The show features pitches by entrepreneurs seeking guidance and venture
Now leading TROBO from their offices at
capital from a room full of notable, veteran business leaders. Several Corridor
Canvs Coworking Space & Starter Studio, the
startups have been fortunate to land an investment deal with the sharks.
co-founders suspect they were lucky to be
discovered by “Shark Tank” producers during a
Orlando’s TROBO the Storytelling Robot recently gained fame when co-
popular toy industry tradeshow.
founders Jeremy Scheinberg and Chris Harden appeared during the seventh
season.
“There’s a deficit of kids who are interested in
science and engineering and we’re trying to
Scheinberg and Harden agree the show’s popularity stems not only from its
make it more interesting for them … I think what
ability to introduce new products or services, but also because it packages
helped us get on the show was they realized not
lessons about starting a business and attracting investors in an entertaining
just our personal story, but the good we’re trying
format.
to accomplish with our product,” said Scheinberg.
“People not only learn about new products or services, but they also learn
“It wasn’t until March of last year … that “Shark
about the economics of building a new company – what it takes to get
Tank” really came into the picture,” added
something designed, manufactured, funded and brought to market,”
Harden, who had never before heard of the
Scheinberg explained.
show. “They called us.”
When the two dads met at Startup Weekend Orlando 2013, they shared an
IT WAS A PHONE CALL THAT WOULD
CHANGE THEIR LIVES.
“Ah-Ha!” moment for their invention. Disappointed by the mindless toys and
mobile applications available for their young children, Scheinberg and Harden
put their creative storytelling backgrounds and technology skills to work in
When the episode aired – nine months after
creating a better alternative. The result was TROBO, a wirelessly connected
the in-studio recording – viewers saw Robert
cuddly toy that reads stories about science and math to children using tablets
Herjavec, “Shark Tank” personality and self-made
and mobile phones. It harnesses young children’s innate curiosity about the
multimillionaire, offer TROBO a $166,000 deal for 33
world around them through math and science games that answer questions,
percent equity. Unfortunately, in the months that
such as ‘How does a car work?’ and ‘Why is the moon out during the day?’
followed, they weren’t able to close the deal.
After securing a Small Business Innovation Research grant and launching
However, TROBO co-founders still reaped the
a successful crowdfunding campaign, Scheinberg – inspired by childhood
benefits of exposure on national television. The
vacations to become a theme park engineer – and Harden – a video game
company’s appearance on “Shark Tank” not only
developer hooked on technology by an electrical circuits class – quit their jobs
reached millions of viewers, but also attracted
to pursue TROBO full time.
tens of thousands of visitors to TROBO’s website
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