Is Dare-U-Go Still in Business? Shark Tank Update & Facts

Any parent who has ever packed a diaper bag knows the sheer chaos of traveling with a toddler. You need a bib, a plate, Tupperware for snacks, and utensils, all of which take up space and inevitably create a massive mess.

Enter Lisa D’Amato, a reality television star who walked into the Shark Tank with a practical solution to this universal parental headache. She pitched Dare-U-Go, a wearable silicone food storage unit that completely merges a bib, a segmented plate, and an airtight container into one single product.

The Bottom Line (Executive Summary)

• The Deal Fell Through: Despite accepting Barbara Corcoran’s aggressive debt-and-equity offer on national television, the off-camera deal never materialized. D’Amato chose to leverage her existing distribution network instead.
• Post-Show Expansion: Immediately following the broadcast, Dare-U-Go experienced a massive surge in sales, moving manufacturing to the United States and expanding into 20 different countries.
• Current Status: As of today, the company is still in business but operates at a much quieter volume. The brand’s social media presence has stalled, and inventory is now sold almost exclusively through their direct-to-consumer website rather than big-box retailers.

What is Dare-U-Go?

Dare-U-Go is a multifunctional, food-grade silicone baby bib that doubles as a compartmentalized food container and serving tray.

The product features an airtight seal for travel, built-in dividers to keep snacks separate, and a design that catches dropped food to protect clothing.

Industry	Founder(s)	Core Product	Retail Price	Target Audience
Baby & Toddler Care	Lisa D’Amato	5-in-1 Silicone Food Storage Bib	$22.99	Parents of toddlers and young children

The Founder Behind Dare-U-Go

Lisa D’Amato is far from a typical Shark Tank entrepreneur. Long before she stepped onto the Sony Pictures studio lot to pitch the Sharks, she was already a household name in the reality television sphere.

D’Amato first gained national attention on Cycle 5 of America’s Next Top Model (ANTM), where she became known for her bold personality and unapologetic confidence. She later returned to the franchise and won Cycle 17, the highly competitive “All-Stars” season.

Beyond her modeling career, D’Amato is a serial creator with a history of diverse business ventures. She has released music, launched a perfume line called “Neon,” and appeared on shows like Celebrity Rehab and Marriage Boot Camp. However, the inspiration for Dare-U-Go came from a much more grounded place: motherhood.

After having two children, Daxel and Venice, D’Amato found herself incredibly frustrated by the logistics of feeding toddlers on the go. Hauling around separate Tupperware containers, messy cloth bibs, and plastic spoons felt highly inefficient. She realized that if she could combine the storage aspect directly with the wearable bib, she could eliminate the need for extra plates and cleaning entirely.

D’Amato validated her concept early on. In 2017, she launched a Kickstarter campaign that successfully raised $37,511. By early 2018, Dare-U-Go was actively shipping units to its earliest backers.

The early momentum proved that everyday parents desperately wanted a solution that minimized mealtime friction. Armed with a functional prototype, excellent profit margins, and a proven direct-to-consumer demand, D’Amato set her sights on the Sharks.

Dare-U-Go’s Shark Tank Pitch & Deal

Lisa D’Amato walked into the Shark Tank during Season 10, Episode 17, seeking $350,000 in exchange for 10% equity in Dare-U-Go. This ask placed a $3.5 million valuation on her relatively young company.

She started her presentation with a highly energetic demonstration, highlighting the 5-in-1 functionality of the bib. The Sharks were immediately impressed by the product’s margins.

D’Amato revealed that each Dare-U-Go unit cost a mere $2.68 to manufacture while retailing for $22.99. Furthermore, she shared that the company had generated $100,000 in sales in just the three months prior to filming, pushing lifetime sales to roughly $300,000 by the time she stood on the carpet.

However, the pitch quickly turned contentious. When Robert Herjavec asked about the potential market size, D’Amato claimed the global children’s bib market was worth $15 billion.

Mark Cuban immediately balked. He aggressively criticized her for citing a “worldwide market” size, a classic Shark Tank faux pas, accusing her of inflating numbers to sound impressive. Cuban dropped out immediately, visibly frustrated.

Lori Greiner followed suit. While she liked the physical product, she felt D’Amato lacked the focused business acumen necessary to scale operations to the next level.

Robert Herjavec also passed, stating the product simply did not align with his investment portfolio.

This left Kevin O’Leary and Barbara Corcoran. O’Leary, sensing an opportunity, offered $350,000 but demanded 15% equity, structuring $250,000 of the cash as a loan. When D’Amato hesitated, O’Leary began playing hardball. As other Sharks dropped out, O’Leary continuously raised his equity demand, adjusting it to 20%, then 25%, and finally 30%.

Barbara Corcoran then entered the fray. Corcoran stated that D’Amato needed a strict partner to bring structure and discipline to the business operations. She offered a flat $350,000 for a massive 50% equity stake.

After some tense back-and-forth negotiations, Corcoran revised her offer to match D’Amato’s capital needs with slightly less predatory terms: $150,000 in cash and a $200,000 loan in exchange for 35% equity. D’Amato, valuing Corcoran’s operational expertise, accepted the deal on air.

Season / Episode	Initial Ask & Valuation	Sharks Present	Notable Offers	Final On-Air Deal
Season 10, Episode 17	$350,000 for 10% ($3.5M Val)	Cuban, Greiner, O’Leary, Herjavec, Corcoran	O’Leary: $350k (mixed debt/equity) up to 30%	Corcoran: $150k cash + $200k loan for 35%

Did the Dare-U-Go Deal Actually Close?

No. Like many handshake agreements made under the bright lights of the Shark Tank, the deal between Lisa D’Amato and Barbara Corcoran fell apart during the off-camera due diligence phase.

While neither party has publicly released a dramatic statement detailing the exact reasons for the split, the mutual separation appeared strategic. During her pitch, D’Amato mentioned that she was already in talks with three major international distributors.

Once the cameras stopped rolling, D’Amato realized that giving up 35% of her company, and taking on $200,000 in debt, was a steeper price than she actually needed to pay.

Instead of finalizing the paperwork with Corcoran, D’Amato partnered directly with one of her existing distributor contacts, allowing her to retain full ownership of Dare-U-Go while still securing the supply chain logistics required to scale.

Dare-U-Go After Shark Tank: The Current Update

The immediate aftermath of the Shark Tank broadcast brought a massive wave of publicity to Dare-U-Go. Armed with her new distribution partnership, D’Amato aggressively pushed the product into retail spaces. By September 2020, Dare-U-Go was successfully sold in over 20 countries worldwide.

The company secured valuable shelf space in major American big-box retailers, including Walmart and BuyBuy Baby, and established a highly profitable storefront on Amazon.

In a major operational shift, D’Amato also moved the brand’s manufacturing pipeline entirely to the United States in 2020, aiming to bypass international supply chain bottlenecks and improve quality control.

D’Amato also tied her business directly to social advocacy. During the height of national civil rights movements in 2020, she announced on the brand’s official Instagram that 50% of all direct sales from Dareugo.com would be donated to racial equality charities.

However, as we analyze the company, the initial explosive momentum has visibly cooled. The retail landscape shifted dramatically following the bankruptcy and restructuring of BuyBuy Baby.

Dare-U-Go is currently unavailable on Amazon, and their official social media channels have not seen regular updates in several years. The product remains available exclusively through their direct-to-consumer website.

What is the Net Worth and Valuation of Dare-U-Go?

When discussing the financial standing of Dare-U-Go, it is vital to separate the company’s valuation from the founder’s personal wealth.

According to various financial tracking sites, Lisa D’Amato has an estimated personal net worth of roughly $46 million. This staggering figure frequently confuses Shark Tank fans, who assume Dare-U-Go generated tens of millions in profit.

In reality, D’Amato’s wealth stems from a massive combination of her ANTM winnings, widespread reality television appearances, brand sponsorships, lucrative real estate investments, and her marriage to wealthy entrepreneur Adam Friedman.

The exact valuation of Dare-U-Go as an independent LLC remains private. At the time of her pitch, D’Amato valued the company at $3.5 million based on early sales data.

Given that the company expanded into 20 countries and successfully penetrated Walmart, it is highly likely the company’s valuation briefly spiked well above the $5 million mark between 2020 and 2022.

Today, with scaled-back operations and a reliance solely on direct website sales, industry experts estimate the brand operates as a comfortable, low-overhead lifestyle business rather than a high-growth retail empire.

Is Dare-U-Go Still in Business?

Yes. As of today, Dare-U-Go is still a functioning business.

Parents looking to purchase the 5-in-1 silicone bib can easily do so by navigating to the official Dare-U-Go website. The site remains active, the checkout portals process payments securely, and inventory appears to be stocked in various color options.

However, consumers should be aware that the brand has shifted away from massive retail expansion and now operates on a much quieter, automated direct-to-consumer model.

Where to Buy Dare-U-Go?

If you are looking to purchase a Dare-U-Go bib right now, your options are highly specific.

• The Official Website: The absolute best place to buy the product is directly from dareugo.com. Buying direct ensures you receive legitimate, food-grade silicone models rather than cheap knockoffs.
• Third-Party Resellers: You might occasionally spot new-in-box units on eBay or Mercari from parents who purchased extras during the brand’s peak retail years.
• Amazon & Big Box Retailers: Currently, Dare-U-Go is out of stock on Amazon and no longer holds physical shelf space in major retail chains like Walmart or Target.

Are There Alternatives to Dare-U-Go Today?

The baby product market moves incredibly fast. While Dare-U-Go was highly innovative during its 2019 Shark Tank airing, the market is flooded with competitors offering similar silicone feeding solutions.

Parents seeking high-quality, easy-to-clean feeding gear frequently turn to brands like EZPZ, which pioneered the silicone suction-mat plate industry. Similarly, companies like Mushie and PandaEar offer deeply scooped, highly durable silicone bibs that catch falling food, though they typically lack the airtight Tupperware sealing feature that made D’Amato’s specific design so unique.

For families who prioritize travel-friendly, airtight food storage for toddlers, traditional bento boxes from brands like Bentgo Kids have largely dominated the space. While these require a separate bib, they provide the strict portion control and leak-proof seals that parents demand for daycare and long road trips.