Pluie – The Power of the Shark Tank Effect!

For years, parents have been changing diapers in filthy public restrooms. Pluie hopes to change that by creating the world's first self-sterilizing diaper changing table. Founders Addie Gundry and Brittany Hizer pitched their product on “Shark Tank,” but no deal was made. After “Shark Tank,” Pluie was valued at $8 million.

Founder of Pluie

Addie Gundry, originally from Keller, Texas, started out as a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant owned by Christian Etienne in France. She returned to the United States and became a successful executive chef.

After working as an executive assistant at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she became the star of Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen. Gundry has published 24 cookbooks containing more than 1,000 recipes.

Brittany Hizer is from Chicago and graduated from Northwestern University. Hizer is a former owner of Crestliner Boats and a fitness enthusiast. Previously, she designed exercise bikes, treadmills and cross-training machines.

Pluie's inspiration

As a mother of two, Addie dislikes using public changing tables. This inspired her to pause her career in the kitchen to produce hygiene products for moms and babies around the world.

She works with Brittany, who serves as COO. The ladies had a small team help them develop a diaper changing station that features a patented UV-C light system that eliminates 99.9% of bacteria and viruses.

Once the table is folded, the UV-C light is said to do its job in just one minute, making it very convenient to use public restrooms. Gundry and Hizer launched Pluie in 2020 as people began to take hygiene more seriously.

On “Shark Tank”

Pluie's success didn't happen overnight, but the company is slowly expanding. Their products are currently found in public restrooms in parks, stadiums and airports in more than 20 states. In late 2022, the startup won the Chicago Innovation Awards “Rising Star” award.

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In early 2022, the founders applied to work on Season 14 of Shark Tank and were selected from approximately 40,000 applicants. Of the 40,000 Shark Tank videos, 140 have aired, 96 of which have aired. Once they found out their segment was being aired on television, the pair worked hard to get their inventory ready for broadcast. They appeared on the show seeking $500,000 for 5% equity.

Pluie's success after “Shark Tank”

The episode aired in March 2023, and the founders noticed a sharp increase in customer interest. Pluie adopts a B2B model, which is different from the consumer products usually displayed at the exhibition. They also plan to release a consumer product later in 2023. A few days before their debut, they announced that 50 Pluie changing tables would be installed at the Indianapolis International Airport.

You can check out their diaper changing tables at HelloPluie.com. There are no customer reviews on their website, but the product was listed in Time magazine's 100 Best Inventions of 2021. There are approximately 4 million public restrooms in the United States, which is a huge opportunity!

This is a great product that solves a real problem for parents, and the exposure on Shark Tank will take it to the next level. According to Linkedin, the startup is valued at $8 million and has 12 employees.

Categories: Shark Tank
Source: svlsf.edu.vn

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