Oru Kayak

Oru Kayak makes a full-size kayak that folds down from rigid corrugated plastic into a flat box you can carry like a suitcase. The concept came from Anton Willis, an architect in San Francisco who started experimenting with origami folding after he moved into a small apartment with no room to store a traditional hard-shell boat. His goal was to make paddling accessible to people in cities who lack garage space or a roof rack.

Willis asked for 500,000 dollars in exchange for 12 percent of the company and unfolded a kayak in the tank to show how quickly the box becomes a seaworthy boat. Robert Herjavec liked the design and its broad appeal, and after negotiation he offered 500,000 dollars for 25 percent. The two shook on a deal during the episode, with Willis seeking a board seat as part of the arrangement.

The pitch stood out because the transformation from flat package to floating kayak was genuinely surprising to watch, and it solved a real storage and transport problem rather than being a novelty. The clean, foldable design gave Oru a strong identity in the outdoor market and made it one of the more visually striking products of the season.

The handshake deal with Herjavec did not ultimately close after taping, but the show gave Oru a large audience and the brand kept growing on its own. The company widened its lineup with several models aimed at different paddlers, from beginners to more experienced users, and built a following among urban and travel-minded buyers who valued the compact, packable format.

In 2021 Oru Kayak was acquired by Solo Brands, the parent company known for the Solo Stove fire pits, and founder Anton Willis later stepped away from day-to-day operations. As of 2026 Oru remains an active brand with a range of folding kayak models still being sold, now operating under that larger corporate parent rather than as an independent startup.