Every parent knows the struggle. Kids love building pillow forts, but the mess afterward is a nightmare. Sofa cushions end up on the floor, blankets get tangled, and the living room looks like a tornado hit it. Conor Lewis, a dad himself, faced this problem when helping his daughter build a fort. Instead of getting frustrated, he came up with a brilliant solution: FORT Magnetic Pillows.
FORT was designed to make pillow forts easier and cleaner. These were not just ordinary cushions; they were foam blocks with built-in magnets, allowing kids to snap them together and create sturdy forts without stealing couch pillows. The idea was simple but innovative. Conor launched a Kickstarter campaign that raised $2 million in just ten hours, proving there was real demand.
When Conor stepped into the Shark Tank in Season 13, he asked for $500,000 for 10% equity in his company. Unfortunately, despite the initial excitement, the sharks had major concerns. High production costs, shipping delays, and a steep price tag made them hesitant. One by one, all the sharks declined to invest.
FORT Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Conor was looking for an investment of $500k in exchange for 10% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, he valued his company at $5 million. Conor did not secure a deal with any of the sharks, as all of them declined to invest. After the show aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. However, due to production issues and safety concerns, FORT went out of business in 2023. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of FORT is $0.
Shark(s) name
Offer & Demand
Counteroffer
Accepted?
Emma Grede
Out
N/A
N/A
Lori Greiner
Out
N/A
N/A
Kevin O’Leary
Out
N/A
N/A
Robert Herjavec
Out
N/A
N/A
Mark Cuban
Out
N/A
N/A
Conor Lewis Backstory + Their Initial Pitch
Conor Lewis was just a dad trying to make playtime easier. One day, while helping his daughter build a pillow fort, he realized how messy and inconvenient it was. Kids dragged cushions from all over the house, leaving sofas bare and floors cluttered. He thought, *What if there was a better way?*
That’s when he came up with FORT Magnetic Pillows. These were modular foam blocks with strong magnets inside, allowing kids to easily connect them and build forts without destroying the living room. The blocks were lightweight, durable, and came in fun colors.
Conor launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2021 to test the idea. The response was overwhelming—he raised $2 million in just ten hours. People loved the concept, and it seemed like FORT was on its way to success.
But problems started early. Manufacturing delays, high shipping costs, and supply chain issues slowed everything down. Many customers who had pre-ordered still hadn’t received their products by the time Conor entered the Shark Tank.
During his pitch, Conor explained his vision. He showed the sharks how the magnetic blocks worked and emphasized the huge demand from parents. His ask was $500,000 for 10% equity, valuing his company at $5 million.
The sharks were intrigued but skeptical. They loved the idea but worried about the execution.
Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal
Kevin was the first to speak. He pointed out the biggest red flag—FORT had already taken $2 million in pre-orders but hadn’t delivered most of them. He called it a “dangerous situation” because if customers got impatient and demanded refunds, the company could collapse. Because of this, he walked away.
Mark Cuban liked the product but hated the business model. He said Conor had made classic startup mistakes—scaling too fast without solving production issues. He told Conor, “You’re a great example of what not to do as an entrepreneur.” He also declined to invest.
Guest shark Emma Grede thought the product was cool for kids, but she wasn’t convinced it was a scalable business. She said, “It’s not proven yet,” and decided to pass.
Lori, the “Queen of QVC,” usually loves kid-friendly products. But she didn’t see how she could add value to FORT. Since Conor was already struggling with manufacturing, she felt she couldn’t help fix those problems. She left the deal.
Robert was the last shark left. He admitted he was trying to talk himself into investing because he liked the idea. But in the end, he couldn’t ignore the financial risks. He said, “I just don’t see a path to success here,” and backed out.
The sharks, who are investors looking to put money into promising businesses, decided not to invest in FORT because of serious issues with the business itself, not just the product. FORT had taken a lot of orders in advance (millions of dollars worth) but didn’t deliver the products on time. This raised a big concern because if customers got upset, they might ask for their money back, which could lead to the company going bankrupt.
It costs FORT $500 to make each set of their product. This price was too high for many families, meaning they would struggle to sell enough products to stay in business. FORT faced delays when sending products to customers. These delays made customers unhappy and could hurt the company’s reputation in the long run.
The investors could not see a solid plan for how FORT would make consistent money in the future. Because of these problems, the sharks viewed investing in FORT as too risky.
Product Availability
Before shutting down, FORT was a company that sold colorful foam blocks with magnets, which made it easy for kids to build forts, tunnels, and other structures. The blocks came in a range of colors, including teal, black, purple, green, light blue, brown, beige, and yellow. Each set included several blocks that kids could snap together easily, eliminating the need for glue or extra tools.
You could buy FORT blocks exclusively through their website, but many customers faced long wait times, sometimes months, due to shipping delays. The price for a full set was $500, which many parents found too high. This expensive price likely contributed to lower sales for the company.
What Happened To The FORT After Shark Tank?
After FORT appeared on Shark Tank, things took a turn for the worse for the company. Customers were unhappy because they ordered products but didn’t receive them for months.
The company had trouble paying for production and couldn’t keep up with costs. In 2023, a safety authority in the U.S. issued a recall for all FORT products because the magnets inside could become loose and pose a choking risk.
By May 2023, FORT went out of business and told customers to throw away their products instead of trying to sell or donate them. As a result, FORT has shut down completely. Their website is no longer active, and the products are no longer available.
Conclusion
FORT Magnetic Pillows had a great idea but a failed execution. Conor Lewis created a fun, innovative product that parents loved—but high costs, shipping delays, and safety issues destroyed the business.
On Shark Tank, all the sharks rejected his deal because of the financial risks. Sadly, their concerns were right. Despite early success on Kickstarter, FORT couldn’t overcome its challenges.
By 2023, the company was gone, and all products were recalled. It’s a reminder that even the best ideas need solid planning to succeed. LFor now, parents will have to go back to old-school pillow forts at least until the next big innovation comes along.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib, an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Shark Tank has always been one of my favorite TV shows because it offers a unique glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship. The way entrepreneurs present innovative solutions to everyday problems aligns with my academic interests and fuels my curiosity about business strategies. Each pitch showcases creativity and strategic decision-making, which I find both insightful and inspiring. Watching the show has deepened my passion for business and motivated me to explore the world of entrepreneurship even further. Beyond business and writing, I love food, shopping, and spending time with my friends and family.
