Shark Tank Season 18 Products, Deals, Founders and Episode Guide (Updated Weekly)
Every Shark Tank Season 18 pitch in one place: all 24 products from Episodes 1–6, every ask and deal, plus our Dilution Index showing founders gave up a median 2.45x the equity they offered. Updated after every episode.
Shark Tank Season 18 premiered on ABC on September 30, 2026 with a bigger cast than any season before it. Kendra Scott and Rashaun Williams were promoted to permanent Sharks alongside Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec and Daniel Lubetzky, and the guest chair has rotated through MrBeast and Beast Industries CEO Jeff Housenbold, Erin and Sara Foster, Steven Bartlett and Mindy Kaling, with J.J. Watt still to come.
This is the running guide. Every pitch, every ask, every on-air result, updated the morning after each episode airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC and streams on Hulu. Where we have published a full case file on a company, it is linked. And below the episode tables is something you will not find in any other recap: our Season 18 Dilution Index, which measures how far every founder's valuation fell between the ask and the handshake.
A note on "deals": an on-air handshake is not a closed investment. Every Shark Tank agreement goes through due diligence after taping and a meaningful share change or fall through. Where a closing has been publicly confirmed, we say so in the company's case file.
Season 18 at a Glance
24
Pitches aired
19
On-air deals
4
No deals
$4.28M
Equity cash agreed on air
Plus a $500,000 line of credit and a $50,000 gift
55%
Median valuation haircut, ask to deal
GAG Dilution Index, 16 deals with a disclosed ask
2.45x
Median equity multiple
Founders gave up 2.45 times the stake they offered
Source: Geeks Around Globe tally of on-air results, Episodes 1–6
| On-air deals by Shark, Season 18 Episodes 1–6 | |
|---|---|
| Kevin O'Leary | 5 |
| Lori Greiner | 5 |
| Kendra Scott | 3 |
| Barbara Corcoran | 2 |
| MrBeast / Beast Industries | 2 |
| Daymond John | 1 |
| Daniel Lubetzky | 1 |
| Rashaun Williams | 1 |
| Robert Herjavec | 1 |
| Erin & Sara Foster | 1 |
| Steven Bartlett | 1 |
| Mindy Kaling | 1 |
Source: Shared deals counted once for each participating Shark; MrBeast's $50,000 no-equity gift excluded
Episode 1: "Beast Mode" (September 30, 2026)
Guest Sharks: MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) and Jeff Housenbold, CEO of Beast Industries. Panel: Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Daniel Lubetzky.
The premiere set the tone for the season: all four founders left with money, including the first no-equity gift in the show's history.
| Company | Product | Ask | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding Weekender | Camcorder rental and editing service for DIY wedding videos | $350,000 for 10% | $350,000 for 20% with Kevin O'Leary |
| The Caulking Finger | Finger-shaped caulk-smoothing tool | $50,000 for 10% | $50,000 gift from MrBeast, no equity |
| Ball 2 | AI-powered sensor ball that invents games | $200,000 for 10% | $250,000 for 55% with MrBeast and Jeff Housenbold |
| Fundelivered | Mystery boxes of returned and unclaimed packages | $400,000 for 10% | $600,000 for 24% with Lori Greiner and MrBeast |
The story of the episode: two very different MrBeast deals. Ball 2's founders gave up majority control for $250,000 (our case file on what that means). Fundelivered, with $5 million in sales and no ad spend, got the season's biggest cheque after MrBeast and Lori cut Daniel Lubetzky out of a three-way offer (case file).
Episode 2: "Favorite Daughters" (September 30, 2026)
Guest Sharks: Erin and Sara Foster, producers and co-founders of the Favorite Daughter clothing label. Panel: Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Daniel Lubetzky.
| Company | Product | Ask | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellavate | Electric-assist stroller wagon | $150,000 for 5% | $150,000 for 10% with Erin and Sara Foster |
| Ollyball | Ultra-light indoor play ball | $250,000 for 2.5% | $250,000 for 8.5% with Lori Greiner |
| Cold Current Kelp | Maine-grown kelp facial oil | $100,000 for 10% | No deal |
| Skimpies | Adhesive organic-cotton liner for leggings | $250,000 for 3% | $250,000 for 8% with Barbara Corcoran |
The story of the episode: Ellavate had sold out its first 140 units at an average order value of about $1,730, and the Foster sisters made it their first investment as Sharks; our case file shows the $300,000 offer she declined carried the identical $1.5 million valuation. Ollyball's founder Joe Burke, a Toy of the Year winner, took Lori at more than three times the equity he offered. Cold Current Kelp's $1 million valuation did not survive the sales question.
Episode 3: "Diary of a Shark" (October 7, 2026)
Guest Shark: Steven Bartlett, Dragons' Den investor and host of The Diary of a CEO. Panel: Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Daniel Lubetzky, Kendra Scott.
| Company | Product | Ask | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pup Stack | Weighted dog anchor with retractable leash and storage | Not disclosed | $200,000 for 20% with Kendra Scott and Steven Bartlett |
| Nutcase | Cashew milk with electrolytes and protein, co-founded by Tyler "Ninja" Blevins | $250,000 for 5% | No deal |
| ZALT | Nicotine-free electrolyte pouches | $150,000 for 5% | $150,000 for 12.5% with Kevin O'Leary |
| UnderWarmer | Disposable air-activated heated compression shirt | Not disclosed | $100,000 for 20% with Kendra Scott, plus $0.50 per shirt royalty |
The story of the episode: the two most-debated pitches of the season so far. Nutcase had raised $1.8 million at a $10 million valuation, asked for $5 million, and heard Lubetzky value it at $500,000 (case file). ZALT's pouches were refused by three Sharks for looking like Zyn and funded by the fourth (case file).
Episode 4: "The Mindy Project" (October 14, 2026)
Guest Shark: Mindy Kaling. Panel: Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Daniel Lubetzky.
| Company | Product | Ask | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polygons | Flat-folding measuring spoons (six measures from two pieces) | $350,000 for 7% | $350,000 for 8% plus 2% advisory shares with Lori Greiner and Mindy Kaling, plus a separate $500,000 line of credit |
| Sunday Club | Print-only monthly puzzle newspaper | Not disclosed | $150,000 for 20% with Kendra Scott (Kevin O'Leary offered identical terms) |
| Bye Bye Button | Keyfob that triggers a realistic fake phone call | $25,000 for 10% | $25,000 for 25% with Kevin O'Leary and Robert Herjavec, plus $2.25 per unit royalty until $50,000 |
| Loli-Med | Lollipop-shaped medicine dispenser for children | $75,000 for 10% | $150,000 for 10% with Lori Greiner, plus $2.25 per unit royalty until $50,000 |
The story of the episode: a clean sweep, four for four, and the largest total package of the season for Polygons once the credit line is counted. Loli-Med's two pharmacist founders had their valuation doubled by Lori; our case file explains what the product's "FDA registered" label does and does not mean. Polygons walked in still fulfilling a $1.02 million Kickstarter from 2016 (case file), and Bye Bye Button took the smallest cheque of the season (case file).
Episode 5: "I Smell a Rat" (October 28, 2026)
No guest Shark. Panel: Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec.
| Company | Product | Ask | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donna's Pickle Beer | 4.4% lager brewed with real pickle brine | $250,000 for 2.5% | No deal |
| Vulcan Pest | Self-resetting bucket rat trap | $100,000 for 5% | $100,000 for 12.5% with Daymond John |
| Scratch LA Wellness | Private back-scratching and ASMR sessions | $80,000 for 10% | No deal |
| Hackees Lacrosse | Padded sticks for backyard lacrosse | $250,000 for 5% | $250,000 for 9% with Barbara Corcoran |
The story of the episode: none of the five Sharks liked the taste of Donna's Pickle Beer, and Kevin O'Leary's "five random drinkers" line became the clip of the week. The brand was already in 2,100 bars and raising from its own customers (case file). Vulcan Pest's founder turned down a Kevin O'Leary royalty structure for straight equity with Daymond; our case file works out why that was cheaper at any exit under $16 million.
Episode 6: "Kevin in a Head Lock" (November 4, 2026)
No guest Shark. Panel: Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Daniel Lubetzky, Kendra Scott, Rashaun Williams.
| Company | Product | Ask | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| HeroCovers | Car covers printed with a photo of your own vehicle; wrestler Bill Goldberg is a partner | $250,000 for 5% | $250,000 for 5% with Kevin O'Leary, plus $50 per cover royalty until $250,000 |
| Neat | Sweat-proof tees and undershirts | $400,000 for 5% | $400,000 for 15% with Lori Greiner, plus $0.75 per order royalty until $400,000 |
| Kore Baseball | Regulation-size baseball with a soft core for young players | $150,000 for 5% | $150,000 for 15% with Daniel Lubetzky and Rashaun Williams |
| DIME | MSG-based shake-on seasoning blends | $100,000 for 10% | $100,000 for 17% with Kevin O'Leary, plus $0.30 per package royalty until $100,000 |
The story of the episode: another sweep, and Kevin O'Leary's royalty playbook in full view. Three of the four deals carry a per-unit royalty until the Shark's money is repaid. HeroCovers was the only founder team all season to keep its asking valuation (case file). Neat's co-founder told GeekWire the deal was still being finalised after airing.
The GAG Season 18 Dilution Index
Recaps tell you what a founder asked for and what they took. They do not tell you what that gap cost. We calculated it for every Season 18 deal where the opening ask was disclosed on air: the valuation implied by the ask, the valuation implied by the handshake, the percentage haircut between them, and the equity multiple, meaning how many times the stake they offered the founders actually gave up.
| Company | Ask valuation | Deal valuation | Haircut | Equity multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball 2 | $2.00M | $0.45M | 77% | 5.5x |
| Ollyball | $10.00M | $2.94M | 71% | 3.4x |
| Neat | $8.00M | $2.67M | 67% | 3.0x |
| Kore Baseball | $3.00M | $1.00M | 67% | 3.0x |
| Skimpies | $8.33M | $3.13M | 62% | 2.7x |
| ZALT | $3.00M | $1.20M | 60% | 2.5x |
| Vulcan Pest | $2.00M | $0.80M | 60% | 2.5x |
| Bye Bye Button | $0.25M | $0.10M | 60% | 2.5x |
| Wedding Weekender | $3.50M | $1.75M | 50% | 2.0x |
| Ellavate | $3.00M | $1.50M | 50% | 2.0x |
| Hackees Lacrosse | $5.00M | $2.78M | 44% | 1.8x |
| DIME | $1.00M | $0.59M | 41% | 1.7x |
| Fundelivered | $4.00M | $2.50M | 38% | 2.4x |
| Polygons | $5.00M | $3.50M | 30% | 1.4x |
| HeroCovers | $5.00M | $5.00M | 0% | 1.0x |
| Loli-Med | $0.75M | $1.50M | +100% | 1.0x |
| Valuation haircut, ask to deal (GAG Dilution Index) | |
|---|---|
| Ball 2 | 77% |
| Ollyball | 71% |
| Neat | 67% |
| Kore Baseball | 67% |
| Skimpies | 62% |
| ZALT | 60% |
| Vulcan Pest | 60% |
| Bye Bye Button | 60% |
| Wedding Weekender | 50% |
| Ellavate | 50% |
| Hackees Lacrosse | 44% |
| DIME | 41% |
| Fundelivered | 38% |
| Polygons | 30% |
| HeroCovers | 0% |
Source: Geeks Around Globe calculation from on-air asks and accepted terms; Loli-Med (valuation doubled) omitted from the chart
Three things fall out of the table that no single recap shows:
The median Season 18 founder lost 55% of their valuation between walking in and shaking hands, and handed over 2.45 times the equity they offered. The ask is a negotiating position, and the Sharks are treating it as one. Only two deals held the line: HeroCovers took exactly what it asked for, and Loli-Med's two pharmacists had their valuation doubled by Lori Greiner.
The biggest haircuts went to the youngest companies. Ball 2 (six months of sales), Kore Baseball and Neat sit at the top. Fundelivered, with $5 million in revenue and a profit, and Polygons, with a decade of sales and a patent, took the smallest cuts of any multi-Shark deal. Bye Bye Button's $100,000 is the lowest implied valuation in the index. The Tank prices traction, not ideas.
The royalties are not what they look like. Six deals carry a per-unit royalty until the Shark is repaid. We converted each into the number of units the company has to sell before the royalty switches off. HeroCovers clears Kevin O'Leary's $250,000 after 5,000 covers, which is plausible within a year or two. Loli-Med and Bye Bye Button each need 22,222 units. DIME needs 333,333 seasoning packages. Neat's "$0.75 per order until $400,000 is repaid" needs 533,333 orders, which for a direct-to-consumer apparel brand is not a repayment clause, it is a permanent revenue share dressed as one. UnderWarmer's $0.50 per shirt was reported with no cap at all.
| Royalty deal | Terms | Units until royalty ends |
|---|---|---|
| HeroCovers | $50 per cover until $250,000 | 5,000 |
| Loli-Med | $2.25 per unit until $50,000 | 22,222 |
| Bye Bye Button | $2.25 per unit until $50,000 | 22,222 |
| DIME | $0.30 per package until $100,000 | 333,333 |
| Neat | $0.75 per order until $400,000 | 533,333 |
| UnderWarmer | $0.50 per shirt | No cap reported |
We will extend the index after every episode.
Coming Up: Episode 7, "Hoop Dreams" (November 11, 2026)
ABC's listing describes a trailer for basketball and football arcade games, size-inclusive underwear for men, a scented nose cover for diaper-duty dads, and hand-rolled bagels stuffed with comfort food. We will add results here the morning after it airs.
Season 18 Deal Patterns So Far
Royalties are back
Six of the 19 deals include a per-unit royalty, most of them Kevin O'Leary's. Founders are increasingly negotiating the cap rather than refusing the structure: Loli-Med and Bye Bye Button both talked their caps down before accepting. As the index above shows, the cap matters far more than the per-unit figure.
Guest Sharks are paying for distribution, not just equity
MrBeast and Housenbold's majority stake in Ball 2 and their share of Fundelivered were pitched explicitly as access to Beast Industries' audience and retail relationships. The Fosters' Ellavate deal and Mindy Kaling's Polygons deal follow the same logic.
The no-deals share a cause
Nutcase, Donna's Pickle Beer, Cold Current Kelp and Scratch LA Wellness all walked in with valuations the Sharks could not reconcile with the sales on the table. In three of the four cases the Sharks liked the product; they did not like the price.
Sept 30, 2026
Episodes 1 and 2 premiere back to back
MrBeast's first deals; the Foster sisters debut.
Oct 7, 2026
Episode 3: Steven Bartlett's debut
Nutcase no deal; ZALT funded by O'Leary.
Oct 14, 2026
Episode 4: Mindy Kaling guests
Four for four, including Polygons' $850,000 package.
Oct 28, 2026
Episode 5: Donna's Pickle Beer
Five Sharks dislike the taste; no deal.
Nov 4, 2026
Episode 6: four royalty-heavy deals
Nov 11, 2026
Episode 7: 'Hoop Dreams' airs
Season 18 Case Files on Geeks Around Globe
- Ball 2: MrBeast's 55% deal and the $455K valuation
- Fundelivered: the $600K mystery-box deal and what's really in the box
- Ellavate: why Megan Lancaster took half the money at the same price
- Nutcase: Ninja's cashew milk and the $10M-to-$500K valuation gap
- ZALT: Kevin O'Leary's deal and the Zyn lookalike problem
- Polygons: the $1M Kickstarter that took ten years to reach the Tank
- Bye Bye Button: the $25,000 deal that pays the Sharks back twice
- Loli-Med: Lori Greiner's deal and what "FDA registered" really means
- Donna's Pickle Beer: no deal, the tasting that went wrong
- Vulcan Pest: the $16 million question behind the rat-trap deal
- HeroCovers: Kevin paid full price, then added a $50-a-cover royalty
For last season's full guide, see Shark Tank Season 17 Products, Deals, Founders and Episode Guide. New to how the show works? Start with Shark Tank Explained: Cast, Applications and Deal Valuations.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Shark Tank Season 18 air?
Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. The season premiered September 30, 2026.
Who are the Sharks in Season 18?
Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, Daniel Lubetzky, and new permanent Sharks Kendra Scott and Rashaun Williams. Mark Cuban left at the end of Season 16.
Who are the guest Sharks in Season 18?
MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) and Jeff Housenbold, Erin and Sara Foster, Steven Bartlett, Mindy Kaling, and J.J. Watt.
What was the biggest deal of Season 18 so far?
Fundelivered's $600,000 for 24% from Lori Greiner and MrBeast is the largest equity cheque. Polygons' package of $350,000 for 8% plus a $500,000 line of credit is the largest total commitment.
Which Season 18 companies did not get a deal?
Cold Current Kelp (Episode 2), Nutcase (Episode 3), Donna's Pickle Beer and Scratch LA Wellness (Episode 5).
How much equity do Season 18 founders give up compared with their ask?
By our Dilution Index, the median founder gave up 2.45 times the equity they offered and accepted a 55% cut to their valuation. Only HeroCovers kept its asking terms, and only Loli-Med improved on them.
Did MrBeast invest on Shark Tank?
Yes. On the Season 18 premiere he and Jeff Housenbold took 55% of Ball 2 for $250,000 and joined Lori Greiner in a $600,000 deal for 24% of Fundelivered. He also gave The Caulking Finger's founder $50,000 with no equity.
Sources: ABC episode pages for Season 18; Shark Tank Index, Season 18; Wikipedia, Shark Tank season 18; Shark Tank Blog episode recaps; local press coverage cited in each linked case file. Deal terms are as reported on air; the Dilution Index is a Geeks Around Globe calculation from those terms; closings are confirmed only where stated in the individual case files.
The weekly question
From obsession to clarity — one original question every week.
We answer one noisy topic at a time, in full. No daily roundup, no thread bait — just the question, the principles, and the system.
More from shark-tank-usa-season-18
All season pitches
Shark Tank USA
Bye Bye Button Shark Tank Update: The $25,000 Deal That Pays the Sharks Back Twice
Shark Tank USA
HeroCovers Shark Tank Update: Kevin O'Leary Paid Full Price — Then Added a $50-a-Cover Royalty
Shark Tank USA