For more than a decade, the world of venture capital has made its way into American households each week through the incredibly popular show, Shark Tank. As a result, research shows that entrepreneurism has experienced a sharp uptick since the show's pilot in 2009.
We decided to take a look at this Shark Tank companies list and analyze the best-selling products using Sourcescrub's private company intelligence platform. Let's dive into the key similarities and highlights to see what dealmakers can learn.
More than a quarter of the companies behind the most successful Shark Tank products hail from the Golden State. With 10% of Fortune 500 companies operating out of California, perhaps the entrepreneurial spirit is strongest in locales closest to Silicon Valley. Overall, more than 26 states are on the list, representing entrepreneurs and hopefuls from nearly every walk of life.
From fashion to farming, the breadth of industries featured in our Shark Tank companies list is impressive. However, it's worth noting that food/beverage and food production businesses account for 20% of the list, while alternative medicine makes up nearly 10% - despite Mark Cuban's well-known disdain for the category!
It should come as no surprise that 98% of those on the list are business-to-consumer (B2C) companies. Given the format of the show, the usual expectation of showmanship, and the entertainment of watching the Sharks try out presenters' products (even the weird ones), it makes sense that the most successful products are those aimed at the general public.
Where Shark Tank really sets itself apart is in the makeup of the entrepreneurs themselves. Just 2 out of 3 are male; the same ratio as the judges themselves. This is a stark contrast to the larger corporate world where men outnumber women 17 to 1.
Given all that can be learned about the companies following their initial appearances and subsequent Shark Tank updates on the show, perhaps the most important statistic for dealmakers is their funding status. More than 60% of the most successful products are from bootstrapped companies, proving just how easy it is for businesses today to successfully get started and grow with little to no capital.
This underlines the need for firms to start identifying and building relationships with companies much earlier in their lifecycles if they hope to beat out the investment competition. Fortunately, the latest private company intelligence platforms make this easier than ever by surfacing hard-to-find bootstrapped businesses with highly accurate data, from founder contact information and recent industry news to conferences they plan to attend and open job opportunities.
After reviewing the aggregate data for our Shark Tank companies list, we used Sourcescrub to rank them by 3-month growth rate. In alphabetical order, here are the top 10:
Aquapaw, LLC offers the Aquapaw Bathing Tool, which is designed to make bath time for both pets and owners a more enjoyable (and less stressful) experience. Aquapaw's bathing system combines the water sprayer and rubber scrubber into an intuitive glove, reducing the time spent washing your pet.
Bala Bangles, LLC is a Los Angeles-based fitness and movement company owned by a wife and husband duo. The company offers a range of products and services, including its titular product: the Bala Bangle, the world's first stylish wearable wrist weights. The company now offers fitness and exercise classes both in its NYC studio as well as online, and has expanded its gear offering to include pilates balls, weighted jump ropes, and more.
Bug Bite Thing, Inc. educates the world on a better way to alleviate the effects of mosquito, bee, wasp, and ant bites and stings. The company provides an easy-to-use, chemical-free suction tool that extracts insect saliva or venom from under the skin to help alleviate the itching, stinging, and swelling.
Dreamland Baby Co. specializes in doctor-approved weighted sleep solutions such as sacks and blankets for infants and children from newborns to 3 year-olds, promoting safe sleep for healthy and happy families.
flipstik, LLC is the creator of a patented adhesive known as Synthetic Seate. Developed from NASA research based on gecko feet, flipstik uses an adhesive patch to mount smartphones to any material. From the NASA Moon Base Alliance in Hawaii to content creators around the world, flipstik makes it easy to shoot video without the usual shakiness due to hand-holding.
Schubert and Schubert, LLC doing business as FUR, LLC specializes in cosmetics meant for solving troublesome issues for frequently-shaved hair, no matter where it's located. Their "fur oil," stubble cream, ingrown concentrate, and now full range of hair products offer relief, comfort, and care for all skin and hair.
Genius Juice, LLC produces coconut smoothies that are made from organic coconut products, including coconut meat and water, and do not contain concentrates or preservatives, enabling customers to enjoy healthy and delicious coconut smoothies.
LovePop, Inc. designs and manufactures magical pop-up greeting cards inspired by popular childhood pop-up books. The company provides pop-up greeting cards for various occasions, such as birthdays, new babies, weddings, "just because," get well, sympathy, holidays, and Valentine's Day.
Before she could even drink, NightCapIt's founder, then-16-year-old Shirah Benarde, knew about the dangers of drink spiking. The company's innovative product combines a protective drink cover with a stylish hair scrunchie that can also be worn as a wristband, resulting in an ultra-convenient, reusable, and stylish drink spiking deterrent.
Outer, Inc. is a direct-to-consumer outdoor furniture brand with a novel Neighborhood Showroom concept. It inspires happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives through innovative outdoor furniture and lifestyle products.
There's plenty more private company data where this came from! To download our full analysis of Shark Tank's best performing and top selling products, as well as get a better sense of what Sourcescrub can do, click here.
