Aaron “Wyp” Wypyszynski is the aero engineer from Purdue University who invented the WingBoard. It’s like a wakeboard for the sky. His pitching “the next evolution in aerial adventure sports” on the Season 9 premiere of Shark Tank. Wyp gets to pitch in front of two billionaires: Mark Cuban, who has invested in destination recreation/entertainment companies before, and Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines.
The WYP Aviation website reports that the company is moving into the final phase of building WingBoards, and last month Wypyszynski made a personal announcement on the company’s Facebook page. He wrote: “over the coming months our development will be significantly slowed and our ability to respond to inquiries may be delayed.” He explains that his 3-year-old son has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. He and his wife (who works with him on WYP Aviation) are focusing on helping their son “combat this disease” with the support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He ends the note: “We thank you for your understanding as we work through these difficult times and we look forward to continuing the WingBoard development in the not too distant future.” Shark Tank airs Sundays at 8pm on ABC, right after The Toy Box.
[Related: 27 Favorite ‘Shark Tank’ Products at Amazon — New 2017 List]
