What happened with Pelagion HydroBlade in Shark Tank's season 17 premiere? Details explored

Shark Tank season 17 premiered on September 24, 2025, with a new lineup of entrepreneurs appearing on the show, hoping to secure at least one investor for their company. 

Among the entrepreneurs were Mike Terry and Jamie Schlinkmann, who came seeking $800,000 for 4% of their company, Pelagion HydroBlade, which specializes in a stand-up electric hydrofoil with intuitive steering. 

“It combines the thrill of a motorcycle with the magic of a flying carpet, offering four hours of silent operation and up to 40-mile-per-hour top speeds, all with no localized emissions,” Jamie explained.

The Shark Tank investors appreciated the standout features of the product and seemed interested in getting to know more about it.

However, several problems emerged, which prompted the Sharks to take a step back. 

From the $25,000 price point and zero sales, to Jamie getting into a heated argument with Kevin O’Leary, the investors were displeased with the overall presentation.

Moreover, they disapproved of the company’s manufacturing system. 

Consequently, none of the Sharks presented Pelagion HydroBlade with an offer, causing them to leave the Tank empty-handed.

“You’re barking at me”: Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary clashes with Pelagion HydroBlade entrepreneur

During his pitch, Jamie shared that he started the company in 2021 and spent around $2,047,000 of his own money on it. 

He then revealed that they were not in production, but on pre-order, and that the product, which they demonstrated to the Shark Tank investors, was a prototype. 

When Lori Greiner asked Jamie more about the production of the jetfoil, he stated that they were a “machine-building company,” which comprised mechanical, electrical, and software engineers, and that the jetfoil was a part of the larger business. 

Thus, if the Sharks invested, they would invest in the company as a whole. 

Shortly after, Mike gave the experts a rundown of their sales, revealing that they had done $1 million in pre-orders. 

The panelists were shocked when he shared that the jetfoil would cost $25,000, while the production cost was around $12,500.

Robert Herjavec chimed in, saying that even the fastest jetfoil in business was not above $10,000, and asked the entrepreneurs why consumers would spend $25,000 on their product.

“None of those will offer four hours of battery life, first of all. We have a 50-mile range,” Jamie countered.

Rashaun Williams was the first Shark to back out of making a deal, concerned about the large investment the business would require. 

Robert followed suit, pointing out that the pitch was “a little confusing” and that the manufacturing system was unclear.

Kevin expressed a similar sentiment, noting that he would have preferred a “different pure structure.”

He explained how they were making an error by trying to blend the product into the larger company that had nothing to do with it.

Jamie disagreed when Kevin suggested getting contract manufacturers to scale the business. Kevin disapproved of Jamie’s behavior and said:

“Never argue with the investor. Not smart. I mean, they have an opinion. You may not agree, but you’re barking at me. I don’t like that. I saw something you don’t like there. $800K is a lot of dough and it’s not clear to me how I’m going to get my money back.”

That said, he refused to make them an investment. 

Lori Greiner also backed out of making an offer. Kendra Scott, on the other hand, was interested in the product, but had two problems.

First, the investment, and second, their behavior with Kevin. For those reasons, she denied making them an offer.

With all the Sharks out, Jamie and Mike left the Tank empty-handed.

Stay tuned for more updates.