In 2017, Season 9 of Shark Tank showcased a product meant to help customers see better. It was a pair of glasses designed to block out blue light from screens like your computer or cell phone. The company was called Gunnar Optics, and the product itself simply Gunnar glasses. Though a deal was agreed to during the episode of Shark Tank, it never closed during the due diligence period that happens after filming. Despite this, Gunnar glasses have continued to sell and the company is still in business.
Gunnar Optics was founded by Joe Croft and Jennifer Michelsen. The goal was to protect people’s eyes from strain and potential damage from the blue light that is emitted by screens. The company was founded in 2006, over 10 years before they went to Shark Tank.
Sometimes when a deal isn’t reached on Shark Tank, the company doesn’t survive. That was the case of Trunkster during Season 7, which wasn’t able to fully get off the ground and left behind a lot of unhappy customers. Gunnar Optics, though, has thrived, and you can purchase these glasses at retailers today. They’re great for working at your desk, gaming on your computer, or simply as needed throughout the day.
The details of the Shark Tank deal
There are already a handful of blue light blocking glasses available, and Gunnar sought to be another major player in this field. Founder Joe Croft went onto Shark Tank explaining how established Gunnar Optics already was. It was making millions of dollars in sales each year and had a panel of investors each with their own stake in the company. They had also contributed millions collectively. Croft asked for $750,000 for a 5% stake in the company from the Sharks to help with marketing efforts.
The panel of potential investors on the show were not fully buying into this idea. One point of concern was that multiple other investors were already involved with ownership over the company. However, Lori Greiner was interested enough to make an offer. She proposed $375,000 investment and another $375,000 as a loan. The deal, though, did not close after the show. It’s unclear whether it didn’t pass the due diligence period, or if Croft and others who owned the company decided to back out. Despite this, Joe Croft and Gunnar Optics continued on, pulling in millions in revenue. It is still in business today and seems to be doing well.
Where Gunnar glasses is now
Gunnar has an active website where you can purchase the glasses. You can even get them in prescription lenses if you want to. They aren’t necessarily a cheap product. Coming in different styles, some of the models showcased on the website at this time of writing cost $84, $99, and even $110. It sells glasses for both adults and children, and has specific ones for specific needs, such as gaming glasses versus reading glasses. The glasses are also available for purchase on Amazon, and generally have quite high customer reviews coming in at nearly five out of five stars for various models.
Gunnar also is very active on social media. It tends to post once a day on its X account, advertising different styles of glasses. It has an engaged Facebook page with users sharing themselves wearing the glasses. From these channels there are occasional posts of sales or specials, so if you want to buy these at a deal there may be good channels to monitor.
For some companies, things go well after Shark Tank even without funding, as was the case of the LARQ water bottle from Season 12. Despite the Gunnar deal not closing, it is another a success story of a Shark Tank-featured product.
