Dubai: An Indian industrial designer has secured a $350,000 investment on Shark Tank USA after reinventing an everyday kitchen utensil with a space-saving design.
Rahul Agarwal, founder of Polygons Design, won backing from investor Lori Greiner and guest investor Mindy Kaling for his fold-flat measuring spoons, which replace a conventional six-piece set with two compact, multi-measurement tools.
The deal, featured in Season 18, Episode 4 of the business reality show, involved a $350,000 investment in exchange for an 8 percent equity stake and an additional 2 percent in advisory shares, according to media reports. The total stake offered was 10%.
A fresh take on an everyday kitchen tool
Polygons reimagines traditional measuring spoons using a design inspired by origami, the Japanese art of paper folding.
Instead of storing several separate spoons, users can fold the flat tools into different measuring sizes by pinching them at designated points.
The larger spoon measures half a tablespoon, one tablespoon, or two tablespoons, while the smaller one measures a quarter teaspoon, half a teaspoon, or one teaspoon.
Each tool is approximately 2.8 millimeters thick when flattened, making the set easier to store in kitchen drawers or other compact spaces. Embedded magnets also let the spoons attach to a refrigerator.
The design uses food-grade materials and is intended to make measuring ingredients more convenient without sacrificing functionality.
An idea born at design college
Agarwal began developing the concept in 2014 while studying at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India.
According to media reports, a senior challenged the idea of redesigning a spoon, suggesting that the familiar utensil had already reached its final form.
Rather than dismissing the suggestion, Agarwal took it as a challenge. He developed the basic concept of a flat sheet that could fold into a precise measuring spoon within three days.
Turning that initial idea into a functional product, however, required years of development and multiple design iterations.
The invention has since received more than 20 international design awards, including Red Dot and iF recognition, according to the official Shark Tank website. The Museum of Modern Art Design Store has also selected the product.
What impressed the investors?
The product's practical design and potential appeal to home cooks helped Agarwal secure backing from Greiner and Kaling.
Kaling, an actor, writer, and producer, praised the design during the pitch, calling it ingenious and useful. She also noted the inconvenience of conventional measuring spoons, especially sets that dangle together and take up space.
The deal gave Agarwal financial backing and the opportunity to work with experienced investors to expand the business.
A growing international business
Polygons has already established a presence beyond the US. The official Shark Tank website reported that the company had shipped more than 200,000 units to 110-plus countries before the episode. The company also holds a patent for its design.
The product illustrates how redesigning an ordinary household object can create a business opportunity by addressing a practical problem.
For Agarwal, the investment marks a significant milestone in a journey that began with a simple question: could a familiar kitchen utensil be made more compact without losing its usefulness?
His answer has now attracted attention on one of America's best-known entrepreneurship shows.