LARQ Shark Tank Update – Shark Tank Season 12
Discover how LARQ secured a $1M deal on Shark Tank, raised over $15M in funding, hit $30M in sales, and got acquired by BRITA in 2024, all with a smart self-cleaning bottle.
Highlights
- Justin Wang pitched LARQ, a self-cleaning water bottle company, seeking $500,000 for 1% equity on Shark Tank Season 12, Episode 1221.
- The Sharks were impressed by LARQ’s patented UV-C technology, strong sales, and high valuation, though they initially reacted with laughter.
- Justin secured a deal with Lori Greiner and Kevin O’Leary: $1 million for 4% equity, splitting the investment between them.
Justin Wang hoped the Sharks would drink up and invest in LARQ, his self-cleaning and self-purifying water bottle, in Shark Tank Season 12, Episode 21.
Justin started the company in July 2017. He felt the frustration many did. Single-use plastic water bottles were everywhere. Justin wanted a solution. It needed to be sustainable. It also had to be easy to maintain.
LARQ is that solution. It’s a stainless steel water bottle with a twist: it uses UV light to clean the bottle and purify the water inside. It features PureVis™ Technology, a UV-C LED in the cap that purifies the water. This is the same technology hospitals use to sanitize operating rooms. The light lasts for about 100,000 uses and charges with a USB charger.
As of 2025, the LARQ Bottle PureVis™ is priced at $99, with replacement caps available separately. The company donates a portion of each purchase to organizations that are members of the 1% for the Planet network.
Justin took investment from a Kickstarter campaign that raised $1,374,021 in December 2017. The company began shipping products in July 2018 and completed fulfillment before the end of that year.
LARQ launched a second Kickstarter in October 2020 for their pitcher, raising $771,917. They also ran concurrent IndieGoGo campaigns for both the bottle and the pitcher, raising an additional $2,520,031.
LARQ went on to generate over $7 million in sales in 2019 and has raised a little over $15 million in venture capital. They likely went on Shark Tank seeking a Shark’s help to manage their international growth.
About LARQ
| Category | Details |
| Founder | Justin Wang |
| Product Type | Smart Drinkware |
| Funding (Pre-Shark Tank) | $1,374,021 |
| Investment Asked | $500,000 |
| Equity Offered | 1% |
LARQ Pitch
Justin entered the Shark Tank seeking $500,000 for 1% of his company. The Sharks erupted into laughter at the valuation. He gave his pitch and introduced his bottle to the Sharks, who had samples in front of them. Robert wanted to confirm if he had heard the valuation correctly, and Justin confirmed he had. Kevin congratulated Justin on having the highest valuation in Shark Tank history. Daymond revealed that he owned a couple of the bottles.
When you click the UV light, it bounces off the inside of the bottle. The company has ten patents. In 2019, LARQ achieved $5.5 million in sales. In the twelve months leading up to filming, they generated $9 million and projected $14 million in revenue for 2020. They raised $6.7 million in January 2020 at a $31 million valuation. At the time of filming, the company had $6.5 million in the bank.
Read more posts about The LARQ Self-Cleaning Water Bottle on the Shark Tank Blog.
Founding Story
Back in 2017, Justin Wang started the company LARQ. He wanted to make drinking water better using new ideas. He was motivated by health, design, and environmental concerns. That’s when he envisioned a bottle that merges technology with simplicity. So, he came up with a water bottle that uses UV light to clean itself. This means less waste and less trouble for people.
When he first showed his idea, lots of people online really liked it and invested money for him to get started. This early support helped LARQ become a leader in making clean water technology. Now, they’re selling their bottles all over the world and helping the environment.
What Makes LARQ Unique?
LARQ offers a sleek and minimalist bottle. It is made from insulated stainless steel. The bottle keeps your beverages cold for up to 24 hours. In winter, you can use it to keep the water hot for 12 hours.
You get many different modern colors and sizes to pick from. The best thing about these bottles is that they pair style with function. They are lightweight yet durable. The bottles are built for everyday use.
You can use it for indoor office and outdoor adventures as well. This product is made so that people reduce the use of single-use plastic.
How it Works
The LARQ bottle has a special smart lid with a tiny light inside, called UV-C. With just a tap on the lid, this light turns on and kills the nasty stuff that can make your water dirty. It does this silently, so you won’t even notice.
It cleans your water automatically every couple of hours. And the best part? It cleans the water without making it taste funny. So, you get clean and fresh water all the time, easily!
The rechargeable battery powers the cleaning cycles for up to a month per charge. This trick ensures low maintenance and consistent performance. The bottle is also waterproof and travel-friendly. That makes it ideal for use on the go.
Did LARQ Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
After all the chatter, Kevin offered $500,000 for 4%. Lori offered $500,000 for 5%, and Robert offered $500,000 for 3% plus 2% advisory shares. Justin countered with a proposal for all three Sharks to team up: $1.5 million ($500,000 each) for 4.5% equity plus 1% advisory shares.
Robert backed out, and Lori and Kevin partnered up to offer $1 million ($500,000 each) for 4%. Entrepreneur Justin accepted the deal.
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What Happened to LARQ After Shark Tank?
The Shark Tank Blog tracks the businesses that appear on Shark Tank. We provide updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs and the company, as well as anything that happened after the show.
Just a few weeks after taping, the company raised another $10 million. The deal with Lori and Kevin never closed.
In September 2020, LARQ raised $11 million in Series A funding from Seventure and DCM to develop its pitcher. They pre-sold 20,000 pitchers, and they are now in stock. They made $4 million in annual revenue in 2021, July. In November, they announced they would finish the year with $20 million in sales.
In October 2022, the company partnered with Vision USA, a promotional products company. Vision USA will offer branded versions of LARQ products to its customers. They projected $30 million in revenue for 2022. As of February 2023, they hit their 2022 revenue number.
In 2025, LARQ is still doing great with its eco-friendly water bottles. A bigger company, BRITA, bought them in early 2024. But LARQ is still coming up with new ideas and cares about green products.
They work on their own, even though BRITA owns them. And the founder who started LARQ, Justin Wang, is still in charge. As of 2023, LARQ’s annual revenue reached solid double-digit millions, according to BRITA SE.
Where Can You Buy It?
LARQ products are available for purchase directly through the official LARQ website. There you can get the full range of bottles, pitchers, filters, and accessories. You can also find LARQ bottles on major online retailers like Amazon. It is available in select lifestyle and tech stores as well.
LARQ bottles make a very good gift. Buying these bottles suggests you are an environmentally conscious person. Its sleek body makes it look stylish.
Check out their social media platforms, like Facebook or Twitter, for more updates.
Quick Summary
- Justin Wang pitched LARQ, a revolutionary bottle brand on Shark Tank.
- The LARQ bottle is a reusable water bottle. Its technology helps the bottle automatically purify the water.
- The entrepreneur secured a deal with Lori and Kevin.
FAQs
1. Does the LARQ Bottle really work?
Yes, it does. The LARQ Bottle uses UV-C light to clean and purify water.
2. Is LARQ successful after Shark Tank?
Yes, LARQ continued to grow and raise millions after Shark Tank.
3. Has LARQ been successful?
Yes, LARQ has been very successful with strong sales and a major acquisition.
