Vulcan Pest Shark Tank Update – Shark Tank Season 18
Ian Oki Fleming pitched a more effective and convenient trap to capture mid-sized rodents indoors and outdoors.
Ian Oki Fleming appeared on Shark Tank Season 18, Episode 5 with a fresh take on the age-old rodent traps.
The founder used his background as an engineer to create a more impactful trap that can contain multiple rodents without any chance of escape.
Would the Sharks join Ian in taking on the competition with Vulcan Pest?
About Vulcan Pest
| Category | Details |
| Business Name | Vulcan Pest |
| Founders | Ian Oki Fleming |
| Product | Multi-Rodent Catcher trap |
| Industry | Pest Control/Consumer Products |
| Sales (Pre-Shark Tank) | ~$1,600,000 in lifetime sales |
| Investment Asked | $100,000 for 5% equity |
| Deal Status | Deal secured with Daymond John |
| Deal Outcome | $100,000 for 12.5% equity |
| Initial Valuation | $2,000,000 |
| Post-Deal Valuation | $800,000 |
Founder’s Backstory
Ian Oki Fleming is the founder of Vulcan Pest. After experiencing a rat infestation at his home, he tried several rodent traps but found the solutions were ineffective against rats.
Additionally, the traditional traps required people to manually remove the captured rodent and reset the trap after every catch.
Drawing from his African childhood experiences with his crocodile-hunting father, he studied animal behavior and utilized his technical expertise to create Vulcan Pest.
Started initially as a personal solution, Ian saw the utility and left his Silicon Valley career in early 2026 to focus on the business full-time.
Product Overview
Vulcan Pest is a mechanical bucket trap that uses a tipping platform. Once a rat climbs the ramp toward the bait, it falls into the bucket.
The platform resets by itself, allowing multiple rodents to be trapped. It is designed for both indoor and outdoor use.
Vulcan Pest Shark Tank Pitch
Ian Oki Fleming entered Shark Tank seeking an investment of $100,000 for 5% equity. He started by sharing the rodent infestation problem and the lack of a proper solution.
He developed a patented bucket lid trap that is designed specifically to capture mid-sized rodents.
Lori Greiner immediately observed a lack of a disposal mechanism for captured rats and said, “No one would wanna touch that bucket of rats.”
However, sales and strong margins made up for that gap. The company reported about $1,600,000 in lifetime sales since April 2025. Each unit costs $15.25 landed and is retailed for $89.99.
Barbara Corcoran related to the problem and shared her childhood experience of dealing with multiple rats in New York City.
Ian said that the company projects $5,000,000 in 2026 with year-to-date sales of $800,000, but shared that the biggest constraint is getting the inventory ready on time.
Daymond John had his own rat problem that made him the perfect customer. He had a farm where it was “easy to get rid of mice, but not rats.”
This product provided a much-needed solution, but he wanted to know if it had any patent protection. The entrepreneur replied that the utility patent would be issued the day after the episode recording date.
What Makes Vulcan Pest Unique?
Vulcan Pest is a mechanical bucket trap that uses a tipping platform to trap multiple rodents, making it useful for indoor and outdoor use.
- Not designed for mice: Vulcan Pest is made to capture multiple medium-sized rats at once. The product’s website description specifically states that it is not suitable for catching mice.
- Less manual involvement: Unlike traditional traps, Vulcan Pest aims to reduce manual involvement through a patented mechanical solution that resets the trap to reduce repeated effort.
Did Vulcan Pest Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Kevin O’Leary was more intrigued by the sales and profit margin. He offered $100,000 for 10% equity, with a $10 royalty per unit, until he recoups $400,000.
Barbara chimed in with an offer of $100,000 for 10% equity.
However, Lori said that even though it is a wonderful solution, she still doesn’t want to be thinking of rats every day.
Robert Herjavec also said the product has great sales, but he is not excited enough to invest in it.
Daymond John explained the struggles of protecting his farm from rodents and believed he could offer more value, as he is already a partner with Carolina Coops. He offered $100,000 for 12.5% equity.
Ian was passionate about having Daymond on board and countered with $100,000 for 7.5% equity, which was instantly refused.
He again countered with 10%, but eventually accepted Daymond’s original offer of $100,000 for 12.5% equity.
Vulcan Pest Shark Tank Update
After the Shark Tank appearance, Vulcan Pest received widespread publicity.
While there is no official financial or social milestone shared, the company partnered with Shared Sweeps to run a $100,000 giveaway, with the promotion scheduled to end on November 30, 2026.
Where Can You Buy It?
Vulcan Pest products can be bought on their official website. They are also available for purchase on Amazon.
For updates and the company’s expansion plans, follow them on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Quick Summary
- Vulcan Pest entered Shark Tank with a mechanical bucket trap that uses a tipping platform to attract rodents.
- The founder, Ian Oki Fleming, came in seeking $100,000 for 5% equity.
- The company received an offer from Daymond John of $100,000 for 12.5% equity.
