This article is about the American series. For the global TV franchise of which it is part, seeDragons' Den. For the Indian series, seeShark Tank India. For the Bangladeshi series, seeShark Tank Bangladesh. For the arena in California, seeSAP Center.
Shark Tank[b] is an American businessreality television series that premiered on August 9, 2009, onABC.[2] The show is the American franchise of the international formatDragons' Den, a British TV series, which itself is a remake of the Japanese TV show The Tigers of Money.[3] It showsentrepreneurs making business presentations to a panel of fiveangel investors (providers ofventure capital to early stagestart-ups) called "Sharks" on the program, who decide whether to invest in their companies.
The show features a panel of investors called "sharks," who decide whether to invest as entrepreneurs make business presentations on their company or product.[4][5] The sharks often find weaknesses and faults in an entrepreneur's product, business model or valuation of their company.[6] Some of the investors are usually kind-hearted and try to soften the impact of rejection, such as panel memberBarbara Corcoran, while others such asKevin O'Leary can be "brutal" and might show "no patience even for tales of hardship".[6] The sharks are paid as cast stars of the show, but a disclaimer at the start of each episode states the money they invest is their own.[7] The same disclaimer also states that no offer of investment is being made to the viewer. The entrepreneur can make ahandshake deal (gentleman's agreement) on the show if a panel member is interested. However, if all of the panel members opt out, the entrepreneur leaves empty-handed.[6]
The show is said to portray "the drama of pitch meetings and the interaction between the entrepreneurs and tycoons".[8] A pitch of around 45 minutes by a contestant is edited to about 11 minutes.[9] As of 2018, approximately 35,000 to 40,000 entrepreneurs apply each season with about 1,000 advancing to the next step, 150 getting to pitch the sharks, and fewer than 100 making it on the air; most episodes contain four pitches per broadcast hour.[10][11]
Shark cast member Kevin O'Leary believes about 20% of the handshake deals made on the show are never executed[11] due to the investors'due diligence process following the handshake deal, which includes product testing and examining the contestants' business and personal financials.[12] Fellow sharkRobert Herjavec believes that about 90% of those withdrawals come from the entrepreneur, in some cases due to only appearing on the program for publicity.[13]
The show is often responsible for what has become known as theShark Tank effect.[14] Simply appearing on the show, even without getting an offer, has the potential to significantly boost sales for companies.[15] Some entrepreneurs have reported 10- to 20-fold increases in daily revenues after the show's airing.[16]
Mr. Tod's Pies - first product featured on Shark Tank on August 9, 2009
Due to show popularity, companies have falsely advertised that they've appeared onShark Tank[22] when the air rate is 0.22% (88 aired of 40,000 applicants for 2018 season).[10][11] A full list of companies that actually appeared onShark Tank can be found on ABC's website,[22] with cult following websites such as AllSharkTankProducts.com, SharkTankContestant.com, Sharkalytics.com, SharkTankTales.com, and SharkTankSpotlight.com[23] documenting details and products for all companies, and Gazette Review documenting episode recaps and updates on what happened "afterShark Tank".[24]
As of September 24, 2025,[update] 365 episodes ofShark Tank have aired, currently in its seventeenth season.Shark Tank's seventeenth season premiered on September 24, 2025.
Shark Tank premiered in August 2009 and aired 14 episodes through January 2010. In August, it was renewed for a second season.
Season 2 premiered with a "sneak peek" episode on Sunday, March 20, 2011, before resuming its regular Friday night time slot on March 25, 2011. Season 2 had 9 episodes, 5 of them featuring new panel members. ComedianJeff Foxworthy[25] and Mark Cuban replaced panel memberKevin Harrington in those episodes.[26] In season 2, Kevin O'Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Daymond John, and Robert Herjavec appeared in all nine episodes; Harrington appeared in four, Cuban in three, and Foxworthy in two.[27]
Shark Tank's third season premiered in January 2012.[28][29] From the third season, Kevin Harrington was replaced byMark Cuban, while the "queen of QVC"Lori Greiner replaced Barbara Corcoran on 4 episodes.Kevin O'Leary,Daymond John,Robert Herjavec, andMark Cuban appeared in all 15 episodes of season three. In February, ABC ordered two additional episodes for season 3 using unaired footage, which brought the season's episode total to 15.[30][31]
On May 10, 2012,Shark Tank was renewed for a fourth season consisting of 26 episodes.[32] This is the first time the series received a full season order.[33] Filming began on June 30, 2012. According toTV Guide, as of December 2012, the show's panel members had invested $12.4 million in the business opportunities presented to them during that season.[34]
In 2013, ABC renewed the show for a fifth season.[35] Season 5 premiered on September 20, 2013.[36] In October 2013, ABC ordered an additional two episodes for the season. In December 2013, ABC ordered another four episodes, bringing the season order to 29 episodes.[37][38]Steve Tisch andJohn Paul DeJoria were added as panel members.[39][40]
In 2013,CNBC licensed exclusive off-network cable rights for the series from ABC.[41] In May 2014, ABC announced a sixth season starting in September 2014.[42] The series began its syndication run on CNBC on December 30, 2013.[43]
The ninth season of the show premiered on October 1, 2017, with guest sharkRichard Branson.[48] and a new, modern-looking set,Eames Lounge Chairs, penthouse views of a city,infinity pool, glass staircase to an upstairs lounge, and more space.[49][50][51]
The tenth season ofShark Tank subtitled "Decade of Dreams" premiered on October 7, 2018. The first episode of the 10th season marked the show's landmark 200th episode.[52]
On February 5, 2019, ABC announced at theTCA press tour thatShark Tank will return for an eleventh season,[53] which premiered on September 29, 2019.[54]
On May 21, 2020, ABC renewed the series for a twelfth season,[55] which premiered on October 16, 2020.[56]
On May 13, 2021, ABC renewed the series for a thirteenth season,[57] which premiered on October 8, 2021.[58]
On May 13, 2022, ABC renewed the series for a fourteenth season,[59] which premiered on September 23, 2022, with a first ever live episode.[60]
On May 16, 2023, ABC renewed the series for a fifteenth season,[61] which premiered on September 29, 2023.[62]
On November 27, 2023, Mark Cuban revealed that he would be leavingShark Tank following the show's sixteenth season.[63] On May 10, 2024, ABC officially renewed the series for a sixteenth season,[64] which premiered on October 18, 2024.[65] During the season, frequent guest sharkDaniel Lubetzky was promoted to one of the main sharks.[66]
On May 9, 2025, ABC renewed the series for a seventeenth season,[67] which premiered on September 24, 2025.[68]
Shark Tank is produced byMark Burnett and based on the formatDragons' Den, which originated in 2001 with the Japanese show,Tigers of Money.[4]Shark Tank, however, more closely resembles the format of theBritish version ofDragons' Den, which premiered in 2005.[69][70][34][71]
The show initially required each contestant to sign an agreement with Finnmax, the producer ofShark Tank, promising Finnmax the option of taking a "2% royalty" or "5% equity stake" in the contestant's business venture.[72] However, in October 2013, this requirement was repealed by the network, retroactively, due to pressure from panel memberMark Cuban.[73] Cuban felt the requirement would lower the quality of the entrepreneurs, as savvy investors would be wary of trading away a portion of their company just for appearing on the show.[72] A number of potential entrepreneurs had declined to participate in the show for this reason.[74]
During the 12th season, the show was moved toLas Vegas, Nevada. Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the 12th season was produced in a quarantine bubble (which applied to the production staff but not the sharks or entrepreneurs themselves), the set was partially rearranged so the sharks' chairs were at least six feet away from each other, and the sharks would not come up to the entrepreneurs to shake their hands when a deal was made (a wave or "long-distance fist bump" was used instead). In future seasons, the handshakes returned but the chairs have remained separated.[75]
In 2015, ABC launched a companion series,Beyond the Tank, which shows the current state of companies that appeared onShark Tank, including both those that made a deal and those that were rejected by investors.[76] Two seasons ofBeyond the Tank have aired so far, one in 2015 and one in 2016.[77][78]
A prime time special titledShark Tank: Greatest of All Time premiered on February 26, 2020.[79]
A children's version ofShark Tank has been announced as being in early development in June 2023.[80]
During its first season,Shark Tank saw a mostly positive reception. Josh Wolk ofEntertainment Weekly wrote, "The moneymen ask informed questions and make shrewd decisions, a welcome relief fromDonald Trump's capricious calls on Burnett'sCelebrity Apprentice".[81] Heather Havrilesky fromSalon said that "ABC'sShark Tank is easily the best new reality TV show to air this summer."[82] Tom Shales ofThe Washington Post wrote, "It sounds gimmicky and visually tedious, with most of the so-called action taking place in a conference room. It's all those things, but the moments of misery make it memorable."[6] Shales noted that the series was premiering during an economic recession, and that many of the aspiring entrepreneurs had poured significant amounts of money into their businesses; he praised "how deftly the show personalizes the desperation and pain experienced by victims of a broken down economy."[6] And David Hinckley of theNew York Daily News said, "Once you get past its somewhat misleading title, Mark Burnett's newShark Tank is a well-paced hour that offers entertainment without humiliation."[83]
During the first two seasons, the series barely peaked at 5 million viewers, with season 2 only having 9 episodes in its run. By season 3, the show's viewership went past 5 million and started to crack the top 100 in the ratings. By 2012, the show averaged over 6 million viewers per episode. It is the most watched program on Friday nights in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic.[84][citation needed] As a result, ABC added three more episodes to the original season order of 22. In its sixth season, the series reached over 9 million per episode, becoming its most successful season to date.
Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill, Philip Gurin, Yun Lingner, Jim Roush, Max Swedlow, Bill Gaudsmith, Becky Blitz, Sami Aziz, Heather Dreiling, Michael Kramer, Laura Skowlund and Kate Ryu
Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill, Philip Gurin, Yun Lingner, Jim Roush, Max Swedlow, Brandon Wallace, Becky Blitz, Laura Skowlund, Sami Aziz, Heather Dreiling, Michael Kramer, Kate Ryu, Dominique Worden and Ian Sambor
Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill, Yun Lingner, Philip Gurin, Max Swedlow, Brandon Wallace, Becky Blitz, Sami Aziz, Heather Dreiling, Kate Ryu and Dominique Worden
Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill, Yun Lingner, Philip Gurin, Max Swedlow, Brandon Wallace, Becky Blitz, Sami Aziz, Heather Dreiling, Michael Kramer, Shaun Polakow, Laura Roush, Kate Ryu and Dominique Worden
Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill, Yun Lingner, Philip Gurin, Max Swedlow, Brandon Wallace, Becky Blitz, Sami Aziz, Heather Dreiling, Shaun Polakow, Laura Roush, Kate Ryu, Dominique Worden, Alan Kirk and Christina Reynolds
Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill, Yun Lingner, Max Swedlow, Phil Gurin, Brandon Wallace, Becky Blitz, Laura Roush, Heather Dreiling, Sami Aziz, Shaun Polakow, Alan Kirk, Christina Reynolds, Nicole Edholm and Shawn Aly
Shark Tank has been a part of severalcrossovers with other TV shows.Jimmy Kimmel has pitched onShark Tank (pants for horses) as a comedy skit which aired on his show,Jimmy Kimmel Live![160] Disney'sPhineas and Ferb character,Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, pitched his invention on the 2013 season finale in a cross-over episode.[161] On the Season 6 Episode "The Tank" ofGrace and Frankie, Grace and Frankie pitch their Rise Up toilet invention to the Sharks.[162]
Saturday Night Live has parodiedShark Tank withChris Rock pitching a parodiedISIS asking for support in going after "Western pigs and vile Jews",[163] prompting Daymond John to state that he found the skit "insensitive".[163]
After the success of the originalShark Tank series, several countries have launched their own localized versions under the same name, adhering to copyright guidelines and obtaining rights to use theShark Tank branding. Examples includeShark Tank India,Shark Tank Bangladesh, andShark Tank Pakistan These adaptations retain the core concept of the show, where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors in hopes of securing funding, thus continuing the original show's influence and format across various markets.Today it was announced that the Lebanese channel LBCI is preparing aShark Tank Lebanon and it will air soon in the fall season.
^Schawbel, Dan (June 4, 2012)."Shark Tank Roundtable – Their Best and Worst Deals".Forbes.Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 11, 2017.When we started dealing with these ["Hill Billy"] guys they said "we just wanted to be on TV for the free advertisement, we didn't really want to do a deal with you."
^Andy Dehnart (May 11, 2012)."'Shark Tank's' Sneak Attack!".The Daily Beast.Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. RetrievedOctober 11, 2013.Based onDragon's Den, the U.K. version of a Japanese format, Shark Tank gives people...
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