An Indian inventor has walked away with a $350,000 deal on Shark Tank USA by reimagining the spoon. Rahul Agarwal is the founder of Polygons Design who came up with an unusual idea to improve the ubiquitous kitchen utensil — he reimagined it as a measuring spoon that could fold flat when not in use.
The Indian industrial designer took inspiration from origami to turn the rigid spoon into a flexible utensil that has won over 20 international design awards.
What is Polygons?
Polygons is a foldable measuring spoon set designed by Rahul Agarwal, founder of Polygons Design. The set replaces six conventional measuring spoons with two flat, flexible tools that fold into different sizes when pinched at marked 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.
Just 2.8 mm thick when flattened, the spoons are made of food-grade thermoplastic, food-grade hydrophobic silicone, and embedded neodymium magnets.
“Polygons replaces a conventional six-piece measuring spoon set with two fold-flat tools, each 2.8 mm (0.1 inch) thin. Pinch one at a marked point and it folds into that exact measure: 1/2, 1 or 2 tablespoons on the large spoon, and 1/4, 1/2 or 1 teaspoon on the small one,” the company explained in a press release.
When did Rahul Agarwal design this spoon?
In 2014, Agarwal was a student at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad when a senior told him not to bother redesigning the spoon as it had reached its final form and could not get any better.
{{/usCountry}}In 2014, Agarwal was a student at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad when a senior told him not to bother redesigning the spoon as it had reached its final form and could not get any better.
{{/usCountry}}Agarwal took it as a challenge. “I don’t even cook,” he said. “I just couldn’t leave it alone.”
In three days he had the core idea: a flat sheet that folds into an exact measure when you pinch it. However, it took several iterations and years to perfect the design that finally appeared on Shark Tank US.
Who invested in his idea at Shark Tank?
Rahul Agarwal’s Polygons Design appeared on season 18, episode 4 of the business reality show Shark Tank, where actor and producer Mindy Kaling joined as a guest Shark.
Polygons secured a deal of $350,000 from Lori Greiner and Mindy Kaling. Agarwal accepted the deal $350,000 in exchange for 8% equity plus 2% advisory shares (total 10%).
Kaling praised the product as “really ingenious” and “very useful” on the episode that aired last week. The deal valued his company at $3.5 million.