Big tech has always been a big part of The sharks on Shark Tank are always on the lookout for the next big things, whether that's a gimmick product, a retail curio, a business idea that's never been done before, or some new piece of technology. Technology can be a difficult space to work in, considering how fast it moves, but it's hard not to get excited by something shiny.

There have been plenty of duds to come through the shark tank and many of Shark Tanks worst pitches have been about supposedly new and great technologies. A lot of entrepreneurs think they can get away with not explaining their bad products by using lingo and jargon, but the sharks generally have a good sense of what's going to work and what's not. With Aira, however, it was clear from the start that the two businessmen presenting had a handle on their product and knew how it could make money.

Aira Is A Wireless Phone-Charging Solution

Aira Planned To License Out Their Product

Eric Goodchild and Jake Slatnick appeared on Shark Tank season 5, episode 11, pitching their business and product, Aira. Aira builds wireless phone chargers that have the notable benefit of being powerful enough to charge multiple devices at once, while not taking up too much room on a desk. Slatnick and Goodchild are both Arizona State grads. Slatnick had experience in mobile gaming and apparel brands, while Goodchild was the tech wiz. He appeared in The Guinness Book of World Records for building a powerful bipolar Tesla coil, the same technology in the Aira charger.

The Aira team said they plan to license out their technology, so brands can put their chargers in whatever places they want, and decide how they would like to be designed. Despite being in the pre-revenue stage, Aira asked for a $500,000 investment in return for a 7% equity stake. Their pitch was impressive, however, and the sharks were excited about the licensing aspect of the business.

The Aira Shark Tank Deal Explained

Kevin, Robert, And Lori All Bid For The Business

Mark Cuban was interested in the product but had to decline, citing another company he's invested in that makes a similar product. Daymond John was also impressed with Slatnick and Goodchild but was worried that in the fast-moving world of technology, Aira would soon be leapfrogged. Robert Herjavec saw potential, however, and offered $500,000 for 10%.

Lori Greiner and Kevin O'Leary partnered together for $500,000 for 15%. Slatnick and Goodchild came up with an unusual offer, $500,000 for a 15% split between Lori, Kevin, and Robert. After a moment of amused consideration, the three sharks agreed to the deal.

Where Aira Is Now

Aira Is Now Called FreePower

Aira had some strong success after the Shark Tank, though they did not receive the Shark Tank bump after the show, considering their product was not ready for sale yet. Aira came out with the FreePower charger soon after Shark Tank and eventually rebranded the whole company as FreePower (via FreePower). FreePower earned CES Innovation Awards in 2021 and 2022 (via FreePower) and is reportedly worth somewhere in the vicinity of $5 million (via Looper).