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Shark Tank season 06 and episode 28 featured Brooke Martin, 14, and James Pelland, CEO of iCPooch, letting pet owners feed and talk to their dogs remotely.
The idea came to Martin when she was 12 years old. She regretted leaving her recently adopted shelter dog alone at home and sought ways to talk to him via video chat. However, she couldn’t find an appropriate solution, so she made one!
She constructed prototypes in the home garage with the assistance of her father. They built a treat dispenser that uses wifi to interact with your dog (or your cat, if they are paying attention) through the app.
In the fall of 2013, Martin launched a Kickstarter campaign, but his $70,000 goal remained unmet. A second Kickstarter campaign in the spring of 2014 raised approximately $30,000 with a goal of $20,000. iCPooch became a viable business from that moment on.
Amazon currently offers the iCPooch for $139 – without the tablet. A mounting bracket for the iCPooch accommodates tablets up to 10 inches in size and is compatible with iPads and Android smartphones.
She also sells items compatible with pooch. It is almost certain that Martin is searching for a Shark to help ramp up production and retail distribution.
Will a Shark invest in Martin’s invention?
What Is an iCPooch?
ICPooch is a dog treat dispenser with videoconferencing capabilities, allowing a man and his best friend to see and speak to one another while separated. Dog owners know that dogs are more like family members than pets. Your goal is to be as happy and healthy as the rest of your family.
Dog owners know how delighted their pets are when they return home; they can scarcely contain their excitement. Most of these issues can be resolved by spending more time with your dog, but our modern lifestyles make this difficult.
You can keep in touch with your dog while you are away with the iCPooch. iCPooch is a ground-breaking technology that enables yet to video conference with you with a smartphone or tablet dog.
You only need to place your Android or Apple device on the iCPooch’s face to get started. Your dog can now communicate with you at school, during dinner, while you run errands, etc.
iCPooch will immediately answer any phone call from a smartphone, tablet, or computer. You receive an immediate two-way audio and video stream directly from and to the iCPooch device.
You can see and hear your dog at the same time. This is as good as being there in person.
You can also use the iCPooch to reward your dog when you’re away, in addition to being able to watch and communicate with your dog. The iCPooch will provide your dog with happiness, joy, and connection.
After you receive your iCPooch, simply download the iCPooch app onto your smartphone or tablet. Fill the reward container with your dog’s favorite treats, and you’re all set. It really is that easy—no complicated setup required.
The iCPooch allows you to communicate with your pet when away from home without any worry.
Company Name | iCPooch |
Entrepreneur | James Pelland and Brooke Martin |
Product | WiFi Pet Treat Dispenser With Video Chat |
Investment Asking For | $150,000 For 20% equity in iCPooch |
Final Deal | No Deal |
Shark | No Shark |
Episode | Season 6, Episode 23 |
Business Status | In Business |
Website | iCPooch Website |
Who Is The Founder Of iCPooch?
The inventor of the iCPooch, Brooke Martin of Seattle, Washington, has created a dog treat dispenser equipped with video chat capabilities so that man and his best friend can see and converse even if they are separated physically.
IC Pooch Video Dog Chat creator Brooke Martin was just 12 years old when she thought of talking to her Golden Retriever, Kayla, while attending school.
Her startup idea had the best chance for success when she attended a Start-Up Weekend event in Spokane, Washington, in 2012. It was amazing enough to video speak with your dog, but Martin took it a step further by imagining a way to simultaneously give her dog a treat.
The show industry has an old proverb that applies to business fairly well. As any actor knows, working with children or animals is never a good idea. The same is not true for Brooke Martin from Spokane, Washington, who appeared on Shark Tank.
When Brooke was just 14, she was well prepared to pitch the business moguls her idea for interactive dog care, iCPooch. Kayla, the family dog, exhibited anxiety when left alone when Brooke was 12 years old. She devised a solution to help Kayla.
She had created a treat dispenser that was Wi-Fi enabled and had a tablet docking station that would allow pet owners to speak to their animal companions from a distance with the help of her father.
When she launched her Kickstarter campaign in 2013, it failed to catch the crowdfunding community’s attention and fell short of its $70,000 goal.
She could not give up easily and ran another successful campaign in 2014. She easily reached her revised goal of $20,000 because she had learned to set realistic goals. The campaign raised about $30,000.
The Geekwire’s ‘Inventions We Love’ challenge was won by iCPooch in October 2014. In a subsequent radio show, she discussed technology news and self-proclaimed geek culture collectives.
The site’s popular and well-respected podcast featured her as well. Brooke’s strong presence at the Geekwire Summit wowed the crowd and garnered the business community’s attention.
iCPooch was discovered by Shark Tank producers shortly before Brooke’s success with Geekwire, and they were excited about the possibility of having her on the show.
Her prototype had been a work in progress for many months, but finally, just weeks before she appeared on the show, she made it a marketable product.
How Was The Shark Tank Pitch Of iCPooch?
Brooke Martin appeared on Shark Tank requesting an investment of $150,000 in exchange for a 20% equity in iCPooch. iCPooch’s owners represent them very well, giving their all to get a deal from the Sharks.
She explains how they have sold so far, which is just 149 units. While it has been operating, they have sold only 149 units. They launched their Kickstarter campaign in late 2013 but didn’t reach their $70,000 goal. So, they didn’t go to the show.
They started their second Kickstarter campaign in early 2014 and received $30,000 with an expectation of $20,000 in sales. Since then, it has been very popular.
Before they hit the shows, they had sold about $25,000 in products. However, they cannot impress anyone because they do not have any product segment that impresses them. Also, they couldn’t convince any of the Sharks to do a deal.
The founders of ICPooch represent their business at a value of 600,000, far higher than the company itself.
No Shark was interested in investing in ICPooch as they thought the company was overvalued. The founders of ICPooch left the Shark Tank stage without any deal.
Final Deal: No deal between Sharks and IcPooch.
What Happened To ICPooch After Shark Tank?
Brooke did not let the fact that ICPooch did not become a business deter her from starting another business.
Brooke adopted the technology behind iCPooch to create a separate business. In April 2015, she launched a new business called IC Loved Ones. Family members can communicate with their relatives from a distance.
IC Loved Ones enables family members to interact with elderly relatives even if they are living far away. IC Loved Ones could automatically deliver medicines to people at the appropriate time, which would help relatives not forget if they have already taken their pills.
In addition, IClovedOnes is an innovative business idea, although perhaps the population is not ready for it. ICPooch sales have jumped a little since Brooke appeared on Shark Tank. The market has picked up slightly since Brooke appeared on the show.
Brooke grew her business very quickly after her appearance on Shark Tank, and she has hired more staff. Brooke claims to have sold several thousand iCPooch units so far, and that business is growing gradually.
Brooke still depends on a third-party company to produce her iCPoochs, but she hopes to eventually manage all the iCPoochs’ manufacturing. It is possible to order the ICPooch directly from Amazon for $240, but the high price of the device could mean that it will not be a big seller.
Brooke’s original business idea could become a popular product once technology and manufacturing costs become more inexpensive. Brooke reveals her preparations to become a successful businesswoman on Shark Tank.
Brooke revealed that she had considered different methods of approaching different sharks during her preparation for the show and determined which sharks would be most suitable for her to be a partner in her business. She stated that she would have dealt with each shark separately.
Brooke said that her work before the show helped her feel calm when the show’s producers were cross-examining her. She says she relied on her passion for business to help her appear calm under pressure.
It is unlikely that ICooch will become extremely popular until it is cheaper to manufacture and sell. Similarly, iCLovedOnes may not be a successful business. It will be surprising if Brooke doesn’t continue to prove that she is very capable in the business world until she hits it big.
Brooke is very impressive, and I anticipate that if she ever appears on Shark Tank again, it will feel as if she is sitting down and listening.
iCPooch Shark Tank Update
After its appearance on Shark Tank, ICPooch continued to operate and was receiving various investment opportunities. At the time, they were a well-known company.
ICPooch demand also increased as they made more products. When it was time to sell their product, they tied up with Amazon, other e-commerce sites, and offline stores to sell their products.
They could improve their sales by promoting their products on various social media platforms.
ICPooch sells its high-end product for $179.9 and starts at $149.9. But the price is very high due to the products being very expensive. This resulted in the decision to shut down its operations in 2017.
ICPooch is no longer available to purchase. iCPooch has ceased its operation and is currently out of business.
What Is the Net Worth Of ICPooch?
The valuation of ICPooch was $750,000 when it appeared on Shark Tank. The current net worth of ICPooch is $0 as the company went out of business.