AnHome Smart-Home Startup Still Active After Shark Tank Deal With Sunhouse

Is AnHome still in business after Shark Tank Vietnam? The answer is yes. AnHome, the Vietnamese smart-home startup that once faced tough criticism on Shark Tank Vietnam Season 4, is still active in 2025. Its survival is largely due to a strategic deal with Shark Nguyễn Xuân Phú, the chairman of Sunhouse Group. While AnHome did not grow into a billion-dollar independent company, it secured long-term life by embedding its technology into Sunhouse’s household appliances.

The Shark Tank Pitch That Surprised Investors

When founders Bùi Thành Ninh and Nguyễn Phú Quảng appeared on Shark Tank Vietnam, they presented an idea that promised to change how people viewed smart homes. Their product was not a luxury system costing hundreds of dollars but a tiny $5 IoT module. This device could transform basic machines such as lights, fans, and purifiers into connected, smart devices controlled through an app.

The pitch generated mixed reactions. Some Sharks were impressed by the technology’s simplicity and affordability. Others doubted its business potential. At the time of the pitch, AnHome had already invested nearly 3.4 billion VND (around 147,000 USD) into research and development. Despite this heavy spending, the company had earned only 1.5 billion VND (65,000 USD) in revenue during 2020.

That imbalance between high R&D spending and modest sales made some Sharks skeptical. One of them openly said, “The revenue after more than a year is too weak.” This comment reflected the main concern: AnHome’s technology worked, but the team lacked experience in scaling sales and building strong distribution channels.

The founders asked for 100,000 USD for 10 percent equity, valuing the company at $1 million. In the end, Shark Phú offered the same 100,000 USD but demanded 40 percent equity, cutting the valuation down to $250,000. The founders accepted, knowing that Sunhouse’s backing could help them break through their growth barrier.

Why Sunhouse Decided to Invest

Why did Sunhouse, one of Vietnam’s largest appliance brands, decide to take a chance on AnHome when other Sharks passed? The answer lies in strategy. Sunhouse wanted to move quickly into the smart-home space without waiting years to build its own IoT division. By investing in AnHome, Sunhouse instantly gained access to proven technology and a ready engineering team.

The deal also included a unique clause. If AnHome failed as an independent startup, the founders would join Sunhouse directly as employees. This meant Sunhouse had little to lose. Either the company would succeed on its own and make money, or Sunhouse would still gain the talent and technology it paid for. In startup language, this looked more like an “acqui-hire” than a normal venture investment.

This kind of strategic deal is common in industries where speed matters. Instead of spending years developing smart modules internally, Sunhouse paid $100,000 to fast-track its entry into the growing smart-appliance market.

From Startup to Sunhouse Partner

What happened after the Shark Tank deal? AnHome began working closely with Sunhouse’s R&D department. The first target product was the Sunhouse R.O. water purifier line, one of the company’s best-selling categories.

Within a year of the deal closing in January 2022, Sunhouse launched the SHA8827K, a water purifier equipped with AnHome’s IoT modules. The purifier allowed users to monitor filter life, water quality, and machine performance from their phones. For the first time, Sunhouse could advertise an IoT-enabled household product, bringing smart features to middle-class families at an affordable price.

This confirmed that AnHome’s technology was not just theoretical. It worked in real-world consumer products sold nationwide. A Sunhouse representative said:

“Our goal is to provide modern but affordable products for the mass market. AnHome’s IoT solution helped us achieve this faster.”

The purifier launch proved that Shark Phú’s bet paid off. While AnHome did not suddenly dominate the smart-home industry on its own, its technology became a backbone of Sunhouse’s smart product strategy.

What Happened to AnHome’s Own Products

Even while working with Sunhouse, AnHome did not shut down its independent product line. The company still sells over 40 smart-home products, including smart sockets, Wi-Fi switches, and smart lighting solutions.

These devices continue to attract positive feedback from customers. Online reviews show average ratings of 4.5 out of 5 stars. This suggests that AnHome’s engineering team consistently delivers high-quality products. The problem that held them back was never technology. It was distribution. Without strong retail channels, their affordable $5 modules had a limited reach.

Partnering with Sunhouse solved that problem. Sunhouse’s wide distribution network allowed AnHome’s technology to reach more households. This partnership improved credibility and helped offset competition from international giants like Xiaomi.

According to VnEconomy, Xiaomi currently holds the top recognition in Vietnam’s smart-home market. Yet AnHome’s strategy of focusing on ultra-low-cost modules keeps it relevant. The average Vietnamese consumer spends carefully, and a $5 add-on is easier to adopt than a $200 smart-home kit.

The Curious Case of Two AnHomes

During this research, an unusual fact surfaced: there are two companies called AnHome. The first, AnHome Smarthome JSC, is the IoT company from Shark Tank based in Hanoi. The second, AnHome Group in Ho Chi Minh City, works in real estate and serviced apartments.

Why the overlap? One possible explanation is strategy. By running serviced apartments, the founders may have created a guaranteed channel to install AnHome’s smart devices in bulk. For example, a new apartment unit managed by AnHome Group could come pre-fitted with IoT switches or smart plugs. This ensures steady demand without depending solely on retail sales.

If true, this would be a clever move. Smart-home adoption in Vietnam remains low, with only about 2.8 percent of apartments equipped with smart technology. Owning a real estate channel could give AnHome a head start in creating model apartments that showcase its products.

AnHome’s Net Worth in 2025

What is AnHome’s net worth today? The honest answer is that it cannot be verified. Since AnHome is a private company, it does not publish revenue or valuation figures. No public funding rounds have been reported after the Shark Tank deal.

The last confirmed valuation came in January 2022, when Shark Phú invested $100,000 for 40 percent equity. That deal implied a post-money valuation of $250,000. Any figure beyond that would be speculative.

However, we can measure AnHome’s current health in another way: through outcomes. The successful integration of its IoT technology into Sunhouse appliances, the continued sales of its B2C products, and the leadership stability under CEO Bùi Thành Ninh all point to a company that is still alive and functional in 2025.

So while we cannot provide an exact net worth, the evidence shows that AnHome remains a valuable strategic asset within the Sunhouse ecosystem.

Did AnHome Really Take Off?

If you define success as becoming a billion-dollar startup, then no, AnHome did not take off in that way. But if success means survival, technology adoption, and becoming part of a major corporate ecosystem, then the answer is yes.

AnHome’s $5 IoT module went from being a pitch on TV to powering real Sunhouse products. Its founders remained in charge, its customers still give high ratings, and its presence in both tech and real estate suggests a long-term survival plan.

In short, AnHome is still in business after Shark Tank Vietnam. Its path may not be flashy, but it is steady. And for a startup once predicted to fail, that is a remarkable achievement.