Did The Codi Robot Survive After Shark Tank? Here's What Happened After Season 12

In 2020, Season 12 of "Shark Tank" featured a technology product geared toward children, like the Hopscotch app for kids from the same season. This was called the Codi robot from the company Pillar Learning, which was founded in 2018. Though this robot got a deal from one of the investors on the show, it was never closed post-show. Pillar Learning is still in business, but the Codi robot is sold out as of this writing, and there isn't any recent news from the company about when it will return. Not every deal ends up working out on "Shark Tank." Anything agreed on during an episode is tentative, as there is a complex due diligence period that happens afterward to ensure the deal is mutually beneficial for both parties.

Pillar Learning was founded by experts in technology, toys, and children's education. Codi was meant to be a healthy replacement for screens for children. This little robot, only about eight inches tall, could be dressed up in different outfits. It could sing songs, tell stories, and give reminders, such as for children to brush their teeth before bed. Its AI algorithm was built to adapt to the child's voice and provide content based on what the kid likes. This was all with parental oversight via an app, so parents could control what their child listened to specifically.

The founders of Pillar Learning — William Mock, Dayu Yang, and Chris Oslebo — pitched their idea to the panel of potential investors on "Shark Tank." They were already successfully manufacturing and selling Codi. Each robot was being sold for $150. Their profit margin was 10%, and they felt they were doing well. They came to "Shark Tank" to get help with growing the business, especially the marketing aspect of it. They asked for $500,000 for a 10% stake in the company.

The sharks on the show were not buying it at first. There were concerns about competition and how well the product could scale. The three founders of Pillar Learning pressed on, though, and were able to secure a tentative deal with Robert Herjavec. The investment was the same, but the stake in the company went up to 25%.

The Codi robot is one of those "Shark Tank" products that has a feel-good mission to it, like the XTorch solar-powered flashlight created to help people who have limited access to electricity. Like the XTorch, Codi did not end up with a successful deal. That hasn't kept the company from staying in business, however.

Pillar Learning has a website for Codi that shows off its capabilities and does a pretty extensive job of selling the product to the viewer. The problem is that when you go to order Codi from the website, it says it is sold out. There is no date or estimation given for when it will be back in stock. It even has a page for customer reviews that is completely blank, which feels like the robot might never be back in stock.

Pillar Learning's social media accounts also paint a pretty dismal scene for Codi. The Facebook page is gone. The X account has not been updated since 2019, with recent posts talking about outreach efforts. Its Instagram hasn't been updated since 2021, though one of the final posts talks about Codi being chosen by Healthline as a top product for toddlers that year. Interestingly enough, one of the comments on that post is from an angry customer who claims they ordered the Codi robot, it never arrived, and that the company had been unresponsive to contact attempts.

If the Codi robot is coming back, Pillar Learning certainly isn't putting much effort into marketing that return on social media. Perhaps it is gone for good. It brings to mind the Chefee robotic chef from Season 15 that has yet to go into production despite the hype from the company on Shark Tank.