In 2016, Don Lessem and Valerie Jones founded Dino Don, a company that creates life-sized robotic dinosaurs for museums and zoos.
In May 2021, they appeared on Shark Tank and secured a $500,000 investment from Mark Cuban for 25% equity, valuing the company at $2 million.
Following the show, Dino Don’s annual revenue grew to $4.2 million. The company has expanded its collection to over 1,000 species, including dragons and ice-age creatures, and has formed partnerships with institutions like Universal Studios.
As of 2025, Dino Don’s net worth is estimated at $4 million.
Dino Don Net Worth
| Net Worth | $4 million (2025) |
| Annual Sales Revenue | $4.2 million (2025) |
| Shark Tank Investor | Mark Cuban |
| Lifetime sales | $15 million (2021) |
| Founders | Don Lessem & Valerie Jones |
| Employees | 11-50 |
Dino Don Pitch on Shark Tank
| Company name | DinoDon |
| Product | Life-sized dinosaur animatronics |
| Episode | Season 12 Episode 25 |
| Founders | Don Lessem and Valerie Jones |
| Asked for | $500,000 for 10% equity |
| Final deal | $500,000 for 25% equity |
| Shark | Mark Cuban |
| Location | Medina, Pennsylvania |
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Dino Don Founder
Dino Don was founded by Don Lessem and Valerie Jones in 2016. Don Lessem is a writer. He has written more than 50 science books, which specialize in dinosaurs. And also, he was the founder of the Dinosaur Society and the Jurassic Foundation. The other founder, Valerie Jones is Don Lessem’s wife, and she is a non-profit fundraiser. Dino Don’s founders, Don Lessem and Valerie Jones, have an estimated net worth of around 5 million USD as of 2025.
Key accomplishments
| Year | Accomplishment |
| 2021 | Appeared on Shark Tank Season 12, and shark Mark Cuban invested $500,000 in the startup for 25% share. |
| 2022 | After appearing on shark tank Dino Don produced more than 1000 dinosaur species, which was 150 species before appearing on Shark Tank. |
| 2022 | They developed partnerships with Universal Studios and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in addition to Russia, China, Mongolia, and Argentina. |
Conclusion
From their beginnings on Shark Tank to their current status as a thriving business, they have proven that with the right idea and execution, anything is possible. We can’t wait to see the future for DinoDon and its continued success.