Trippie Shark Tank Update – Shark Tank Season 9
After a rocky start on Shark Tank, Trippie’s journey took a surprising turn, leading to impressive growth and new milestones.
Ryan Diew stepped into the Shark Tank Season 9 Episode 2 with a big goal to make navigating airports as smooth as flying first class. His app, Trippie, was built to solve a common travel headache like finding your gate, getting flight info, and ordering food during layovers, all in one place.
About Trippie
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Business Name | Trippie |
| Founder | Ryan Diew |
| Industry | Travel Technology |
| Product Type | Airport navigation app with flight information and food delivery options |
| Funding (Pre-Shark Tank) | $32,000 from Colgate’s Shark Tank-like contest |
| Deal Status | No Deal |
| Investment Asked | $100,000 for 10% equity |
| Valuation | $1 million (at the time of Shark Tank pitch) |
Trippie is a travel tech app designed to help travelers navigate large airports with ease. It offers real-time flight details, terminal maps, gate-specific food options, and delivery to your gate at select airports.
Check out other Shark Tank Season 9 Episodes.
Founder’s Backstory
Ryan Diew hopes he finds a partner when he introduces Trippie, his app that “takes the guesswork and turbulence out of navigating big airports.” Diew played basketball at Colgate and travels fairly frequently. When stuck in an unfamiliar airport for a long layover, he looked for an app to help him find food during the wait time. He decided to make his own app as he could not find any app meeting his requirements.
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Diew spent the better part of his 2015-16 winter break coding the app. Between rigorous studies, his business and long hours in the gym practising with the Colgate team, he doesn’t have much time on his hands. He hopes Trippie provides better returns than the basketball program. While he spends 40 hours a week (or more) practising, he only played one minute in the 2015-16 season.
Colgate offers Diew more than an education and the opportunity to play hoops; they also have a Shark Tank-like “contest,” which he won. He used the $32,000 in winnings to fund his business while working all summer on the app.
Trippie makes navigating an airport easy. It has detailed flight information and location-based mapping, and it offers food delivered to your gate! It’s active in the ten busiest US airports, with more coming on. Diew eventually wants every airport in the world online.
Ryan likely needs a Shark to accelerate growth into more airports and for cash for server expenses and such. Will a Shark help Mr. Diew navigate the murky waters of the App business?
Trippie Shark Tank Pitch
Ryan entered the Shark Tank seeking $100,000 for 10% equity in his business, which is valued at $1 million. He presented by acting out (verbally) his typical, confusing airport experience. Next, he demonstrated the app on a big screen. He used Google Maps API as the base for the app. At that time, he had only 179 users.
What Makes Trippie Unique?
While many other travel apps exist, Trippie focuses on the in-airport experience, not just flight tracking. One of Trippie’s standout features is the ability to simplify one of the most stressful parts of travel, such as finding food, gates, and amenities in huge, confusing terminals. It saves travelers time and reduces stress during layovers or tight connections.
The following other features make the Trippie app unique.
- Uses Google Maps API for detailed layouts
- Offers gate-specific restaurant info
- Helps with long layovers and quick connections
- Deliver food straight to the gate
It’s perfect for solo travelers, families with kids, or anyone trying to make the most of airport downtime.
Did Trippie Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
No, Trippie didn’t land a deal. Lori thinks the idea is brilliant, but she goes out. Ryan gets irritated and says he “doesn’t have a rich uncle” to help him out. This irritates Robert, who tells him he needs to create value; Robert is out. Equally annoyed by Ryan’s comment, Rohan is next. Barbara says he’s too early – it isn’t a business yet, and she’s out.
Ryan is visibly upset. Mark takes it easy on him but tells him to stop patting himself on the back. Mark goes out but urges Ryan to prove him wrong.
While the Sharks loved the concept, they felt the business was too early-stage. Things got tense when Ryan expressed frustration over his lack of connections and funding, which didn’t sit well with the Sharks.
What Happened to Trippie After Shark Tank?
The Shark Tank Blog provides updates and follow-ups about the businesses that have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show. Here is the Trippie Shark Tank update.
Though Trippie hadn’t secured a deal on Shark Tank, Ryan didn’t let the rejection slow him down. He certainly proved the Sharks wrong.
Following the episode’s airing, Trippie got a visibility boost from the “Shark Tank bump,” helping the app gain more traction, users, and airport partnerships. Although the COVID-19 pandemic understandably slowed things down, Ryan continued building. The app reportedly covered 22 major airports worldwide.
In the immediate aftermath of the original airdate, the app added 18 airports, including Frankfurt, Sydney, and Tokyo. Fast forward to May 2019, and the app is in 120 airports worldwide. Their US airports handle 82% of all US air travel. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the app saw reduced usage as travel was virtually shut down worldwide for months.
Things opened up in January 2023, and the company was doing very well. Ryan is now also a full-time Partner and Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) with Base Ventures, a seed fund investing in technology companies. As of 2023, Trippie’s lifetime revenue is $3 million.
By July 2024, the company no longer had a website, but the app remained available. The app is now available for virtually every US airport and international airport.
As of 2025, Trippie includes interactive terminal maps with highlighted restaurants, coffee shops, and bars, making it a practical tool for frequent travelers and layover veterans. The estimated current net worth of Trippie is about $3.5 million in 2025.
Read more details about the Trippie Airport Navigation App on the Shark Tank Blog.
Where Can You Use Trippie?
The Trippie app is free and can be downloaded on iOS and Android devices. It has been designed to simplify airport travel by providing real-time updates on flight gates, nearby restaurants, and airport services.
If you are navigating a layover at LAX or grabbing a quick bite at JFK, the Trippie app helps you get where you’re going and stay fueled. Check out their social media apps on Facebook and Twitter for more details.
Quick Summary
- Ryan Diew introduced Trippie, an app simplifying airport navigation, on Shark Tank Season 9.
- His pitch highlighted the app’s features, like detailed flight info and gate-specific food delivery.
- Despite initial rejection, Trippie expanded to 120 airports worldwide and achieved $3 million in lifetime revenue by 2023.
Curious to know about the other businesses that appeared on Shark Tank Season 9 Episode 2, alongside Trippie? Check out the business updates.
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