Autio Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025

Imagine you’re on a road trip, driving through beautiful places, but not really knowing the stories behind the towns and sights you pass. Woody Sears noticed that many travelers miss out on interesting facts and local culture while they drive. To change that, he created an app called Autio.

Autio is like a personal tour guide that uses your smartphone. As you drive, it tells you interesting stories about the places around you. Not just any stories though, famous actors like Kevin Costner and John Lithgow narrate them, making it more engaging to listen to. This way, your road trip becomes not just a drive, but a fun and educational experience. Since it started in 2020, over 500,000 people have downloaded Autio!

Woody also appeared on Shark Tank, where he asked for $1 million in exchange for 5% of the company to help it grow. Sharks liked his idea but had concerns about competing apps and his company’s value. One Shark, Kevin O’Leary, offered him the money but wanted a larger share, 15% equity instead. Woody decided not to accept that deal. However, even without a deal from the Sharks, Autio continued to do well after the show.

Autio Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025

Woody was looking for an investment of $1 million in exchange for 5% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, he valued his company at $20 million. Woody did not make a deal with any of the Sharks. Since no investment was made, the company’s net worth stayed at around $20 million. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of Autio in 2025 is around $20 million.

Shark(s) name	Offer & Demand	Counteroffer	Accepted?
Barbara Corcoran	Out	N/A	N/A
Lori Greiner	Out	N/A	N/A
Kevin O’Leary	$1M for 15% equity $1M for 12% equity$1M for 10% equity	$1M for 6.5% equity $1M for 7% equity	No
Robert Herjavec	Out	N/A	N/A
Mark Cuban	Out	N/A	N/A

Woody Sears Backstory + Their Initial Pitch

Woody Sears came up with the idea for Autio after taking many road trips and realizing that a lot of fascinating stories about the places people drive through often go unnoticed. He wanted to make those stories heard. 

In 2020, he launched an app called HearHere with actors Kevin Costner and Bill Werlin. However, they changed the name to Autio in 2022. The app provides narrated stories from various voices, including celebrities, historians, and indigenous leaders, covering a wide range of topics like history, sports, and music.

Autio also collaborates with a nonprofit organization called The Moth, which promotes diverse storytelling. For every subscription sold, Autio gives $1 to The Moth. 

By 2022, Autio had made $700,000 in revenue and had achieved 500,000 downloads. Users can listen to five stories for free, and then they can pay $36 a year for full access to the app’s content. 

On Shark Tank, Woody spoke about how Autio can make road trips more enjoyable by sharing interesting stories and seeking funding to help expand their story offerings and improve marketing efforts.

Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal

Kevin O’Leary expressed interest in Autio but believed the company’s valuation of $20 million was too high. He made an offer of $1 million in exchange for a 15% ownership stake in the company. Woody, the entrepreneur, responded by asking for only a 10% stake, but Kevin declined that counteroffer, and they could not reach an agreement.

Mark Cuban raised concerns about competition. He pointed out that there are larger apps in the market and emphasized that Autio would need something special to stand out. Because of this, he chose not to invest.

Lori Greiner liked the idea behind Autio but was uncertain about whether there would be sufficient demand for the product in the future. As a result, she decided not to invest.

Robert Herjavec believed that Autio was focused on a very specific niche market. He wanted to see more evidence of the company’s growth before committing to an investment. Consequently, he also declined to invest.

Barbara Corcoran appreciated the storytelling aspect of Autio but was not convinced the business could be profitable. Therefore, she chose to walk away from the deal.

In the end, none of the Sharks decided to invest in Autio. They all shared concerns about the size of the market and the challenges posed by competition. Although Woody did not secure funding, he chose to continue developing and growing his business independently.

What Went Wrong With Autio On Shark Tank?

Autio, a company that deals with travel-related services, tried to get Sharks to buy a part of their business. However, three main reasons stopped the deal: Autio wanted to be valued at $20 million, which the investors thought was too expensive for what the business really offered. The customers who would use Autio mostly consist of road trippers and RV drivers.

This is a specific group, which makes it harder for the business to grow because it’s not appealing to everyone.

The sharks were worried that big travel apps could easily take Autio’s ideas and create their own versions, which would make it tough for Autio to compete. Even with these reasons for not making the deal, Autio still managed to do well and succeed on its own.

Product Availability

Autio is a service that provides audio stories about different locations, narrated by well-known voices. You can listen to stories that are related to the places you’re visiting, making your trips more interesting. You can download stories to listen to even when you’re in areas without cell service. You can subscribe for a year for $36, giving you access to all the content.

You can download the Autio app from the Apple App Store if you have an iPhone, Google Play Store if you’re using an Android phone, or Directly from Autio’s website. 

What Happened To The Autio After Shark Tank?

After appearing on Shark Tank, the company Autio experienced significant growth in several areas. The number of people downloading Autio’s app or product skyrocketed compared to before they appeared on the show. This means that the brand became much more popular and many more people wanted to try it out.

The number of people paying for a subscription to Autio’s service also more than doubled. This indicates that more consumers found value in what Autio was offering, leading them to sign up.

The number of visitors to Autio’s website increased dramatically. This suggests a huge surge of interest from potential customers or curious users looking to learn more about the brand. Autio managed to raise nearly $5 million from investors to help grow the business, which is a significant boost for operational expansion, marketing, and further development.

The company started making $2 million every year, showing that they were not only attracting customers but also successfully generating income from their activities. This implies that the overall value of the company rose substantially, indicating strong investor confidence and a solid business model.

Additionally, Autio was able to lower customer acquisition costs from $38 to $10: This means they became much more efficient in attracting new customers, spending much less money to gain each new user or subscriber. Overall, these figures highlight a remarkable success story for Autio following their appearance on Shark Tank.

Conclusion 

Woody Sears presented his app, Autio, on Shark Tank, aiming to enhance the experience of road trips. While the Sharks appreciated the concept, they chose not to invest because they worried about the app’s value and the competition it might face.

Despite not getting a deal on the show, Autio thrived afterward. The app gained a lot of new subscribers, received more funding, and saw its earnings increase significantly. By today, Autio is valued at $20 million.

This story highlights that even without the backing of Shark Tank, a strong idea can still become very successful. Autio has made it easier and more enjoyable for people on road trips.