ZipString Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025 

So, you know how some toys become super popular for a while, like fidget spinners and yo-yos? Well, there’s a new toy that people are really excited about called ZipString! It’s an awesome little gadget that you can hold in your hand and it can shoot a loop of string really fast—up to 35 miles per hour. With it, you can do cool tricks, make different shapes, and even have battles with your friends. 

The creators of ZipString, Stephen Fazio and Austin Hillam, thought about how much fun people have with strings and decided to make something amazing. When they first shared it on social media, it blew up! They got a whopping 20 million views in just one day, which means a lot of people were interested and wanted to see what it was all about.

But becoming popular isn’t always easy. They faced some tricky challenges, like delays in making the toy and even some other people trying to copy their ideas. 

Then, they went on a TV show called Shark Tank where people pitch their business ideas to wealthy investors (called “Sharks”) hoping to get money to help them grow. Stephen and Austin asked for $100,000 in exchange for 10% of their company.

Some of the Sharks were really excited about the toy, while others thought it might just be a short-lived trend. In the end, two Sharks, Robert Herjavec and Kevin O’Leary, decided to work together and make a deal with them. 

ZipString Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025 

Stephen and Austin were looking for an investment of $100k in exchange for 10% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, they valued their company at $1 million. Stephen and Austin successfully secured a deal with Kevin and Robert for an investment of $100k for 20% equity in the company. The investment adjusted the company’s net worth to around $500k. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of ZipString in 2025 is around $1 million.

$100,000 for 20% equity $100,000 for 10% equity$100,000 for 20% equity ( with Kevin)	Offer & Demand	Counteroffer	Accepted?
Barbara Corcoran	Out	N/A	N/A
Lori Greiner	Out	N/A	N/A
Kevin O’Leary	$100,000 for a royalty of $1 per unit sold $100,000 for 15% equity $100,000 for 9% equityPartnered with Robert	N/A	N/A
Robert Herjavec And Kevin	$100,000 for 20% equity $100,000 for 10% equity$100,000 for 20% equity ( with kevin)	$100,000 for 15% equity	Yes
Mark Cuban	Out	N/A	N/A

Stephen and Austin Backstory + Their Initial Pitch 

Stephen and Austin were just two kids having some fun with strings. While they were playing, they discovered that if they spun the strings really fast, it was a blast! This led them to create something cool called ZipString. It’s a little device you can hold in your hand that shoots out a loop of string. With it, you can do awesome tricks, make cool shapes, and even have battles with your friends.

Their invention became super popular really quickly. A video showing how to use ZipString got 20 million views in just one day! Because of this, a ton of people wanted to buy it, but Stephen and Austin had a challenge. They couldn’t make enough ZipStrings fast enough, and customers had to wait weeks to receive their orders.

When they appeared on a show called Shark Tank, they had already sold 10,000 ZipStrings, each costing $25. This means they made a total of $277,000! It cost about $6.35 to make each ZipString, but they thought they could reduce the cost to $5.87 if they ordered more materials.

On Shark Tank, they asked the investors, called the Sharks, for $100,000 in exchange for 10% of their company. They wanted this money to help them make more ZipStrings so they could keep up with all the orders from excited customers.

Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal

Barbara checked out the toy called ZipString and thought it was interesting, but she didn’t usually invest in toys, so she decided not to invest in it and went out. Think of it like not wanting to join a team if you don’t really like the game they play.

Lori thought ZipString was pretty cool, but she also thought it was a bit risky. She was worried that it might just be a temporary trend, like a popular dance that everyone does for a little while but then forgets about. Because of this, she chose to pass on the investment.

Mark felt the same way as Lori. He also thought ZipString might not last long, comparing it to fidget spinners which became super popular for a while but then almost everyone stopped using them. Because of this, he decided to go out too.

Kevin, who is known as Mr. Wonderful, saw that the numbers (like sales and profits) looked good. However, he wanted a special deal. Instead of buying part of the company, he offered $100,000 but wanted to get $1 for every ZipString sold forever. This means he wanted to earn money every time the toy was sold, rather than owning a piece of the company.

Robert thought differently from the others. He saw that ZipString could become really popular and successful. So he said he would invest $100,000 but wanted 20% of the business, which means he would own a part of it.

In the end, Kevin changed his mind and decided to work with Robert. Together, they offered $100,000 for 20% equity (so each of them would get 10%) in the company. The original creators, Stephen and Austin, wanted to give away less (15% instead of 20%), but Kevin and Robert wouldn’t change their offer. They were nervous about losing the chance to work with them, so they agreed to the deal!

Product Availability

You can get this item by visiting their official website, which is zipstring.com. The prices begin at $25. There’s a special version called the glow-in-the-dark Luma version that you can also buy.

What Happened To The ZipString After Shark Tank?

The information describes the impact of the TV show “Shark Tank” on a company called ZipString, even though there is no confirmation that a deal was finalized with investors Kevin and Robert. Regardless of the deal’s status, appearing on “Shark Tank” brought significant benefits to ZipString. The company received over 100,000 visits to its website within just a few days after the episode aired.

The demand was so high that all their products sold out immediately. They managed to resolve delays in producing their products by mid-2023. 

They introduced a new product called ZipString Luma, which is a glow-in-the-dark version of their original product. Despite the success, ZipString faced competition from counterfeit products (knockoffs), which affected their sales. As of today, ZipString is still operating and doing well, generating $665,000 in revenue each year and with a company value estimated at $1 million.

Conclusion 

Stephen and Austin created a simple toy called ZipString, which quickly gained popularity and became a viral hit online. They appeared on the TV show “Shark Tank,” which helped them get noticed, even though they didn’t end up making a finalized deal with investors Kevin and Robert. 

ZipString showed that even toys that seem easy and straightforward can become very popular. Now, people are curious to see if this trend will continue or if it will disappear like the fidget spinner, which was also very popular for a while but eventually lost its appeal. Only time will reveal what will happen.