Two Miami University alumni who pitched their startup on ABC’s “Shark Tank” in 2021 are returning to the show this month alongside their famed investor, and the show’s arguably most notable billionaire, Mark Cuban.
Mad Rabbit, a tattoo skincare brand founded by Selom Agbitor and Oliver Zak, 2019 Miami University graduates, will return to “Shark Tank” Oct. 14
During the "update episode," Agbitor and Zak are expected to join Cuban, an investor and longtime "Shark Tank" cast member, to share what Mad Rabbit has been up to along with updates and growth plans for 2023 and beyond.
The original Mad Rabbit episode aired March 26, 2021. The company landed $500,000 for a 12% stake in the company from Cuban.
Cuban has continued to invest in the company. Most recently, Mad Rabbit raised $4 million in fresh funding from Cuban and others, including NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs and rappers Riff Raff and Yelawolf. RedHawk Ventures, a venture fund entirely run by undergraduate students at Miami University, also has backed the company.
“We are excited to finally share the latest news from Mad Rabbit,” Zak said in a release. “From making our first product in a dorm room, to our initial episode, to where we are now…we’ve come a long way.”
Cincy Inno first chatted with Zak and Agbitor, who both earned finance degrees at Miami, days before their first “Shark Tank” appearance.
Zak, who is from Cleveland, and Agbitor, who grew up in Columbus, started working on Mad Rabbit in 2019. They created the company's first balm in a crockpot in Zak’s college apartment using products ordered on Amazon.
Mad Rabbit’s operations are currently based in Los Angeles, while its management team is working remote.
Mad Rabbit’s product line includes a tattoo balm ($18), numbing cream ($25), sunscreen ($26), a gel tailored for new tattoos ($22), daily lotion ($18) and body wash ($20). Mad Rabbit recently expanded into shower products.
All Mad Rabbit products are non-toxic, paraben-free and help keep tattoos looking vibrant. The company maintains an e-commerce shop and is available at an array of tattoo shops nationwide.
Since its initial appearance, Mad Rabbit said it has tripled revenue and has “preserved more than 2 million tattoos to date."
It’s the third company with local ties to have appeared on “Shark Tank” since 2020, including William and Kristen Schumacher of Uprising Food, a superfood bakery; and Carson and Jason Grill, founders of Touch Up Cup, a paint-saving device.
Season 14 of “Shark Tank” premiered Sept. 23.
