Cup-A-Bug Humane Bug Catcher Update | Shark Tank Season 15
Inventor Justin Huang pitched his bug catcher during
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Cup-A-Bug after
Justin Huang appeared on
| Shark: | Result: |
| Mark Cuban | Accepted deal for $75,000 for 20% equity |
| Kevin O’Leary | $60,000 for 30% equity |
| Mark Cuban | No offer |
| Robert Herjavec | No offer |
| Kevin O’Leary | No offer |
- Entrepreneurs: Justin Huang
- Business: Bug catcher
- Ask: $50,000 for 10% equity
- Result: $75,000 for 20% equity
- Shark: Mark Cuban
Justin Huang wants to make it more convenient to catch bugs than to kill them. That’s why he created the Cup-A-Bug.
You simply place the cup over the creepy crawly, and pull the lever. This closes a floor underneath the bug, trapping it inside.
Then, you can take take the Cup-A-Bug outside, and free the bug to the outdoors. Because the process is so easy, owners of this handy tool would be less likely to kill the bug when they find it.
Justin says he’s not a big fan of bugs per se, but he always felt bad about squashing them. So, that’s why he created his product.
Right away the sharks are intrigued, especially Mark Cuban, who says he’s the resident bug catcher in his house. He likes the product and wants to get right down to business.
In terms of price, it costs Justin about $10 to manufacture, and another $7 to ship. He then retails the Cup-A-Bug for $40.
Robert Herjavec asks about sales. Justin did a Kickstarter which sold about 800 units, totaling around $28,000. Then, 3 months before filming, he began selling the product and has sold around 1,200 units.
The sharks seem to like Justin and want to know more about his background. He shares that he has an engineering background, but then eventually went to work with his father who builds motors.
He worked hard to develop the Cup-A-Bug and loves inventing new products. He even presents the sharks with a special invention that he made just for them, which launches small items.
In one of the fastest pitches of the season, Mark jumps in to make an offer. He offers $50,000 for 20% equity in Justin and any future inventions he creates.
Just then, Daymond John chimes in, to say that he will match Mark’s offer. Before too long, Daymond counters himself with $60,000 for 30% equity.
Daymond suggests going in with Mark, but Mark wants the deal all to himself instead.
Justin seems to want to counter, but before he can, Mark offers more money. His new offer is $75,000 for 20% equity.
Just accepts the deal, without hearing from the 3 remaining sharks. What do you think came next? Keep reading our Cup-A-Bug update to find out!
In terms of our Cup-A-Bug update, it’s still too early to report on the latest revenue numbers. However, we’re sure that Justin will do well following his appearance on
If you’re like Justin and don’t like to squash bugs, head over to the Cup-A-Bug website and place your order.
The website also includes instructional videos, along with plenty of buggy stuff. There’s even a bug gallery, that features fan photos of what users have caught in their homes!
There’s no doubt, with the help of Mark on Justin’s side, Cup-A-Bug will be doing catching bugs all around the country. And hopefully, Justin’s entrepreneurial dreams will come true.
Once the dust settles, we will circle back for another Cup-A-Bug update to see what Justin and Mark are up to!
In the meantime, you can check out our other company updates from
For even more on companies and products, be sure to stop by our Season 15 Products Page before you go!
Andrew Smith is the founder and owner of Shark Tank Recap. He is a longtime Shark Tank fan that has been watching it for years and has seen every episode multiple times. His friends know him as the Shark Tank expert, because he can answer any question about the show! His favorite Shark Tank products are Bertello's pizza oven and Bug Bite Thing!
