Banana Phone on Shark Tank: Founders, cost and all about their Bluetooth-enabled fun product

Max Brown and Brian Brunsing to pitch for Banana Phone product on Shark Tank on Friday (Image via bananaphone.io/Instagram)
Max Brown and Brian Brunsing to pitch for Banana Phone product on Shark Tank on Friday (Image via bananaphone.io/Instagram)

Shark Tank will drop the second episode of Season 14 on September 30, 2022, at 8/7c on ABC, featuring a Bluetooth-enabled Banana Phone and many other products.

The founders of Banana Phone, Max Brown and Brian Brunsing will appear on Shark Tank, pitching their ideas to Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Mark Cuban, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O'Leary. However, their third business partner Charlie Katrycz will not appear on the show.

With a vision for people to "Talk More, Smile More, Save the Gorillas," the founders launched a yellow, Bluetooth-enabled banana-shaped mobile handset that can easily connect to a smartphone.

The synopsis of Banana Phone and other products that will be showcased in the upcoming episode of Shark Tank is:

“First into the Tank are entrepreneurs from Apex, North Carolina, who pitch their step-by-step kit made to teach beginners how to create cuddly and cute animal characters. Entrepreneurs from Bend, Oregon, banana-split their proceeds to support endangered gorillas with their fun Bluetooth-enabled accessory."

Adding:

"While entrepreneurs from Canton, Ohio, hope to hook a Shark with their rapid trussing device designed to cook the perfect bird every time. An entrepreneur from Mays Landing, New Jersey, introduces his luxury supply company that provides convenient personal storage for medical necessities.”

The Banana Phone, which will be featured on Shark Tank, is budget friendly and can be bought directly from their website.


Who are the founders of Banana Phone appearing on Shark Tank?

Banana Phone is the idea of three entrepreneurs, Max Brown, Brian Brunsing, and Charlie Katrycz, from Bend, Oregon. They met as campers and guides at Camp Pathfinder.

1) Brian is the president of Banana Phone. He also works as a Senior Account Manager for Visa. He has a background in sales and marketing and product design and development.

2) Charlie is the CTO. He is also the founder of Loonskin Labs. He is pursuing a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto.

3) Max is the CEO. He is also the president of Garrett Leather Corporation, the world's largest privately owned distributor of high-quality Italian leather.


How Banana Phone originated

The friends launched their "crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, raised $45k (145% of goal), and brought the idea to life" in May 2017, as per the official website, bananaphone.io. The founders received "pre-orders for 1000+ Units from 18 countries around the world," confirming that the "world needs a Phone With Appeal."

They started their "Fruit Tech revolution" with the Banana Phone. With merely a touch of a button or through voice commands, users can use Google Assistant or Siri to talk to their loved ones. They even "contribute 1% of annual sales to gorilla conservation."

The company's website decryption reads:

“As a proud member of 1% for the Planet, we help fund leaders in Gorilla Conservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, through Gearing Up for Gorillas.”

Features of Banana Phone

As per the company's website, Banana Phone features include:

  • It connects via Bluetooth to all iPhone, Android, Alexa, Siri, Google, and other Bluetooth devices with full voice assistant capabilities.
  • Calls can be answered, ended, and rejected on the wireless banana using the phone button or Google Voice and Siri.
  • The product also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker.
  • The phone has 20 Hours of Talk Time, 120 Hour Idle Time, a 60ft Bluetooth Range and includes a Micro USB Cable.

The cost of the Banana Phone is $49.99 and can be bought directly from the company's website.

Tune in on Friday on ABC to watch Banana Phone and its founders on Shark Tank.

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