Cup Board Pro is a bamboo cutting board that comes with a cup that slides into the board and catches food scraps and meat juices. It was invented by the late Keith Young, a New York City firefighter, cookbook author, father and widower. He was making the prototype of the Cup Board Pro when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer — she died in 2012. Then inventor Keith Young passed away in March 2018 of cancer, which his three children (ages 24, 20, 15) say is related from working at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks. Together, Keith Young’s children, Christian, Keira and Kaley, pitch their father’s product on Shark Tank (October 21). They say it was a dream of their father’s to pitch the Cup Board Pro on Shark Tank, and show his audition video. Daymond John and Lori Greiner are moved to tears during the presentation.
After passing out Cup Board Pro samples to the Sharks, and pointing out the fireman logo which includes the number 343, the number of firefighters who died on 9/11, and after quickly conferring with Mark Cuban, Daymond John asks the Young family to step out of the room for a minute. The scene is intense a it appears the Sharks are going to put together a group offer. The Youngs are seeking an investment of $100,000 in exchange for 10 percent equity of Cup Board Pro.
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When the Youngs are called back into the room, Cuban tells them “you have a million reasons to be proud” and then tells them that all five Sharks are going to work together (a rarity) and have an offer: $100,000 for 20 percent, and any profits that the Sharks earn from their 20 percent will be contributed to whatever charity their father supported for firemen who have become ill since working at Ground Zero after 9/11. New episodes of Shark Tank air Sunday nights on ABC.
