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Doctor walks into ‘Shark Tank’ with bold idea to fix your sleep — but turns down $400K deal in dramatic twist

‘Shark Tank’ pitch shows $2,000 headboard that creates a bubble of pure air — but sharks doubt $10M value

A New York City resident entered the tank seeking $400,000 for 20% equity for AirTulip. In Season 16 of ‘Shark Tank,’ Dr. Arjen de Jong stunned the judges with his invention. However, most of them doubted the valuation he placed on his air-purifying headboard. According to Shark Tank Recap, the product circulates clean air around the bed. The outlet suggests that the air-purifying headboard not only delivers cleaner air to its users but also helps improve their sleep.

To make his pitch engaging, Dr. Jong demonstrated how toxic the air can be. His friend Jim assisted in the demonstration by lying inside a sealed box. At first, Jim seemed to be sleeping on a bed, but during the demonstration, toxic air was simulated using green lighting and harmless gas. “It's everywhere, outside and even inside; there’s no escaping. Dust, smoke, pet hair, dander, and allergens. They’re all around us. This is what it looks like. If you could see that’s bad air we all breathe,” Dr. Jong explained. 

The entrepreneur further mentioned that even with the filters, the air in a bedroom is “only marginally improved.” With the help of Jim, the contestant demonstrated how AirTulip created a “bubble of completely uncontaminated air right where you sleep.” Talking to the sharks, Dr. Jong explained that the product improved sleep quality by removing asthma and allergy triggers from the air. Kevin O’Leary was instantly intrigued by the product and tried AirTulip himself. After lying down in front of the headboard, O’Leary noted that he didn’t feel air hitting his face, nor did he hear any noise. “It’s very, very quiet. And you’re telling me I am being protected,” Mr. Wonderful asked. Mark Cuban then asked if the headboard could be used in hospitals or cribs. Dr. Jong said yes but highlighted that hospitals would require FDA clearance, which would take time.

Next, Lori Greiner expressed her doubts, asking why it was a headboard and not just a regular bedside filter. The contestant explained that regular purifiers clean the room unevenly, keeping dust circulating around the user. On the other hand, AirTulip created a small, fully clean zone around your face. Robert Herjavec asked about the sale. Dr. Jong explained that the company had not started selling yet. He added that the company had run a crowdfunding campaign, selling 100 units at over $2,000 each and raising $200,000.

Talking about the production cost, Dr. Jong mentioned that the materials cost $1,000 per unit, plus the labor added $500, taking the cost to $1,500, with a 50% margin. Herjavec stated that the $10 million valuation made no sense without any sales and chose to drop out of the deal. A similar emotion was expressed by Barbara Corcoran, who dropped out as well. Greiner noted that while the product was promising, it was still at an early stage, so she also exited. She was followed by Cuban. O’Leary then offered $400,000 for 22.5% equity. However, Dr. Jong countered his offer with 8%, which O’Leary did not accept. During negotiations, Dr. Jong proposed 15% equity, but Mr. Wonderful requested 20%. Surprisingly, Dr. Jong declined his offer and walked away without any deal.