‘Shark Tank’ Season 11 Episode 8 sees entrepreneur Aaron Hirschhorn secure $500K funding for his stem cell banking for pets
We see innovations and inventions in biotechnology and cutting-edge R&D in stem cell research. But there have been very few evolutions when it comes to medical care for pets as much as you would expect. ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ provides a platform for innovators to present such unique concepts. In Season 11, episode 8, startup entrepreneur Aaron Hirschhorn introduced us to stem cell banking solutions for dogs.
While there might have been researches and there are a few clinics around the United States who allow pet owners to store their pooches’ stem cells, no one has taken it to the level of turning it into a million-dollar worth business. Hirschhorn started ‘Gallant’ with the aim of helping dogs heal and be treated the same way as we humans have the privilege now.
The idea stemmed from his personal experience when he watched his dog suffer from arthritis and it was unable to walk. Earlier, Hirschhorn had also founded ‘DogVacay’, a pet exchange program and dog sitting service. Extending his love for canines, combined with his experience, ‘Gallant’ turned out to be a novel idea, not only within the pet-owner fraternity but also among biotechnologists.
The animal biotech startup creates cell therapy products derived from reproductive tissues, at the time of spaying and neutering the dog. The patent-pending process is non-invasive and has already created quite the buzz and vets are already looking forward to rapid growth in this field of medical research. When Hirschhorn presented his business pitch to the sharks in episode 8, each one of them was hooked to the idea. Shark Lori Greiner happily struck a deal with Hirschhorn, with 8% stake in ‘Gallant’.
Beyond ‘Gallant’s appeal on the show, recent research in veterinarian regenerative medical research also shows that stem cell banking for pets might be the next big thing in biotechnology. So far, stem cell research has been restricted to human babies and using banked cells to cure severe diseases and fight major ailments. With more research in stem cells for dogs, it could mean a breakthrough in the field of regenerative science. And with companies like ‘Gallant’ taking the lead, aspiring researchers and biotech startups can expect a promising future.
‘Shark Tank’ Season 11 airs only on ABC, every Sunday at 9 pm ET.