Here's What Happened To Caffeindicator After Shark Tank
Across its 14 seasons, "Shark Tank" has brought hundreds of hopeful entrepreneurs' ideas to fruition. For example, we're all familiar with Scrub Daddy and Stasher storage bags, both of which are considered to be among the best kitchen tools we've seen on "Shark Tank." But for each product that goes on to be a successful business venture after appearing on "Shark Tank," there are a handful of products that aren't so lucky.
One such gadget was the Caffeindicator. According to Shark Tank Tales, the Caffeindicator was featured in the very first season of the show, all the way back in 2010. Creator Michael Schiavone pitched his idea in episode 13, hoping to score a deal of $200k for 25% equity in the business. However, unlike SauceMoto and Safe Grabs, Schiavone's Caffeindicator did not find fame and fortune after its time in the "Shark Tank" spotlight. All that said, where is the Caffeindicator today?
Sleepless nights: Caffeindicator's backstory
We've all had those moments where we wonder how much caffeine is too much. Maybe it's after your fifth cup of coffee. Maybe it's as you pound a Red Bull before going back to your online video games. Maybe it's as you lie awake in the middle of the night, too jittery to fall asleep.
The Caffeindicator was born during one of Michael Schiavone's sleepless nights. Per Shark Tank Products, Schiavone had ordered a decaf coffee while on a business trip, but the coffee turned out to be caffeinated, leading him to create a test strip that resembled a sugar packet. Upon being dipped into a cup of coffee, the strip would change color if caffeine was present.
Schiavone proposed making the test strip part of a sweetener package, sort of a two-for-one product (via the Shark Tank Blog). With the assistance of a "Shark Tank" investor, Schiavone hoped to pitch the Caffeindicator to the big five sweetener companies –- such as Stevia –- and to his relief, he got two offers: Robert Herjavec would shell out Schiavone's desired 200k for 60% of the company, and only if he gets a deal with a sweetener company. Kevin Harrington offered him $200k for 50% of the business, also only if he nabs a sweetener company deal. Schiavone accepted the latter deal.
Where is Caffeindicator today?
As you've probably guessed, the Caffeindicator didn't make it much further than its appearance on "Shark Tank." Although founder Michael Schiavone convinced the sharks that his product could send the sweetener industry skyrocketing, he never took the next step -– actually contacting sweetener companies.
According to Gazette Review, Schiavone had not reached out to any companies about the Caffeindicator as of his "Shark Tank" feature, nor did he seem to have any intentions of doing so. In fact, shark Kevin O'Leary teased that Schiavone was "nasty" for aiming to provoke a bidding war among the top five sweetener companies.
Needless to say, the deal with Harrington never officially went through (via BizNews). Perhaps the Caffeindicator was either turned down by the sweetener companies; perhaps Schiavone never even followed through. Regardless of what happened, the Caffeindicator didn't make it to market, and the caffeine-avoiders of the world just have to carry on hoping the decaf coffee they just ordered is indeed actually decaf.