Chapel Hill company aiming to stop skin cancer gets a deal on Shark Tank
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Chapel Hill company is getting a huge boost in business thanks to ABC's hit show "Shark Tank."
David Cohen pitched his product, Sunscreenr, on Friday night's episode. It's a UV light camera that shows you how much sunscreen someone is wearing and which areas are thinly covered.
"You look through Sunscreenr, protected areas appear dark, unprotected areas appear light," Cohen said on the show.
Cohen is biochemistry and biophysics Ph.D working in Research Triangle Park. He and his business partner, Jon Meyer, created the device.
The inspiration comes from a very personal place.
"His mom suffered from skin cancer over the years," Cohen said of his business partner.
He asked the 'sharks' for an $800,000 investment for a ten percent stake, valuing the company at $8 million dollars, trying to get the sharks to bite into his plan.
"You come out with an $8 million dollar valuation you better have a Ph.D in business, you better have a Ph.D in customer research, you better have a freaking Ph.D in something besides your own hype," shark Robert Herjavec said on the show.
"I think that this thing is going to be incredibly successful," Cohen said in the interview with ABC11. "Think of the number of people that use sunscreen around the world."
While most sharks took a pass, Kevin O'Leary, or Mr. Wonderful as he's known, bit on the deal for a 33.5 percent share.
While Cohen and Meyer are excited about the deal, they have their eyes set on something bigger than financial success.
"My dream would be in 10, 15 years we actually see rates of skin cancer decrease as a result of this," Cohen said.
The Sunscreenr costs $119 you can find more information about how to purchase it here.
