CO.ALITION Backpacks Update | Shark Tank Season 7

While making backpacks for hikers, Jeff Popp and Casey Lorenzen noticed that commuters had a harder time keeping their devices charged and organized. To fix this, they created CO.ALITION, a backpack with built-in charging ports, storage, and a Wi-Fi hotspot, making life easier for people on the go.  Will the sharks invest in this business? Let’s find out in our CO.ALITION update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to CO.ALITION after Shark Tank.

Jeff and Casey entered Shark Tank Season 7, seeking $200,000 for 20% equity in their smart backpack brand. After their pitch, they left without securing a deal.

In terms of a CO.ALITION update, the company used its Shark Tank exposure to launch additional crowdfunding campaigns. However, they struggled to scale and keep up with demand in a competitive market.

Shark	Result
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Daymond John	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer

Shark Tank CO.ALITION Pitch

• Entrepreneurs: Jeff Popp and Casey Lorenzen
• Business: Smart backpacks with WiFi hard drives and charging capabilities
• Ask: $200,000 for 20% equity
• Result: No deal
• Shark: None

Jeff and Casey stepped into Shark Tank, driven by a mission to modernize the everyday backpack for tech-savvy consumers.

They sought an investment to expand their online presence and reach more customers.

With the right investment, they believed they could redefine how people stay connected on the move.

CO.ALITION is a smart backpack designed to help people keep their devices charged, organized, and easy to access while on the go.

It has built-in charging ports, a wireless storage system, and a power supply, so users don’t need to carry extra accessories.

Instead of using a separate power bank, they can simply plug the backpack itself into a wall socket to charge everything at once.

It also includes a wireless hard drive, allowing users to store and access files, music, and movies without taking up space on their devices.

Each backpack sells for $180 to $600, with profit margins between 50% and 70%, depending on the model.

In the first seven months, they sold 500 units, making $100,000 in sales. Their other brand, MHM Backpacks, made $450,000 last year and had $1.2 million in total sales.

They sell mostly online since they don’t have the money for big marketing campaigns.

Kevin O’Leary quickly asked if they had a patent, and Jeff admitted they didn’t.

This immediately raised concerns, as Kevin and Mark Cuban pointed out that anyone could add a charger and hard drive to a backpack.

Daymond John added that solar-powered bags were already available, eliminating the need to charge a bag overnight.

Kevin bluntly stated that without a patent, they had nothing unique to protect them from competition.

However, Jeff argued that their system was computerized, allowing users to charge the backpack itself by plugging it directly into the wall instead of removing components.

Mark doesn’t see the value in investing and backs out.

Robert Herjavec says he doesn’t think CO.ALITION is a separate business but rather an add-on to their other brand, MHM Backpacks.

When Jeff and Casey insist it’s a standalone brand, Robert decides it’s not for him and exits.

Lori Greiner doesn’t think the high price point makes sense and backs out.

Kevin says the lack of a patent makes the business too risky since competitors can copy the idea. Without something proprietary, he’s not willing to invest and exit the negotiations.

Daymond admits he was tempted to invest but ultimately follows his gut and backs out.

The entrepreneur leaves without a deal. Now, let’s get a CO.ALITION update to see where Jeff and Casey are today.

Shark Tank CO.ALITION Update

Our CO.ALITION update found that the company leveraged its shark tank appearance exposure by launching additional crowdfunding campaigns.

However, CO.ALITION faced significant challenges, including scaling operations and meeting increased demand.

These difficulties, coupled with a highly competitive market and the lack of proprietary technology, led to the shutdown of business operations in August 2017.

Following this, Jeff and Casey refocused their efforts on their original venture, MHM Backpacks, which they continue to operate to this day. You can find them here.

Unfortunately, this will be our last CO.ALITION update.

Curious about how the other products from Season 7 Episode 15 are doing? Check out our other company updates for the products from this episode here.

• SHEFIT Update
• IcyBreeze Update
• 2400 Expert Update

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 7 products.