Emma Cohen didn't just walk into the tank with a product; she walked in with a mission to kill the plastic straw. When she pitched FinalStraw on Shark Tank back in 2018, the timing was perfect. Cities were banning plastic, sea turtles were the face of environmental activism, and the "Save the Turtles" movement was hitting a fever pitch. It was the kind of viral momentum entrepreneurs dream of having before they even step onto the carpet.
The pitch was legendary. Emma, dressed in a full mermaid suit, presented a collapsible, reusable straw that fit into a keychain-sized container. It was clever. It was timely. It was exactly what the Sharks usually fight over.
The Massive Valuation That Raised Eyebrows
Most people remember the mermaid suit, but the numbers were what actually floored the room. Emma and her then-partner Miles Pepper asked for $625,000 in exchange for a tiny 5% stake in the company. That put the valuation at a staggering $12.5 million.
Kevin O'Leary, ever the hawk for high valuations, immediately started chirping about the "insanity" of the ask. But the sales were there. They had already raised over $1.8 million on Kickstarter. People wanted this thing. They wanted it bad.
The negotiation was a masterclass in holding your ground. Kevin offered the money but wanted a $2 royalty until he made $1.8 million back, plus 8% equity. Daymond John dropped out early because he didn't see the "barrier to entry," a concern that would eventually prove to be prophetic. Lori Greiner, the Queen of QVC, was the obvious fit, but she wanted a much bigger piece of the pie.
Eventually, Mark Cuban bit. He offered $625,000 for 10% equity. Emma and Miles took it. It looked like a match made in heaven—the tech billionaire's resources combined with a product that was trending globally.
Why the FinalStraw Deal Never Actually Closed
Here is the thing about Shark Tank that most viewers miss: a handshake on TV is basically just a letter of intent. It isn't a binding contract. After the cameras stop rolling, the "due diligence" phase begins. This is where the Sharks dig into the taxes, the patents, the supply chain, and the skeletons in the closet.
The FinalStraw Shark Tank deal never actually closed.
Mark Cuban and the FinalStraw team parted ways during due diligence. While neither side has gone on a smear campaign, it’s common in these scenarios that the terms change once the books are opened. Sometimes the entrepreneur decides they don't actually want to give up that much equity once the "TV high" wears off. In Emma’s case, she has mentioned in interviews that they ended up being "totally fine" without the investment because their cash flow was so strong from the initial viral surge.
Honestly, they didn't need Mark's money. They needed his help with the "sharks" outside the tank.
The Knockoff Nightmare and the Patent Battle
Daymond John was right. The barrier to entry was practically non-existent. Within weeks of the Kickstarter going viral—and even before the Shark Tank episode aired—hundreds of "Fakes" appeared on Amazon and Alibaba.
It was a total mess.
Emma has spoken candidly about how soul-crushing this period was. She was trying to build a brand focused on sustainability and quality, while cheap, plastic-laden imitations were being sold for a third of the price using her own marketing photos. This is the dark side of a Shark Tank success story. You get the "Shark Tank Effect" which drives millions of visitors to your site, but you also put a giant target on your back for counterfeiters.
She spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees. Think about that. Instead of spending that money on R&D or expanding the product line, she was playing a game of whack-a-mole with factories in overseas markets.
The company eventually rebranded from FinalStraw to Final, signaling an intent to be more than just a straw company. They launched FinalFork and FinalSpork. They tried to own the entire "reusable cutlery" space.
Where is FinalStraw Now?
You can still buy them. They’re still around. That’s a win in the Shark Tank world where most companies die within three years. But the landscape has changed. In 2018, a reusable straw was a status symbol. In 2026, it’s just a thing people have in their kitchen drawer.
The company moved away from just being a "straw company" to a broader mission of reducing single-use plastics. They’ve focused heavily on B2B sales and high-end retail rather than just competing with the $2 junk on Amazon. Emma Cohen has become a prominent voice in the environmental space, proving that even if the Shark deal falls through, the platform of the show is worth its weight in gold.
One interesting pivot was their focus on the "FinalWipe" and other hygiene products during the pandemic era, though the straw remains their flagship. They survived the "peak straw" trend and settled into a sustainable, albeit smaller-than-projected, business model.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Pitch
People think Emma was just lucky. They see the mermaid suit and think it was a gimmick. It wasn't.
Emma Cohen had a background in environmental science. She knew her data. When the Sharks grilled her on the impact of plastic, she didn't give "influencer" answers; she gave scientific ones. The real lesson of the FinalStraw Shark Tank episode isn't about the product—it's about the "Pre-Tank" prep.
They had:
- High-quality video assets.
- A massive email list from Kickstarter.
- A clear "Why" that resonated emotionally.
- Proof of concept through nearly $2 million in pre-sales.
If you go on that show without those things, the Sharks will eat you alive regardless of what you’re wearing.
Actionable Takeaways for Entrepreneurs
If you’re looking at FinalStraw as a blueprint for your own business, don't just look at the success. Look at the scars.
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- Protect your IP early, but don't rely on it. Patents didn't stop the knockoffs from appearing; they only gave Emma a legal leg to stand on to eventually get them removed. You need a brand, not just a patent.
- The "No Deal" can be a "Good Deal." If the due diligence process reveals that the Shark wants to change the direction of your company in a way you hate, walk away. FinalStraw survived and thrived without Mark Cuban's 10%.
- Vary your product line before the trend dies. FinalStraw became Final because they knew the "reusable straw" hype wouldn't last forever.
- Focus on the "Why." People didn't buy a $25 straw because it was a better way to drink water. They bought it because they wanted to feel like they were helping the ocean. Sell the feeling, not the stainless steel.
FinalStraw remains one of the most memorable pitches in the history of the show. It’s a case study in viral marketing, the reality of the "Shark Tank Effect," and the grueling reality of defending a brand in the age of global e-commerce. It's a reminder that a "Yes" on TV is just the beginning of a much harder journey.