A couple from Newington took their invention to the hit ABC show "Shark Tank"Sunday night, and walked out of the tank millionaires.
Alyssa and Zach Brown went into the Shark Tank to demonstrate their invention, the Moki Door Step. The device is a simple and clever way for shorter people to be able to reach the top of vehicles.
To illustrate the product, Alyssa, who stands an even 5-feet tall, attached the device to the vehicle's striker. This allowed her to easily stood up to reach a kayak that was tied to the roof of an SUV.
The idea for the product came from Zach's work as a firefighter. During car crashes, firefighters would use the Jaws of Life to pry open metal doors. Zach learned that the striker, the small metal latch on the inside of a car door, could withstand up to 2,200 pounds of pressure. The Moki Door Stop hooks onto the striker, and can easily support the weight of a person so they can reach the top of a vehicle.
The Browns initially went into the Shark Tank looking for $150,000 in exchange for a 5-percent stake in their invention. Shark Daymond John was interested, and offered $450,000 for 20-percent, but Alyssa said the couple was unwilling to give up that much equity.
“For that amount of equity, I think we would be better just selling it outright,” Zach said, explaining they had a baby on the way. “I came here with a $3 million valuation, so I would probably stick around that.”
Upon hearing Zach say that, John quickly came back with a buyout offer at $3 million for the entire company. Alyssa and Zach accepted the offer.
Credit: ABC / WTNH