ZUP Update | Shark Tank Season 9

The water sports towable market can be challenging for extreme sports enthusiasts due to the vast array of options, each requiring specific skills. Recognizing this opportunity, Nick Kierpiec, Glen Duff, and Scott Parks invented the ZUP board, an innovative solution that combines features from various towables into a single, user-friendly design. Let’s see whether the sharks were interested in making a deal with the entrepreneurs in our ZUP update and pitch recap.

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

Nick Kierpiec, Glen Duff, and Scott Parks entered Shark Tank Season 9 to pitch their water boards business, ZUP. They sought $300,000 for 10% equity. However, the sharks weren’t convinced by their valuation, and they left the tank without a deal.

In terms of a ZUP update, the company is still in business and have expanded their product line to include exciting new features.

Shark	Result
Mark Cuban	No offer
Sara Blakely	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Daymond John	No offer

Shark Tank ZUP Pitch

• Entrepreneurs: Nick Kierpiec, Glen Duff, and Scott Parks
• Business: Water Boards
• Ask: $300,000 for 10% equity
• Result: No deal
• Sharks: None

Nick, Glen, and Scott started their pitch with an enthusiastic demonstration of ZUP Boards, highlighting its unique design that makes wakeboarding accessible and fun for everyone, even complete beginners. 

The entrepreneurs sought investment to expand their product line and reach a larger market, aiming to reduce the frustration often associated with learning wakeboarding.

ZUP Boards make wakeboarding easier for beginners, especially kids, by offering a range of user-friendly boards for all skill levels.

The most beginner-friendly option, YouGotThis, allows riders to progress from lying down or kneeling to standing as they gain confidence.

ZUP also offers models for advanced riders seeking more aggressive maneuvers.

ZUP Boards are designed for ultimate convenience and versatility.

One board is all you need, eliminating the clutter of traditional wakeboarding gear, which has multiple pieces for different riding positions.

Additionally, ZUP boards are constructed from high-quality materials. This ensures durability and the ability to withstand the wear and tear of water sports. 

ZUPs come in different models, offering extra features like inflatable versions (perfect for boats with limited storage) and comfort upgrades like soft grips.

The entrepreneurs made $2.5 million in total sales, including $1 million in 2017.

Sales come from 180 retailers in the USA and online channels like Amazon. Their products range from $279 to $400, with blended margins of 54%.

However, the pitch started to falter as the entrepreneurs went off on tangents and didn’t answer questions directly. 

Mark Cuban wasn’t convinced by their claim of disrupting the industry and dropped out. 

Daymond John felt he couldn’t have a productive conversation with the team and also dropped out. 

Kevin O’Leary, upon learning they had $550,000 in debt, $200,000 in receivables, and $100,000 in the bank, predicted a 50-50 chance of them going out of business soon and dropped out. 

Lori Greiner couldn’t fully commit to the business and exited. Guest shark Sara Blakely followed, and advised the team to work on their brand messaging.

Let’s take a look at our ZUP update to see how things are going for the company.

Shark Tank ZUP Update

Despite not securing a deal on Shark Tank, ZUP is still in business and operational.

Shortly after their appearance on the show, ZUP saw a 4,000% increase in website traffic and a surge in sales. 

In August 2018, our ZUP update found that they faced a patent lawsuit with NASH, a company with which they had initially discussed potential collaboration under a non-disclosure agreement. 

Despite these legal challenges, ZUP continued to operate, and their products on Amazon have received thousands of positive customer reviews.

According to our ZUP update research, they have expanded their product line. New products include Multi-sport Boards, Tubes, Wakesurf, Kneeboards, Mats, Paddles, Accessories, and Life Jackets.  

Contrary to the sharks’ predictions that they would eventually go out of business, ZUP continues to thrive and serve satisfied customers.

Their journey shows resilience, and it will be interesting to see where our next ZUP update takes us.

You can find the other company updates from Season 9 Episode 17 here:

• Alice’s Table Update
• Boobie Bar Update
• Pandaloon Update

Before you go, be sure to check out our Shark Tank Season 9 page for more updates.