Cup-A-Bug Humane Bug Catcher Update | Shark Tank Season 15

Justin Huang was scared of bugs growing up, but he didn’t want to squash them either. So he came up with Cup-A-Bug, a handheld tool that helps people catch and release insects without having to touch them. It’s a simple way to deal with bugs safely at home. Will he get a deal with one of the sharks? Find out in our Cup-A-Bug update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Cup-A-Bug after Shark Tank.

Justin appeared on Shark Tank Season 15, seeking $50,000 for 10% equity in his bug catcher. After his pitch, he got a deal with Mark Cuban for $75,000 and 20% equity.

In terms of a Cup-A-Bug update, the company closed its deal with Mark Cuban and quickly sold out after the Shark Tank episode aired. Moreover, it maintained momentum by taking pre-orders online, while Justin continued managing operations and sharing content through Solid Factory.

Shark:	Result:
Mark Cuban	Accepted deal for $75,000 for 20% equity
Daymond John	$60,000 for 30% equity
Lori Greiner	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer
Kevin O’Leary	No offer

Shark Tank Cup-A-Bug Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Justin Huang
• Business: Bug catcher
• Ask: $50,000 for 10% equity
• Result: $75,000 for 20% equity
• Shark: Mark Cuban

Justin came to Shark Tank with his simple solution for catching bugs without killing them.

He introduced Cup-A-Bug, a handheld tool designed to trap insects and release them safely outdoors.

It works by placing the cup over the insect and pulling a lever that slides a door underneath.

The tool includes a long handle, a tilt mechanism, and a corner brush to make it easy to use in any part of the house.

To kick things off, Justin asked the sharks to lift the metal covers in front of them. Underneath were fake rubber bugs.

He shared that he’s always been scared of bugs, but never liked squashing them. That discomfort pushed him to create a cleaner, more humane alternative.

Mark Cuban immediately showed interest. He said he’s the “bug guy” in his household and liked the idea. He asked about the cost and pricing.

Justin said each unit costs about $10 to make and another $7 to ship. He sells them for $40 through his website and on Amazon.

When the sharks asked about sales, Justin explained that he launched a Kickstarter in March 2022 and sold about 800 units, raising around $28,000.

Three months before filming, he began selling directly and moved another 1,200 units, all from organic sales. That brought his total sales to roughly $48,000.

The sharks wanted to know more about Justin’s background. He said he studied mechanical engineering and worked with his father designing electric motors.

In his free time, he taught himself product design and worked on his own inventions. One of those was Cup-A-Bug.

He also runs another business called Solid Factory, which sells items like board game accessories and desk organizers.

To lighten the mood, Justin handed each shark a small item launcher he had built himself. They all enjoyed it and complimented his creativity.

Though he stumbled a bit during the pitch, Justin stayed composed and answered every question with clarity.

Mark asked whether his offer would include equity in Justin himself and not just Cup-A-Bug. Justin confirmed that it would.

Mark immediately offered $50,000 for 20% equity in Justin and his future inventions.

Just then, Daymond John jumped in with a matching offer, and then raised it to $60,000 for 30% equity.

The other sharks encouraged Daymond to team up with Mark. However, Mark preferred to go solo.

To secure the deal, Mark increased his offer to $75,000 for 20% equity, calling it a “geek to geek” connection.

Justin smiled and accepted Mark’s offer without hearing from Lori Greiner, Kevin O’Leary, or Robert Herjavec.

What do you think came next? Keep reading our Cup-A-Bug update to find out!

Shark Tank Cup-A-Bug Update

Research for our Cup-A-Bug update found that the deal with Mark Cuban successfully closed after the show aired.

The product went viral on TikTok in the week that followed their episode airing. As a result, their inventory sold out, and they switched to a pre-order model to manage the unexpected demand.

As of June 2024, the team announced that all new orders would ship in September. Around the same time, they gave their website a fresh redesign with clearer branding.

On LinkedIn, Justin has been sharing honest reflections about the growing process.

He’s talked about the risks of scaling too quickly without strong operations in place, and how those lessons are shaping his approach now.

Justin still runs the company under his brand, Solid Factory, handling product development and customer support.

He’s not doing it alone, though; his friends Sam and Ariel help out. Sam oversees quality control, while Ariel takes care of social media and support.

If you need a kind, no-kill way to catch bugs at home, order a Cup-A-Bug from their website. You can also keep up with them on Instagram.

We’ll keep an eye on Justin’s progress and share more when we have it in our next Cup-A-Bug update.

In the meantime, you can check out our other company updates from Shark Tank Season 15 Episode 15 by following the links below!

• Psyonic Update
• Dogue Update
• Coldest Update

Before you go, be sure to check out our list of all the Shark Tank Season 15 products.