Did The Sullivan Generator Survive After Shark Tank? Here's What Happened After Season 3

In the early years of "Shark Tank," 2012's Season 3 showcased a very unique idea, the Sullivan Generator. The Sullivan Generator was a concept, not a full product or even prototype when it appeared on the show. The purpose was to build this generator that could provide clean energy and even produce gold. The idea was too outlandish for the panel of potential judges on the show, the sharks, to believe and no deal was made. The Sullivan Generator was never built.

The generator was named after the inventor that appeared on the show, Mark Sullivan. The idea behind it was to capitalize on Earth's rotation to create electricity from water, ideally industrial waste water. The generator would also create clean water, and even create mineral deposits of gold in the ground. Something that eliminates waste, creates clean energy, and even produces wealth does sound too good to be true. However, Sullivan himself is a MENSA International member, a global organization of around 150,000 individuals with exceptionally high IQs.

The Sullivan Generator isn't the only early-season product that raised some eyebrows with the sharks. The Ionic Ear from Season 1 disturbed the judges with its biological implantation angle. Not all pitched ideas are a success, and the Sullivan Generator has become one of those that got very little shark interest.

Mark Sullivan showcased a drawing of his generator idea and explained how it would work, drawing upon the Coriolis effect. Simply put, the Coriolis effect is when moving things like wind, water, or airplanes seem to curve instead of traveling in a straight line. This happens because the Earth is spinning, which changes how motion looks from our perspective. He asked for a staggering $1 million in investment money for a 10% stake in the business.

His pitch confused the sharks, who didn't understand how the generator was supposed to produce all the beneficial output Sullivan claimed it could, and even jokingly wondered if Sullivan was visiting from outer space. Robert Herjavec said he'd only invest $50,000 if the other sharks would put up the rest of the money to reach $1 million. That didn't happen, and Sullivan left with no deal.

Sullivan's goal was to create something that improved the world, not unlike Zero Pollution Motors from Season 6, whose Shark Tank deal was never finalized and the company went out of business. Despite this, Sullivan is still carrying on in the world of entrepreneurship, and his original sketches of the Sullivan Generator can still be found online.

Mark Sullivan's website still has a page about the Sullivan Generator, including its patent number. The site also boasts other products and organizations he's put his mind toward, including the ECLO machine, an improved medical oxygenation system, Hirudo Medicinales which focused on pharmaceutical advancements, and Aunt Betty's Infirmary Child Care, a first of its kind medical daycare in Texas. All those projects suggest he's a professional who cares about humanity's problems and is putting his intelligence to work to solve them.

Sullivan's LinkedIn states he is the Founder of an organization called TEXTPOSITION World's Fair started in 2020. Its idea is centered around being a place where people can discuss how to solve world problems, pitch ideas, and showcase research and inventions. It's based out of San Antonio, Texas, and hosts various events.

Sometimes everything works out for the best on Shark Tank, like the SparkCharge electric car charger from Season 12 that got a deal finalized and is still in business today. Even though things didn't work out for the Sullivan Generator, Sullivan is still pursuing his mission of improving the world through innovation.