Rob AriasEmeryville-based LED Bicycle light startup Revolights made a spirited appearance on the Entrepreneur panel reality show “Shark Tank” Friday March 7th on ABC. Their product is pretty awesome and it’s hard to imagine anyone who watches the demo video below not wanting one. Stanford University grad Kent Frankovich, represented Revolights on the show alone, but the company is a partnership between Frankovich and friend Adam Pettler. The two grew up together in Walnut Creek.
His pitch was well received by all five sharks and Frankovich withstood the routine grilling that contestants receive (including an accusation by Mark Cuban that they were just there for publicity). The winning bid was from Robert Herjavec who offered $300,000 (twice what he went on the show to ask for) in exchange for a 10 percent stake in Revolights. Revolights is currently operated by seven employees.
Emeryville startup Revolights makes a pitch on ‘Shark Tank’
On Friday, a co-founder of an East Bay startup will appear on the reality show “Shark Tank,” where he will be subjected to a ruthless panel of multi-millionaire judges who may throw money his way — or humiliate him on prime-time television.
It’s a risk Revolights, an Emeryville company that invented high-tech bicycle lights that aim to improve bicyclist safety, was willing to take to have a shot at a bit of fame and fortune. Revolights Co-Founder Kent Frankovich will appear on the hit ABC series, which airs Friday at 6 p.m., and will attempt to woo a panel of entrepreneurs and win their financial investment in his small company.
“We saw it as a great opportunity to get with these guys that have an incredible network and incredible expertise in small business, so we said ‘OK we’ll do it,'” Frankovich said.
But he also is slightly terrified of how he, and Revolights, will appear on the show, which is one of the network’s most-watched evening programs.
“It’s just the craziest nerves, just knowing that 8 million people are going to watch it,” he said, “and you have no control over how they’re going to edit it.”
Read more on SJ Mercury News →
Emeryville Startup Revolights Lands $300K Investment On “Shark Tank”
On Friday, San Francisco entrepreneur Kent Frankovich made a 10-minute prime time TV appearance, and went home with $300,000.
Frankovich, co-founder and CEO of startup Revolights, made a pitch for his LED bicycle light invention on the ABC reality TV show Shark Tank, a program notorious for its cutthroat competition. Frankovich not only stood up under the pressure of five ruthlessly critical judges, he also impressed them enough to land a $300,000 investment – twice what he went on the show to ask for.
On “Shark Tank,” budding entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to a panel of millionaire and billionaire tycoons and get an immediate answer — either a resounding ‘yes’ to investing for a stake in the company, or a deflating ‘no’ likely followed by some ruthless criticism.
Read more on Silicon Beat →
Watch on ABC.com → (Requires Cable subscription verification).
Purchase Revolights through their website, at their shop on 63rd & Hollis or on REI.com
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