Caffeindicator
DealNovelties
Caffeindicator is a novelties that got its big break on Shark Tank in Season 1, and convinced Kevin Harrington to invest.
As an Amazon Associate, Shark Tank Index earns from qualifying purchases.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Some Shark Tank products rebrand or sell under a parent company. The button above searches current Caffeindicator listings on Amazon so you see what's actually available today.
From the show
The Shark Tank pitch
- $200K
- Asked for
- 25%
- Offered equity
- $800K
- Sought valuation
- $200K
- Deal amount
- 50%
- Deal equity
- $400K
- Deal valuation
Founder Michael Schiavone stepped onto the carpet in Season 1, Episode 13 in the episode that aired January 29, 2010, bringing their Mt. Joy, PA business with them. Caffeindicator, the novelties, pitched in the Food & Drink category, one of 318 food & drink businesses to brave the Tank across all 17 seasons.
The ask was $200,000 for 25% of the company, an implied valuation of $800K.
Kevin Harrington made the deal at $200,000 for 50% equity. That priced the company at $400K, a haircut from the $800K the founders walked in asking for, which is how negotiations in the Tank usually go.
Season 1 saw 64 pitches, and 27 of them closed a deal on air. In the Food & Drink category overall, roughly 61% of pitches have landed a shark across the show's history.
The full story
Everything to know about Caffeindicator
Caffeindicator was a small testing packet meant to answer one nagging question: is the coffee in your cup really decaf? Founder Michael Schiavone, from Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania, came up with the idea after ordering a decaf that left him wide awake all night. The product worked like a chemical strip a drinker could use to check whether a hot beverage actually contained caffeine, aimed at people sensitive to it or simply wary of mislabeled cups.
Schiavone went into the Season 1 tank asking for 200,000 dollars in exchange for a 25 percent stake. The sharks were curious about the science, but the conversation kept circling back to how the product would reach buyers and which partners might carry it. The offer on the table came with a steep condition tied to landing a deal with a sweetener or coffee company, and it required handing over a much larger share of the business than Schiavone had planned to give.
What made the segment memorable was the simplicity of the consumer worry it targeted. Plenty of viewers had wondered whether a restaurant truly served decaf, and Caffeindicator promised a quick way to find out. The novelty of testing your own drink at the table gave the pitch a hook, even though the path from a clever idea to a shelf product was clearly going to be the hard part.
Where Caffeindicator is now
The on-air handshake came with strings attached, and the required partnership with a sweetener or coffee brand never came together. Without that distribution piece, Caffeindicator struggled to move from concept to a product people could readily buy, and the early burst of attention from the broadcast faded.
As of 2026 there is no active Caffeindicator storefront, and the brand is not sold through major retailers or Amazon. The product is best understood as an early-season idea that did not find a lasting market. Anyone curious about it today will mostly find Shark Tank recaps rather than a place to purchase it.
Where to buy Caffeindicator
Caffeindicator is not available to buy today. There is no working official store, and it is not stocked on Amazon or in major retail. People who want to know whether a beverage contains caffeine now tend to rely on labeling, on asking the barista directly, or on lab-style caffeine test kits sold by other companies. Treat Caffeindicator as a piece of Shark Tank history rather than a current purchase option.
Is Caffeindicator still in business?
Read our 2026 update on where the company is now.
Sold on Caffeindicator?
Check today's price and availability before it swims away.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy Caffeindicator?
Check current price and availability on Amazon. Note that some Shark Tank products are discontinued or sold under a new name. The company's official website is another option.
Did Caffeindicator get a deal on Shark Tank?
Yes. Caffeindicator closed a deal for $200,000 in exchange for 50% equity, with Kevin Harrington.
Which shark invested in Caffeindicator?
Kevin Harrington invested in Caffeindicator ($200,000 total as aired).
What season of Shark Tank was Caffeindicator on?
Caffeindicator appeared in Season 1, Episode 13, which aired January 29, 2010.
How much was Caffeindicator asking for on Shark Tank?
The founders asked for $200,000 for 25% of the company, a $800K valuation.
Is Caffeindicator still available to buy?
No. There is no active Caffeindicator store, and the product is not sold on Amazon or in major retailers as of 2026. It is no longer on the market.
Did Caffeindicator get a deal on Shark Tank?
An offer was made on air, but it was tied to a condition that the company first land a partnership with a sweetener or coffee brand. That partnership never materialized, and the deal did not move forward.
What did Caffeindicator actually do?
It was a testing product designed to let a person check whether a hot beverage contained caffeine, marketed mainly to people who were caffeine-sensitive or unsure their decaf was truly decaf.
Shark Tank Index may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this page. Deal figures reflect what aired; terms sometimes change after the show.
