Dino Don bags $500,000 deal from Mark Cuban as 'Shark Tank' fans ask 'what would you do with a dinosaur'

'Oh what in sweet tea is this dinosaur thing. Are there just a lot of rich people in the world that spend money on things so freely and weirdly? #SharkTank,' commented a fan
Don Lessem and Val Jones closed deal with Mark Cuban for the Dino Don company on 'Shark Tank' (ABC)
Don Lessem and Val Jones closed deal with Mark Cuban for the Dino Don company on 'Shark Tank' (ABC)

Don Lessem and his wife Val Jones stepped into 'Shark Tank; with the hopes of raising money for their business Dino Don. In case you're wondering what Dino Don is then it's an animatronic dinosaurs company that produces extremely realistic-looking dinosaurs that move and roar! 

The couple came in seeking $500,000 for a 10% stake in their unique business venture of selling and loaning life-sized dinosaur robots in museums and theme parks. The Sharks were instantly impressed by how real the dinosaurs looked and couldn't get enough of the attention to the details that the craftsmen paid while designing these giant robots. 

RELATED ARTICLES

Dino Don, Inc on 'Shark Tank': What is the cost, who are the founders and where you can see these life-sized dinosaurs

'Shark Tank' Product of the Day: ABII Educational Robot helps kids get classroom-like education at home

Dino Don, Inc. founder Don Lessem and his wife Val Jones on 'Shark Tank' (ABC)

Despite being impressed by how amazing the dinosaurs looked, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, and Robert Herjavec backed out from closing a deal with the lovely couple because they felt that dinosaurs weren't exactly their area of expertise, and also had a hard time believing the incredibly high sales numbers and the projections that the duo was sharing with them.

Fans too seemed to agree with them about the utility of dinosaur robots. Many fans began wondering what anybody would do with a life-sized dinosaur robot. A fan tweeted, "What would you do with a #dinosaur? Deal or no deal? #SharkTank." Another fan wrote, "Oh what in sweet tea is this dinosaur thing. Are there just a lot of rich people in the world that spend money on things so freely and weirdly? #SharkTank." "#SharkTank why are they here?" wondered a fan.



 



 



 

However, Mark Cuban saw a huge potential in Dino Don and happily made an offer to invest the $500,000 they were asking for, but he wanted a 25% stake in the company as he felt that a lot of work would be involved to get the brand to take off. Don and Val were initially hesitant to part with such a huge percentage of their company's stake, but they were also aware of the value that Mark would add to the business, so they agreed to his offer and closed the deal. 

Dino Don's life-sized dinosaurs robots (Shark Tank/ ABC)

Several other fans were pleased to see Dino Don close the deal with Mark, and expressed their excitement. A fan shared, "I think I'm such a dinosaur nerd that even if I lost money, I'd make a deal just because they are so cool. #SharkTank." Another fan commented, "I love that @mcuban just bought dinosaurs!! Bring them to a Mavs game, and I’ll pay extra for a ticket. #sharktank." "#SharkTank I love the dinosaurs! I also love the deal too and the projection that their shark partner would be @mcuban is sooo awesome!," expressed a fan.



 



 



 

What did you think of the Dino Don deal on 'Shark Tank'? Let us know.

Missed an episode? Been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. Not just that, you can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

The three-part docuseries explores the fascinating story of doomsday cult Eternal Values and its leader, Frederick von Mierers
5 hours ago
Throughout the previous episodes, Carter skipped school and looked upon Dwight as some sort of a mentor
6 hours ago
Fan-favorite Netflix show is set to premiere its upcoming season next week on June 11.
6 hours ago
'NCIS' Season 23 finale ended on a cliffhanger after Wilmer Valderrama's Nick Torres confronted Mateo [Patrick Keleher]
8 hours ago
Here's everything we know about Sadie Sink's new FX series 'The Marriage Plot'
8 hours ago
The next season of the crime drama series will see Jon Hamm's Coop deal with the aftermath of Owen Ashe's death
9 hours ago
Katie Robbins and Ellen Pompeo previously collaborated on Hulu's limited series 'Good American Family,' which premiered in 2025
11 hours ago
Created and executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, the drama focuses on a family trying to rebuild their lives after a devastating loss
14 hours ago
Peter McFerrin returned for his next game and went head-to-head with Susan Moskop and Webster Guan
14 hours ago
The June 4 episode of ‘General Hospital’ featured a major departure following a last-minute deal for freedom
15 hours ago