XTorch Shark Tank Update: The Complete Story of the Solar Flashlight

XTorch gained international attention as a rugged, solar-powered device designed to function as a flashlight, a room lantern, and a mobile phone charger. 

Built with emergency preparedness and outdoor survival in mind, the product provided a reliable source of light and power for users facing natural disasters, power outages, or off-grid living conditions.

The company entered the national spotlight during Season 12, Episode 22 of the hit television show Shark Tank. Founders Gene and Keidy Palusky pitched their versatile electric device, capturing the attention of the investors with a noble business mission to bring light to developing nations.

However, the business landscape can change rapidly. While XTorch experienced periods of massive growth, overcame supply chain hurdles, and achieved its humanitarian goals, the company ultimately faced an unexpected tragedy. 

As of 2026, the business has permanently closed its doors. The following comprehensive report details the inspiring rise, the philanthropic legacy, the final chapter of the XTorch story, and the current state of the solar flashlight market.

The Genesis of XTorch: Inspiration in the Dark

The inspiration for XTorch came from a deeply personal place for its founders. Gene and Keidy Palusky first met in 2001 while performing community development and missionary work in the Dominican Republic. 

Keidy, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, had firsthand experience with the rolling blackouts and lack of reliable electricity common in many parts of the Caribbean and Latin America.

Later, the couple lived and worked in Equatorial Guinea, Africa, assisting a non-governmental food distribution organization. During their time in Central Africa, they witnessed how the absence of electricity caused significant daily challenges for local populations. 

The lack of power meant children could not study after dark, families lost productive evening hours, and basic communication was hindered because people could not easily charge their cell phones. 

Furthermore, the common alternative for off-grid lighting was kerosene lanterns, which pose serious fire risks and cause respiratory damage comparable to smoking multiple packs of cigarettes a day.

The breaking point occurred when Keidy contracted a deadly illness while living in Equatorial Guinea. Gene had to administer life-saving medical treatment by the dim light of a flickering candle. 

This terrifying experience solidified their determination to create a safe, reliable, and sustainable lighting solution for energy-deprived regions.

Gene Palusky had previously built a successful career rehabbing and managing rental properties in Minneapolis. 

Driven by a desire to solve this global issue, he cashed in his real estate holdings and invested $300,000 of his own savings to engineer and launch the XTorch. 

The founders established the Edina-based firm EJ Case and spent several years developing the product, prioritizing durability, sustainability, and social impact above pure profit.

Developing the Technology and Product Features

To ensure the product could survive harsh conditions, Gene collaborated with Bob Sweat, an engineer from the Christian Technology Center in Ellijay, Georgia. 

This organization specialized in designing mobile, solar-powered devices for humanitarian outreach. Together, they finalized the specifications for an incredibly durable survival tool.

XTorch was engineered specifically to withstand severe environments and provide long-lasting utility. The creators aimed to provide a sustainable lighting solution that would outlast traditional battery-operated devices, potentially saving users thousands of dollars in disposable battery costs over the product’s 7-to-10-year lifespan.

The device featured a foldable handle that served as a stand, making it simple to place the unit on a flat surface to illuminate a room. 

Furthermore, the XTorch was designed to retain its battery charge for up to three years while in storage, making it an ideal addition to household emergency preparedness kits.

XTorch Shark Tank Pitch: A High-Stakes Negotiation

Gene and Keidy Palusky brought their solar flashlight to Shark Tank in 2020, seeking an investment of $150,000 in exchange for a 10% equity stake in the company. This investment request placed the company’s implied valuation at $1.5 million.

The couple began their presentation with a dramatic demonstration of the product’s durability. They shattered a solid block of ice to reveal a fully functional XTorch frozen inside, proving that the device could survive freezing temperatures and harsh impacts without sustaining damage. 

They then explained the three core functions of the device and highlighted their philanthropic business model, which committed 25% of all retail net profits to global charity partners.

Despite the impressive physical demonstration and the noble mission, the investors raised tough questions regarding the financial health of the business model.

• Financial Scrutiny: Investor Kevin O’Leary immediately asked about sales figures. The founders revealed that they had generated only $53,000 in revenue during 2019. Furthermore, the product lacked an active patent, which concerned the panel regarding future market competition.
• Pricing Concerns: The manufacturing cost per unit was $18.50, and the retail price was set at $55.95. Kevin O’Leary declined to invest, arguing that the retail price was too high for mass adoption. He suggested the founders cut the price in half and sell direct-to-consumer. Mark Cuban appreciated the philanthropic mission but felt the sales volume was simply too low to justify a venture capital investment.
• The Buyout Offer: While most of the panel dropped out, Robert Herjavec saw potential—not just as a partner, but as a sole owner. He expressed strong interest in acquiring the entire company outright and offered the founders $400,000 for a 100% stake in the business.
• The Counteroffers: Gene Palusky immediately countered with a demand of $1 million for the entire company. Robert Herjavec raised his buyout offer to $500,000. Gene countered once more at $750,000. Robert refused to meet that price, and the Paluskys walked out of the television studio without securing a deal.

Reflecting on the experience in later interviews, the founders expressed no regrets about declining the buyout. They stated that keeping complete operational control of their business allowed them to maintain their focus on charitable donations, which was their primary motivation for starting the company in the first place.

Post-Shark Tank Growth and Supply Chain Struggles

The exposure from national television provided the company with an immediate and massive boost in visibility. Often referred to in the business world as the “Shark Tank Effect,” the broadcast drove thousands of curious consumers to the company’s official website. 

Within just a few weeks of the episode airing, XTorch received over 2,000 retail orders, completely selling out of its available inventory.

Sales metrics showed significant improvement following the television appearance. While the company only sold 200 units at full retail price in 2018, the growth rate spiked by 350% throughout the 2020 calendar year. 

The device also built a strong reputation among consumers, earning a 4.5-star rating on Amazon for its reliability and ruggedness.

However, this rapid consumer growth collided with severe global economic challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic caused massive disruptions in the global manufacturing supply chain, leading to a worldwide shortage of electronic components. 

Because XTorch relied on specific lithium-ion batteries, advanced solar panels, and USB micro-controllers, the company struggled to manufacture enough units to meet the sudden surge in consumer demand, resulting in extended stock shortages throughout 2021.

By August 2022, Gene and Keidy had successfully navigated these supply chain bottlenecks. Production fully resumed, and the products were once again readily available for purchase. 

The company even secured regional retail partnerships, teaming up with independent hardware stores to increase physical distribution and local market awareness. 

By August 2023, XTorch reached its financial peak, generating approximately $1.5 million in annual revenue with an estimated company net worth of $1.1 million.

A Commitment to Global Philanthropy

While traditional businesses measure success purely by profit margins and shareholder returns, XTorch measured its true success by the number of human lives it improved. 

The founders stayed true to their original promise, dedicating at least 25% of their retail net profits to assist non-profit organizations supporting children’s education, women’s safety, and small business development.

The positive impact of these donations was felt in developing regions across the globe. Key philanthropic achievements included:

• Educational Support in Haiti: The company partnered with Compassion International to provide 195 XTorches to school-aged children in Haiti, allowing them to read and complete their studies safely after sunset.
• Medical Outreach: XTorch donated functional lighting equipment to Medical Ambassadors International. These units supported rural midwife training programs in Argentina and Haiti, where medical professionals often travel and deliver babies in complete darkness.
• Disaster Relief Initiatives: Following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, the company rushed hundreds of units to survivors facing complete infrastructure collapse. In 2022, they organized a massive shipment of flashlights to the residents of Vallières, a remote, landlocked city in northern Haiti that completely lacks an electrical grid.
• Global Crisis Response: When the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalated in April 2022, XTorch immediately redirected its inventory to send solar-powered devices to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the violence, providing them with critical emergency lighting and vital phone charging capabilities.

By the end of its operational run, the company had given away over 4,000 XTorches to those living in energy poverty. 

In a heartfelt farewell statement published years later, the founders noted that they ultimately donated nearly all of their potential business profits in the form of physical products to those who needed them most.

The Tragic Conclusion: Is XTorch Still in Business?

Despite successfully overcoming major supply chain issues and achieving consistent revenue generation, the story of XTorch came to a sudden and tragic conclusion.

On June 28, 2025, Keidy Palusky shared a heartbreaking update on the company’s official Facebook channel. She announced that her husband and co-founder, Gene Palusky, had passed away due to ongoing health issues.

Because XTorch was a tightly-knit family operation heavily reliant on Gene’s daily leadership and strategic management, the business could not continue without him. Operations were immediately halted. 

Initial social media announcements suggested the company was being put on hold with the potential of being sold to new ownership, but a formal acquisition or corporate buyout never materialized.

As a direct result of this loss, XTorch is completely out of business as of 2026. The official website is no longer active, the web domain remains unclaimed, and all corporate social media accounts have fallen silent. 

While the product page still exists in the historical archives of Amazon, the device is permanently marked as “currently unavailable,” and manufacturing has entirely ceased.

The Market Shift: Best Alternative Solar Flashlights in 2026

Because the XTorch is no longer available for purchase, consumers looking for reliable, off-grid lighting and emergency power banks must turn to alternative brands. 

The survival gear and flashlight industry has advanced rapidly over the past few years, moving away from older micro-USB standards and standardizing features like USB-C fast charging, higher lumen outputs, and highly efficient integrated solar panels.

For individuals seeking equipment for emergency preparedness, wilderness hiking, or residential power outages, the market currently offers several highly-rated alternatives that fill the gap left by XTorch :

When selecting an emergency flashlight today, industry experts strongly recommend prioritizing devices that utilize modern lithium-ion batteries and universally accepted charging ports, such as USB-C. 

While disposable alkaline batteries can be useful for short camping trips, rechargeable devices with high milliamp-hour (mAh) capacities offer superior long-term performance and completely eliminate the hidden costs of constant battery replacement.

Final Thoughts on the XTorch Legacy

The journey of XTorch serves as a remarkable case study in the world of modern social entrepreneurship. 

Gene and Keidy Palusky entered the high-pressure, profit-driven environment of Shark Tank not to secure immense personal wealth, but to amplify a humanitarian mission that was deeply personal to them. 

Though the celebrity investors heavily criticized their pricing model, low sales figures, and corporate valuation, the founders successfully navigated the retail market on their own terms, maintaining total control over their philanthropic vision.

Even though the business ultimately closed its doors in 2025 following a tragic personal loss, the overarching project cannot be viewed as a failure. 

The thousands of solar lanterns distributed across Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, and Ukraine continue to operate today, providing safe, reliable light to families who need it most. 

The story of XTorch remains a powerful reminder that the true value of a business enterprise is sometimes best measured not by its final financial valuation, but by the physical lives it successfully illuminates.