"Incredible validation" – Shark Tank entrepreneur Jared Ebersole on pitching his product to investors

Shark Tank, the popular business reality show, offers entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of investors. This Friday, 24-year-old Jared Ebersole and Luke St. Amand will step onto the show’s stage to present Lectec, their company that sells build-your-own electric skateboard kits.

Ebersole, CEO and co-founder of Lectec, is a native of Catawissa and a 2019 graduate of Southern Columbia Area High School. He described the experience as “surreal,” saying,

“We’ve always believed in Lectec’s potential, but seeing the Sharks react to it in real-time was an incredible validation of everything we’ve built.”

The duo will also showcase the RailCore Battery Enclosure System and discuss their plans to introduce a coding feature that allows users to program LED lights and vehicle behaviors. The episode featuring Lectec airs on ABC at 8 p.m. Friday and will be available for streaming on Hulu the following day.

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Lectec's journey to Shark Tank and beyond

Ebersole’s interest in electric skateboards began in 2015 when he found it difficult to stay engaged in school. After seeing a video of an electric skateboard, he decided to build one himself. Over time, he became a self-taught electrical and mechanical engineer, designing, manufacturing, and selling every part of an electric skateboard from his parents’ home.

In high school, he founded Build Kit Boards in 2017 and ran it through college. Later, he sold a majority share of the company in 2023 to fully commit to Lectec. That same year, his best friend, Luke St. Amand, who had first approached him on campus about his skateboard, joined him full-time after leaving his engineering job at Amazon.

The company was born after Ebersole gifted an electric skateboard to his nephew, who wanted to understand how it worked. This moment led to the creation of kits that teach students engineering by helping them assemble their own battery-powered vehicles.

Lectec launched a beta program with 50 families in New York City, partnering with Mineola High School to develop the product and curriculum. By attending trade shows and refining their kits, the company started gaining traction.

The kits include step-by-step instructions, tools, and parts to assemble battery-powered skateboards and scooters. They can reach speeds of 8-10 mph and travel up to three miles on a full charge.

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Preparing for Shark Tank

When Lectec applied to appear on Shark Tank in 2024, they spent months preparing. Ebersole described the process as rigorous, stating,

"You're practicing daily, you memorize the speech, you're saying it backward, you think of every question that could ever be asked, and you're watching every episode of Shark Tank. I did everything I could to be prepared."

After completing the application process, they traveled to California for filming.

Walking onto the Shark Tank stage felt surreal for the duo. Though nervous, Ebersole said everything "clicked" once they started discussing their mission. The Shark Tank experience provided valuable exposure for Lectec, validating their efforts and highlighting the potential of their STEM-focused kits.

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Future plans and expansion

Many people had asked them if they had been on Shark Tank shortly after starting Lectec, making their appearance on the show a major milestone. Their pitch aimed to secure funding and strategic partnerships to expand their presence in schools and after-school programs while growing their presence in the consumer market.

They also plan to integrate coding and artificial intelligence into their kits, allowing students to analyze real-time data from their electric skateboards.

Lectec’s DIY kits have already been incorporated into the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit Girls STEM Summer Camp in Milton, where students built and rode their own electric skateboards. Watching students engage with the kits firsthand reinforced Ebersole and St. Amand’s commitment to STEM education.

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A teacher's perspective & full circle moment

Ebersole’s high school business teacher, Lori Becker, recalled his strong entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. She described him as “a star business student” and said he was always reliable and responsible.

He had served as treasurer and president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club during his junior and senior years. When he told her about auditioning for Shark Tank, she expressed her pride in him and said she had always believed he would succeed.

Following their appearance on the show, Ebersole plans to return to his high school to watch the episode with students and share his experiences. His journey—from selling gum in second grade to building electric skateboards in his parents’ basement—has now come full circle with Lectec’s expansion.

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The next episode of Shark Tank airs on Friday, February 7, at 8/7c on ABC.