Shark Tank SmartGurlz Update 2026

The scarcity of engaging STEM toys for girls has historically discouraged their interest in STEM fields. Sharmi Albrechtsen tackled this issue by creating SmartGurlz, an innovative robotic doll that blends the appeal of traditional dolls with exciting coding challenges. This unique approach aims to ignite a passion for STEM through interactive play. Will the sharks recognize the potential of this groundbreaking idea? Let’s find out in our SmartGurlz update and pitch recap.

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

Sharmi Albrechtsen entered Shark Tank Season 9 to pitch her girl’s toy app to the sharks. She sought $200,000 for 5% equity. After her pitch, she reached an agreement with Daymond John for $200,000 for 25% equity.

In terms of a SmartGurlz update, the company has signed major licensing deals with Pitsco Education and Sinking Ship Entertainment to expand its production. Further, they’ve grown to over $20 million in annual sales since Shark Tank.

Shark	Result
Daymond John	Accepted offer of $200,000 for 25% equity
Richard Branson	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer
Lori Greiner,	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer

Shark Tank SmartGurlz Pitch

Entrepreneur: Sharmi Albrechtsen
Business: Coding software for girl’s toys
Ask: $200,000 for 5% equity
Result: $200,000 for 25% equity
Shark: Daymond John

Inspired by her daughter’s struggles with math, Sharmi developed an app that used stories to enhance her daughter’s understanding, which ultimately led to the creation of SmartGurlz.

This innovative company offers a line of dolls designed to introduce girls to coding concepts through interactive play. Each doll features a stylish design and rides a programmable scooter controlled by a mobile app.

The app employs a button-based interface to simplify coding commands for young users.

Girls can choose from pre-programmed missions or create their own, directing the scooter through obstacles and completing tasks.

Beyond coding practice, each doll embodies a distinct personality reflecting a STEM field, such as computer programming, mathematics, or chemistry.

This storytelling element fosters imaginative play and helps girls connect with characters who share their potential STEM interests.

In just six months of operation, Sharmi has achieved $250,000 in sales. Each unit costs $18 to produce and sells for $79.99.

Daymond John offered $200,000 for 30% equity, sharing that he disagreed with the company’s valuation.

Robert Herjavec dropped out of the deal because the product was doll-based, which did not align with his interests.

Lori Greiner expressed concerns about Barbie copying the product, leading her to drop out, though she acknowledged Daymond’s offer was strong.

Guest shark Richard Branson felt he could not contribute enough to the business, so he exited the deal as well. Mark Cuban also opted out.

Sharmi then sought flexibility in Daymond’s offer, countering with $200,000 for 20%.

Daymond insisted on maintaining 30%, so Sharmi proposed 25% with plans to pursue licensing. They ultimately reached an agreement and sealed the deal.

Let’s find out how things later panned out between Daymond and Sharmi in our SmartGurlz update.

Shark Tank SmartGurlz Update

After airing, SmartGurlz experienced a surge in sales. Although the deal with Daymond never materialized, the company’s sales grew to $1.2 million in 2018.

In 2019, Sharmi raised an additional $525,000 on WeFunder. That same year, she partnered with Pitsco Education to create SmartBuddies, an online coding curriculum for elementary schools.

Pitsco, which sells its curricula to schools nationwide, committed to purchasing $5.5 million worth of SmartGurlz products over three years to support the curriculum.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the company successfully adapted by transitioning the SmartBuddies curriculum to an online format.

Our SmartGurlz update found that the company’s growth continued in 2020 with a licensing deal with Sinking Ship Entertainment. This agreement allows for the creation of dolls based on characters from the popular PBS show Odd Squad.

You can purchase products from the SmartGurlz website. It claims to be the #1 educational product rated by parents.

Since airing, SmartGurlz has grown to over $20 million in annual sales and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Things are looking bright, and we can’t wait to see where our next SmartGurlz update takes us!

You can find the other company updates from Season 9 Episode 10 here:

Before you go, be sure to check out more company updates from Shark Tank Season 9!

Andrew Smith

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Andrew is a lifelong fan of Shark Tank and an entrepreneur at heart. He started Shark Tank Recap because he wanted a single place to track what happens to the companies, founders, and deals after they air on TV. With a sharp eye for business insights and a passion for all things Shark Tank, Andrew makes sure every recap is accurate, engaging, and fun.