested together. But the company fell through the ranks when it got into trouble with the Federal Trade Commission over false claims and deceptive marketing. The company has closed shop since.

2. Foot Fairy

Founders Nicole Brooks and Sylvie Shapiro promised to help parents through their app that could accurately guess a child’s correct foot size. Marc Cuban offered to provide $100,000 for 40% equity but the deal never went through. It had ties with Zappos and an option to buy shoes from the app. The company soon went out of business due to app bug issues and is now defunct.

3. RuckPack

A founder and a marine himself, Rob Dyer, came to Shark Tank with high hopes and presented a unique energy drink that was free from caffeine and would help people in the armed forces. His product even won an investment from Kevin O’Leary and Robert Herjavec. However the company is not listed on Walgreens' website anymore, and it seems that for some unknown reason, the venture could not stay afloat.

4. ShowNo Towels

Founder Shelly Ehler appeared on the show with her line of towels that were attractively shaped like ponchos to be practical and fun for kids. Her convincing pitch even landed her a $75,000 cheque from Lori Greiner. But Ehler stated that Greiner wanted to change the terms of the deal the next day and problems arose. The company used to sell its products at Disney waterparks but that partnership also fell through.

5. You Smell Soap

Founder Megan Cummins's product regarding luxury soaps was a hit with the sharks and Robert Herjavec even offered $55,000 for 20% equity and another $50,000 in salary. But Cummins stated that Robert did not contact her after the deal and wanted 50% equity instead. Cummins turned down the new deal and sold the company to another investor before the venture went defunct.

6. Sweet Ballz

Co-founders James McDonald and Cole Egger enticed the sharks when they came with their innovative sweet balls that were basically cakes. The product’s convenience landed the two an offer with Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran providing the investment. The company was already selling at 7-Eleven stores. But it all came crashing down when McDonald sued Egger over breach of contract and unfair trade practices. The company soon went out of business.

7. KissTixx

The founders of the brand impressed the sharks with their innovative range of flavored lip balms that were designed for people who wanted to kiss each other and not want any bad breath. Kevin O’Leary and Barbara Corcoran even offered an investment towards the venture. But the company had an alleged deal with Walgreens that was misleading and the company is now defunct.

8. ToyGaroo

Nikki Pope presented her exciting subscription-based business model to the Sharks where parents could get monthly toys for their kids by paying a small fee. Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary even invested $250,000 in the venture. But things went south when the core team of the company disagreed about the free shipping policy by Cuban and O’Leary’s team. The company eventually sunk beneath the shipping and sourcing costs and is now defunct.

9. CATEapp

Neal Desai came up with an app that ended up doing more harm than good. His messaging app that would hide text messages from select contacts raised eyebrows about it being used for unethical reasons. But Desai’s take that the app would help victims of domestic abuse and law enforcement prompted Daymond John and Kevin O’Leary to offer $70,000 for 35% equity. However, the deal never went through and the app was taken down from app stores.

10. Wired Waffles

Roger Sullivan appeared on the show with a range of breakfast waffles that were infused with caffeine and promised users a kick of energy in the morning. However, the sharks were not impressed by Sullivan’s offering and no deal took place on the show. But it seems that the sharks could foretell what would happen as the company soon went under within a year and is now defunct.

11. Trunkster

Jesse Potash and Gaston Blanchet presented a new luggage option that had digital scales, USB ports, and GPS trackers. The product convinced Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner who invested $1.4 million in exchange for 15% equity. But the company could not succeed and the deal was reportedly never closed. The company was unable to keep up with the demand and people complained about not receiving the product and wanted refunds. Blanchet now runs Storypod which is doing much better.

12. Hy-Conn

Founder Jeff Stroope won Mark Cuban’s heart when he presented his invention that allowed firefighters to easily connect their hoses with fire hydrants. Cuban wanted to buy the entire company for $1.25 million and offered Stroope a $100,000 salary with royalties. However, Stroope alleged that Cuban wanted to alter the deal and push Stroope out, which made him unhappy. The deal fell through and the company’s website has nothing for sale.

13. Body Jac

Founder Jack Barringer came up with an innovative fitness machine that could make push-ups easier for people just starting on their fitness journey. Barbara Corcoran and Kevin Harrington even invested $180,000 for 50% equity but the product ultimately failed. Barringer even lost 30 pounds himself as part of the deal but the website was discontinued in 2012 and it remains a mystery as to why the company shut down.

14. Biem

Doug Foreman came up with a kitchen utensil that could spray butter and help people in their day-to-day lives. His product impressed the sharks and Lori Greiner invested $500,000 for 14% equity. But as it happens, the deal never went through, which added to the company’s woes. The company also started receiving complaints from people who were dissatisfied with the faulty products, leading to a failed Kickstarter campaign. The company now has a defunct website.

15. HillBilly

Founders Mike Abbatichio and Shon Lees enticed all the sharks with their already well-known brand of clothing. Multiple Sharks offered to invest in their venture but the founder-duo later stated that they only wanted free publicity from the show and were not interested in any investment, per FinanceBuzz. The brand is still there but it is not as big as it had hoped to be and was not able to scale successfully.

16. Qubits

Another company that failed to scale, this venture about a unique construction toy for kids allowed children to expand their imagination and build intricate figures with limitless possibilities. The toy even got an investment from Daymond John, who offered $90,000 for 51% equity. But the brand could not be largely successful and even though it is available online, It failed to land any branded deals with major retailers.

17. Brewer’s Cow

Another product that seemed to have potential but could not impress the sharks was this brand by Steve Albert that offered beer-flavored ice cream. Albert tried to insist that there was a real demand for such quirky flavored ice cream but the sharks refused to invest their money. Albert left the show without an offer and unluckily, he was not able to scale the business and his company has now closed down.