Where Is iFork From Shark Tank Today?
A fork is a fork. There can't possibly be any room for improvement, right? Wrong — at least, that's what iFork asserts. Unless recently cleaned, surfaces like counters and tables are among the dirtiest places in your kitchen. Set your fork down for one second, and the prongs quickly collect germs. That's why there's a bump on the bottom of the iFork handle to keep its prongs elevated even when you set your utensil down.
The appeal of iFork goes beyond just that, though. As detailed by Entrepreneur, the iFork company also developed the iCup and iPlate, which combine with the iFork to form a handy, interlocking dining setup. Imagine you're at a classic backyard barbecue. Usually, you're stuck holding a cup in one hand while the other holds a plate and fork. The iFork product line allows customers to carry their whole meal with a single hand, leaving the other hand free to eat and drink while standing up or shaking hands with other guests.
Kyle Donovan, iFork's creator, has always been a go-getter. He grew up in a poor part of Brooklyn, where he collected discarded bottles to exchange them for money. Later, at only 19 years old, Donovan opened his own photography studio, operating it out of his one-bedroom apartment. So, Donovan didn't let doubt get in the way of revamping something as classic as the fork, nor did he let nerves stop him from going on "Shark Tank" Season 9 Episode 15 to pitch his idea.
Did the Sharks stick an iFork in it?
Donovan swam into the tank pretty well prepared, seeking $100,000 in exchange for 5% of his company. He arrived with a practiced demonstration, a catchy jingle, roughly a dozen design patents, pending utility patents, and a previous 500-store deal with Wal-Mart. The Sharks didn't particularly care for the iFork itself, but in combination with the iCup and iPlate, they thought it was a real winner. So, Barbara Corcoran made Donovan a counteroffer: $100,000 for 20% plus a promise to redesign the products' outdated packaging and to redesign the iPlate so it could hold standard plastic cups instead of the iCup. The other Sharks respectfully bowed out, so Donovan agreed to Corcoran's deal, but not before deftly lowering the equity to 15%.
After being applauded by the Sharks and crying tears of joy, Donovan told the viewers back home, "For anyone watching out there, if you feel the odds are stacked against you... don't give up," and added, "dreams can come true." Shortly after filming, Donovan informed Heavy that his business had done approximately $50,000 in lifetime sales. At the time, the iFork was also available on Amazon, and Donovan was hoping to get back into big-box retailers like Wal-Mart. Discussing future "Shark Tank" contestants, Donovan admitted that he himself had been nervous and advised, "Focus on your delivery and presentation as much as your product." He certainly gave an effective pitch, but was Donovan's product destined to also be a success?
Did the deal really happen?
A verbal agreement on "Shark Tank" doesn't necessarily guarantee pen will be set to paper. Looking at the company's iFork line and iCup/iPlate products, it seems as if the iFork's packaging has indeed been changed, but the iCup's and iPlate's packaging has not. Similarly, it's telling that the iCup is still being sold, which indicates that the iPlate does not work with standard plastic cups even to this day. It's all mere speculation now, but could this possibly indicate that Corcoran and/or Donovan had second thoughts and the agreement somehow fell through?
Details remain elusive, but Donovan's Linkedin page suggests that he personally has shifted focus away from iFork. It does mention his accomplishments of inventing the iFork product line and appearing on "Shark Tank," but iFork is not listed under the "Experience" section of his profile. As a result, it's unclear whether his role as iFork's founder is just an unmentioned current job or something Donovan has decided to leave behind.
What Donovan's Linkedin "Experience" section does mention is Inccubator, a social media networking platform founded by Donovan in 2019 and launched in 2023. This isn't Donovan's first foray into media — he had previously launched a business-related magazine — but this effort aims to connect multicultural entrepreneurs in a cutting-edge way. To be honest, it's unclear if that's more or less ambitious than reinventing the fork. The real question is — will Corcoran be signing up for the service?