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Inventor's business idea to turn water into gold still remains the wildest 'Shark Tank' pitch ever

Mark Sullivan asked for a $1 million investment in exchange for 10% equity to bring his revolutionary invention, the Sullivan Generator, to life.

In one of the most unforgettable pitches in Shark Tank history, Texas inventor Mark Sullivan took the stage during Season 3 with a bold proposition that left the judges in shock. Sullivan asked for a $1 million investment in exchange for 0% equity to bring his bizarre invention, the Sullivan Generator, to life. His pitch? A machine that could turn water into gold. Complete with detailed business drawings, Sullivan explained his invention, which he claimed would harness the Coriolis Effect to create controlled hurricanes. These hurricanes would generate electricity, and the waste product of the process, according to Sullivan, would be gold.

As per Unilad, Sullivan claimed the generator could pull in vast amounts of ocean water, spin it into a vortex, and process the resulting vapor to produce electricity while precipitating valuable minerals like manganese and gold. Sullivan’s claim was audacious—200 such generators could produce $96 billion in gold. The staggering figure spiked the Sharks’ interest, though it was quickly overshadowed by skepticism about the science and practicality behind the concept. The Sharks’ responses ranged from confusion to disbelief. Daymond John quickly bowed out, admitting he didn’t understand the science.

Kevin O’Leary likened the concept to creating synthetic hurricanes and doubted whether it would be humanly possible or feasible. Barbara Corcoran also opted out without much comment, while Mark Cuban’s skepticism boiled over when Sullivan revealed it would take nine months to build the generator. On the other hand, Robert Herjavec seemed intrigued by the audacity of the pitch and how it was a never-heard-before concept, even briefly entertaining the idea of investing $50,000—but only if O’Leary hopped in and cover the remaining $950,000. However, unfortunately, O’Leary declined, and with no Shark willing to take the bait, Sullivan’s pitch failed to secure any funding, as reported by Shark Tank Recap.

Despite leaving Shark Tank without a deal, Sullivan’s pitch remains one of the show’s most talked-about moments. Social media platforms like Reddit still bear discussions about the episode, with fans sharing clips and memes of the Sharks’ bewildered reactions. One Redditor commented, "Everyone’s faces in this episode just KILLS me," while another simply remarked, "Hilarious." In agreement, another chimed, “Wonder if this guy is alive still or he got whacked like the guy that made that water motor.” On X (formerly Twitter) a person added, “Summarizes most Silicon Valley startups pretty well.” A comment also read, “It doesn’t ‘turn saltwater into gold.’ The gold is already in the salt water, this just extracts it using a centrifuge.”

Though the pitch was widely dismissed, Sullivan’s credentials— including degrees in bioengineering and physics— added a layer of intrigue. He claimed to have over 1,000 inventions and cited his success with a left ventricular cyst device used in artificial hearts, which he claimed generated over $1 billion annually. Yet, the Sullivan Generator’s science could not be verified, and the product never materialized. Sullivan continues to maintain a website detailing his various inventions, but the dream of turning water into gold remains unrealized.