Did The LARQ Water Bottle Survive After Shark Tank? Here's What Happened After Season 12

Season 12 of "Shark Tank," which was broadcast during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, saw a number of entrepreneurs pitching tech gadgets and apps. Some of the popular examples from the season include the Hopscotch app to teach coding to children, Sparkcharge to charge electric vehicles, and Flipstik to prop up and mount your phone. Another such tech-focused gadget to leave its mark during the season was the self-cleaning water bottle called LARQ. Presented by the company CEO and co-founder, Justin Wang, LARQ claimed to include proprietary technology to clean the water stored by the bottle by eliminating contaminants such as chlorine, lead, mercury, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and more.

Wang's "Shark Tank" pitch initially garnered dismissive laughter from the present investors, as Wang sought a $500,000 investment for just 1% of his company. Kevin O'Leary, one of the investors on the episode, even remarked that this was the highest valuation ever requested on the show. However, as the negotiation progressed and Wang explained the potential growth opportunities for LARQ, he was able to secure a deal from O'Leary and Lori Greiner for $1 million for a 4% stake. However, a "Shark Tank" appearance or deal is hardly a guarantee of success. For example, the CATE app from season 4 fizzled out despite an on-air deal announcement from Kevin O'Leary and Daymond John. So, what happened to LARQ after its "Shark Tank" outing?

LARQ was in pretty good shape even before appearing on "Shark Tank." The company had been around for over two years by then, and had brought in over $5.5 million in sales in the first year, and $9 million in the second year. It had also raised $6.7 million in venture capital funding at a valuation of $31.7 million before showing up on "Shark Tank," much of which was still in the company's bank accounts. So, an investment was likely a nice-to-have for the company rather than a necessity to survive. It remains unclear whether the "Shark Tank" deal actually came to fruition after the airing of the episode. However, its announcement and the show appearance did help fuel LARQ's growth and boost its popularity. Soon after its appearance, the company raised another $10 million in a Series A funding round led by Seventure Partners, a European venture capital firm.

By the time of the funding round, LARQ bottles were already being sold by 88 retailers across 16 countries. The company also expanded its product portfolio, including several variants of the LARQ Bottle and LARQ Pitcher. The company continued to have a successful run after the funding round and was acquired by Germany-based Brita SE in early 2024. While the specifics of the transaction are unavailable, the company became a subsidiary of Brita. As of early 2026, Wang continues to lead LARQ, which is still based in the Bay Area. Its products are being offered via several major retailers, including Amazon, Target, and Apple.com, and the company's own website. So, if you are interested in LARQ or its products, the company doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.