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The revolutionary new technology, known as the Life Lift Systems, aka Vortex Vault Tornado Shelter Bed, enables people to protect themselves and their families against severe weather at home without giving up any additional space in their residences.
The product is made in Oklahoma, but a dealer network makes it available in every United States. The storm shelter bed has several advantages compared to typical in-ground and above-ground shelters.
Life Lift Systems is mobile, so it can be moved entirely to different rooms or even a new house if you relocate. It is also ideal for people who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters and those who are limited in mobility because they can easily access the shelter without the need to negotiate steps, as would be the case in a traditional in-ground shelter.
The life lift system also makes it easier for patients to get from their bed to a wheelchair and back again for a high-low option. Life Lift Systems are storm shelters built into the home as conventional household items such as beds or workbenches.
These storm shelters can save lives in a tornado or other natural disaster. However, a battery-powered mechanism can quickly transform a regular item into a storm shelter in an emergency. Now called Vortex Vaults, life Lift System’s website states, “We don’t market safety and function separately.”
The Life Lift System is a wheelchair-accessible metal box that can be folded and comes with a USB charger and ventilation. Their flagship product is a bed that can transform into a tornado shelter in only one minute, having the capacity to resist winds of up to 250 miles per hour and an intensity level of EF5.
The Life Lift System will remain secure because it is tied to the house’s foundation, even if it takes a direct hit. This would make it impossible for a tornado to damage the product. It should be no surprise that these bomb shelters also provide a secure location if a person’s home is attacked.
What Are Life Lift Systems?
Life Lift Systems is a firm that manufactures beds that protect people from natural disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes and other types of hazards such as flying debris and even bullets.
The Life Lift System allows residents to build storm shelters into their homes as everyday items such as beds and workbenches. These storm shelters can save lives in a tornado or other natural disaster.
A battery-operated mechanism can still transform the daily item into a storm shelter in a crisis. The revolutionary new technology known as the Life Lift Systems Bed makes it possible to take shelter from severe weather within one’s own home without giving up any additional living space.
Life Lift Systems offers its products via an extensive dealer network throughout the United States, though it is produced in Oklahoma. There are several advantages to using a storm shelter bed over most in-ground and above-ground shelters.
It is also portable, so it can be moved to a different room or even a new house if you decide to move. Individuals who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters and those with limited mobility can easily reach the shelter since they do not need to climb steep steps in an in-ground shelter.
Life Lift Systems bed also functions as a high-low choice, making it easier to move patients from their bed to a wheelchair and back.
| Company Name | Life Lift Systems |
| Entrepreneur | Tim Todd and Levi Wilson |
| Product / Business | Beds for storm shelters |
| Investment Asking For | $550,000 for 15% equity in Life Lift System |
| Final Deal | $550,000 for 25% equity in Life Lift System |
| Shark | Mark Cuban |
| Episode | Season 10, Episode 13 |
| Business Status | In Business |
| Website | Life Lift Systems Website |
Who Is The Founder Of Life Lift Systems?
The founders of Life Lift Systems are Tim Todd and Levi Wilson. Tim and Levi are natives of Oklahoma who have seen firsthand the effects of severe weather that can devastate people’s ability to earn a living throughout their lifetimes.
The weather was a common threat, and they knew shelter availability was a prevalent problem. They worked together to develop these products, and shortly after, they approached the Sharks to ask for aid in marketing and distribution of their product to people who could benefit from it.
The Life Lift Systems beds’ level of protection makes them unbeatable for tornadoes and storms up to category 5. The Texas Tech National Wind Institute and the Federal Emergency Management Agency certified them.
Aside from being resistant to wind and flying debris, they can also withstand bullets. You will be safe if someone breaks into your home.
It comes with a USB charger and ventilation. Parking a car on top of this shelter would be no problem if you had to. There is still an emergency entrance you can use in an emergency. Life Lift Systems can cost anywhere from $4,600 to $5,500, depending on options and configuration.
Levi Wilson is not unfamiliar with inclement weather. Oklahoma is in the middle of “Tornado Alley,” a zone of extremely cold air extending from South Dakota to Central Texas, where warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cold air from the Arctic to produce deadly supercells and tornadoes.
When Levi purchased a house without a storm shelter, it was his priority to construct one. But which variety?
When a house is erected, shelters resembling bank vaults are installed. Therefore, that was ruled out. The in-home versions of bank vaults do not require much living space but require a lot of space for installation.
Underground shelters commonly require leaving the house and descending stairs – difficult for elderly or handicapped people and impossible for people in wheelchairs. Moreover, these shelters become musty and uncomfortable for extended periods.
There may be basement options elsewhere, but most houses lack them in Oklahoma due to rocky soil and high water tables.
Tim Todd and Levi Wilson devised a way to enclose any standard-sized bed in an above-ground shelter that protects against extreme weather conditions, house invasions, terrorist attacks, and other threatening circumstances. They referred to it as the Life Lift Systems.
This innovative technology makes use of under-bed space that would otherwise go unused. The storm shelter rises to 57″ high with a remote control, allowing up to seven people (depending on bed size) to walk right in while Fido and Tabby can hurry.
There is a backup battery. Low on power? There is a manual crank in case of emergency. Additionally, it is equipped with battery-powered lighting and a USB charging port, allowing you to utilize your devices to obtain information.
You can slither underneath your bed when it is in the down position during a house invasion and access roughly 19″ of space. It is also a very secure location for storing valuables such as documents, money, and jewels.
Levi and Tim decided to test the shelter at Texas Tech University’s National Wind Institute, where they conducted FEMA-based tests. Life Lift Systems was subjected to F5 winds (more than 200 mph), debris shot from enormous air cannons at tornado speeds, and cars dropped on it with a crush value of 60,000 pounds.
The shelter passed all the tests on its first attempt, unheard of for shelters. In addition, it complies with ADA standards. Levi and Tim continue to work. They construct telescoping shelters under pool tables, kitchen islands, and garage workbenchs!
How Was The Shark Tank Pitch Of Life Lift Systems?
Levi and Tim appeared on Shark Tank requesting an investment of $550,000 in exchange for a 15% equity in Life Lift Systems. The company’s flagship product is a telescoping storm shelter that helps families protect their possessions and themselves from sudden storms and tornadoes.
The company’s first product is a telescopic bed that can be raised and locked in one minute. There is a patent pending on this product. When everything is located correctly, the area beneath the bed transforms into a haven that can withstand a direct blow from an EF5 tornado and the accompanying 250 MPH winds.
Levi and Tim would like to see additional household items added to their line of products in the future, such as kitchen islands and workbenches. The Life Lift is an attractive choice for families, given that there is a limited choice of tornado shelters now available and that the United States has an average of 1200 tornadoes annually.
This space-saving design will make it easier for families to find the shelters they need during a disaster due to locating the above-ground and inside shelters.
The Life Lift System is installed into the home’s concrete foundation, ensuring that it will continue functioning normally if the home sustains direct damage. When complete, the device will cost around $6,000, around the mark of other alternatives for a shelter indoors.
It was founded a few months ago, but the company has already generated $550,000 in revenue from sales of 119 unique items.
They are currently setting up installers and dealers for their product, even though the Sharks are concerned that they are not earning a large enough net profit, considering how much of their time and manpower goes into each product.
They would like to see them be able to outsource a more significant portion of the job and raise their costs to have larger margins of profit. Mark Cuban proposed to Life Lift to invest $550,000 in exchange for a 25% ownership stake in the company.
He will finance their purchases as their business expands and connect them with home builders in their area. Moreover, Lori Greiner offers them $550,000 in exchange for a 25% stake in the company.
Levi and Tim inquired to the Sharks about the possibility of entering into a royalty agreement rather than requesting a more significant stake in the company.
Mark and Lori indicated that they would reduce their share of the profits to 20 percent in exchange for a royalty payment of $100 per unit, but Mark informed them that such an arrangement would not be in their best financial interest.
Life Lift System has concluded that they will take Mark Cuban upon his initial offer of $550,000 in exchange for 25% equity in Life Lift System.
Final Deal: Mark Cuban agreed to invest $550,000 for a 25% stake in Life Lift Systems.
What Happened To Life Lift Systems After Shark Tank?
Life Lift Systems was offered $550,000 in exchange for 25 percent of the company by Lori Greiner and billionaire Mark Cuban on “Shark Tank.” Mark Cuban Companies invested in Life Lift Systems and rebranded it as Vortex Vaults. Since then, the company has expanded its distributor network and product lines.
There are now project stations, safes, and safety kits in addition to the traditional shelter beds. These items may also be purchased through the corporation. There are also grants and rebates available from Vortex Vaults in states with emergency management and disaster programs.
Life Lift Systems, which became part of Mark Cuban Companies and is now known as Vortex Vaults, has grown its distribution network and product offering since becoming an affiliated company of Mark Cuban Companies.
Additional workstations, safes, and safety kits are available in the shelter and the mattresses originally provided. The organization also offers financing options for customers who want to make purchases.
Vortex Vaults provides grants and rebates to customers who purchase products in states with emergency management and disaster relief programs. There is no mention of Shark Tank or Mark Cuban anywhere on the Life Lift Systems website, even though the episode of Shark Tank initially aired in January 2019, exactly one year ago.
The Life Lift Systems product is marketed under Vortex Vaults in the local market. Life Lift Systems changed the company’s name to Vortex Vaults in June 2021. They have recently acquired a Project Station Shelter that may be used as a shed or a garage.
Life Lift Systems serves as a workbench when it is not being used as a place of refuge. Life Lift Systems changed its name to Vortex Vaults. However, the company could not continue and went out of business.
The valuation of Life Lift Systems was $2.2 million after securing an investment from Mark Cuban on season 10 of Shark Tank. The current net worth of Life Lift Systems is effectively $0 since the company is out of business.
