The Gobie H2O is not the first water bottle to appear on Shark Tank, but it is the first purified water bottle ever that the Sharks will have the chance to experience.
Rusty Allen, an entrepreneur, designer, and inventor, proposes Gobie H2O to a panel of investors in Season 4 Episode 21.
Company Overview in Shark Tank
| Company Name | Gobie H2O |
| Episode | Season 4 Episode 21 |
| Product Offering | BPA Built-in Water Filter |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Rusty Allen |
| Required Investment | $300,000 for 10% ownership |
| Closing Deal | $300,000 for 40% ownership |
| Offered Sharks | Daymond John |
| Current Business Status | Out of Business |
What is Gobie H2O?
According to the founder, Gobie H2O is the world’s most sophisticated filtration water bottle in the industry.
The flex flow technology assembles the durable of a hard shell with the ease of use of a soft shell. This enables immediate access to clean, filtered water.
After inventing the product which can filter out a lot more than simply tap water, Rusty strongly believed in his product and was eager to show this new tech to the Sharks.
This advanced filter can eliminate 99.99% of all pollutants detected in water. Rusty whips up some dirt in the serving glass to show what he’s talking about.
Nobody would ever want to drink this awful, filthy water. However, with this improvised filter, you can quickly filter out clean, purified water — Rusty squeezes the clean water into a clean wine glass.
How Does Gobie H2O Work?
Rusty Allan’s Gobie H2O is a reusable water bottle made of the finest grade, BPA-free plastic.
This former industrial designer was passionate about giving the solution to the millions of plastic water bottles being thrown out every day in the United States alone.
He reasoned that placing a promising purified water bottle in the customers’ hands will help cut down the quantity of plastic scrap from by bottle of water consumption.
The invention has a supple diaphragm which enables you to push the water through the filter. This is a huge cap for convenient filling and purification, and is ergonomically positioned for people’s mouths.
The Gobie H2O costs $29.95 per unit, with new filters costing $10 and filtering approximately 100 gallons of liquid. When compared to bottled water, using a Gobie H2O could save you hundreds of dollars.
Who Founded Gobie H2O? Founder Backgrounds
Rusty Allen is an industrial design entrepreneur. He invented the “most sophisticated filtered water bottle.” This is what he claimed.
His product, renowned as Gobie H20, was a special design that assembled both soft and hard shell technology. The drinker can simply grip the bottle and pump water up via the filter due to the soft shell section.
After becoming upset with the amount of budget he spent on single-use water bottles, he came up with this concept. He stated he noticed he was wasting more bucks on water bottles than he did on gas to fill his car at one point.
The product itself is made of BPA-free Tritan plastic, which is the safest plastic in the world. Also, it produces a comfortable grip and mouth. The item was designed to flex into a standard cup holder. This makes it more convenient to use on a bike or in a car than other bottles.
The filter made from the carbon base in the product might filter out minerals, chlorine, and odors; making water safe to drink. The filter could remove up to 100 gallons of water before new replacement is required. Moreover, this water filter was produced from charred coconut shells.
Gobie H2O Business Before Shark Tank
Rusty had been selling his bottles online before appearing on Shark Tank. Early on, he approached large retailers such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, and J.C Penny’s to offer his product.
The product, on the other hand, was available for purchase on Amazon and sold quite well. Rusty had been selling the Gobie H2O online months following up to his debut on Shark Tank.
Over the span of 17 months, he supplied 10,000 bottles and 15,000 new filters, making $285,000 in total income. The bottles were being sold for $30 online, with each unit costing roughly $10 to produce.
Gobie H2O During Shark Tank Pitch
Rusty Allen went on the TV show Shark Tank and intended to request a $300k capital injection for a 10% stake in his firm.
Rusty discovered that the enhanced filter could do more than simply filter pure water during the bottle’s development. He wanted to show how potential his product is to the Shark Tank and audience.
To demonstrate this, he decided to take some fine potting dirt and mix it with water in a bottle. He then poured the water through the filter into a wine glass to prove how clean the dirty water had become.
Furthermore, he claimed that the bottle’s flexible side allows for greater pressure to build up inside the bottle, and that the design increases filtering ability.
The Shark Tank panel analyzes Rusty’s samples and remarks that these sorts of water bottles are not new and that other filters on the market can filter in the same way.
While the concept isn’t new, Rusty claims that the bottle design with the sturdy squeezable part was creative and increased the filter’s ability to remove pollutants.
Finally, all but one of the Shark Tank panelists refuse to give Rusty any money because they believe he is not properly promoting the product. They also believe that other bottles can do the same job.
Kevin O’Leary questions if Rusty is aiming for ordinary consumers in the United States market share, or if he is pursuing the specific groups of users that need clean water in locations where there is none available.
In America, where clean water is almost universally available, the expense of providing a filter is prohibitive, according to Robert Herjavec.
Lori Greiner points out that “several products” with a filtration mechanism that could substitute the Gobie H2O product have been spotted. The gentle and flexible side of the product is the only unique selling point she recognizes.
Daymond John states that Rusty’s water bottle looks very attractive, and he would like to know the production cost of this item.
The founder explains that each bottle comes with a cost of $10. And, he can sell it for $30. Within 17 months, he can make a total sales of $285K.
Lori appreciates that Rusty is attempting to make a unique thing, but thinks that the founder is fighting against a massive rival. Therefore, she decides to be out.
Kevin tells him that he should have provided more insightful sales plans. So, he is out too.
Mark Cuban expresses that the founder is not selling the right product. He is out as well.
Robert Herjavec believes Rusty doesn’t understand the business industry yet. So, he left.
Gobie H2O Closing Deal in Shark Tank
Rusty was given $300,000 in exchange for a 40% ownership in the firm by Daymond, the final member of the panel. This offer was subjected to Gobie H2O joining one of the big box companies right away.
Rusty attempted to negotiate a 20% stake in the company, but Daymond is certain that this is the final deal.
Allen requests that he needs to call his business advisor. Following a meeting, he asks Daymond whether he is willing to convince Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban to be part of the acquisition. John declines, stating that he has not changed his mind.
Rusty accepts the arrangement after consulting with his business advisor.
Gobie H2O After Shark Tank
Daymond John tweeted shortly after the show that Gobie H20’s founder, Rusty, has been a pleasure to work with and a valuable member of the team.
Their partnership looks to be beneficial to both sides. Gobie H2O water bottles can be purchased via the company’s online homepage and other digital retailers, including Amazon.
Rusty wanted to meet up with multiple Sharks while swimming in the Shark Tank. Daymond John seemed to have made a decent investment in Gobie H2O, despite the fact that his fishing adventure only brought one in his deal.
There were some negative developments for the Gobie H2O firm following Rusty Allen’s experience with Daymond. The bottles were selling on Amazon, however due to certain negative reviews, the product received only a 2.3-star rating.
Many of the issues about the company’s product design included leakage, air bubbles in the bottle’s mouthpiece, and the incompetence to place it on its side.
Current Update: Is Gobie H2O Still In Business?
The last recorded social media activity for the Gobie H2O bottles was in 2016, therefore it appears that they are presently not available for customers to purchase.
The Gobie H2O cannot compete with larger firms that could deliver cheaper prices with more effective design.
As of August 2021, the company’s website was unavailable. On Amazon, the item is likewise inaccessible.
On the other hand, Allen’s LinkedIn page indicates that the corporation is still operational, although he has now launched Happi Canine. This new company supplies fish oil infused with CBD supplements for puppies.
