Breathometer Shark Tank Net Worth 2023
The valuation of Breathometer on the popular TV show Shark Tank was $2.5 million in 2013, but unfortunately the company went out of business and the net worth of Breathometer is unknown as of 2023.
It’s a shame that such an innovative technology isn’t available anymore, but it’s a reminder to entrepreneurs everywhere that success can never be taken for granted.
What is a Breathometer?
Breathometer was a device that aimed to use a smartphone to measure a person’s blood alcohol content. The device was designed to be inserted into the audio jack of a smartphone and, after the user exhaled into it, the accompanying Breathometer app would display the person’s blood alcohol level within just five seconds.
The company behind the device, founded by Charles Michael Yim in 2012, was created in response to the lack of affordable and accessible breathalyzers for smartphones.
They initially raised funds for the development of the device through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, and later received a $1 million investment from the investors on Shark Tank, in exchange for a 30% stake in the company.
The Breathometer device was compact enough to be carried on a keychain, as it relied on the processing power of the connected smartphone. If a user’s blood alcohol level was above the legal limit, the app would provide quick access to local taxi services, contacts in the user’s phone, or nearby hotels.
The company distributed beta versions of the device at the 2013 SXSW conference in Austin, TX. However, in 2017, the Breathometer app was shut down due to a settlement with the FTC.
The company then repurposed the technology to create a new device called Mint, which was designed to measure the level of sulfur compounds associated with bad breath and gum disease.
The Mint was first introduced in September 2016 and later bundled with Philips Sonicare oral health products. However, as of 2021, the Mint is no longer available on the Breathometer website or on Amazon.
How Much Did Breathometer Raise In Shark Tank?
During an episode of Shark Tank, Charles Yim, CEO of Breathometer, managed to secure $1 million in funding from all five sharks, making it a significant achievement. No other business on the show had ever received such an amount of funding before.
On April 18, 2014, a Shark Tank update showcased the progress of Breathometer, highlighting the collaborative efforts of Charles and Kevin O’Leary to address the production issues at the company’s Fremont plant.
How Did Breathometer Shark Tank Pitch Go?
At the start of his pitch, Charles asks for a $250,000 investment in his company, Breathometer, in exchange for a 10% ownership stake. He then offers the Sharks some champagne and asks if they are fit to drive.
Charles describes Breathometer as a smaller and more convenient alternative to traditional portable breathalyzers, and notes that the company launched in March after a successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. When asked about the product’s potential legal implications, Charles emphasizes personal responsibility and good judgment.
To demonstrate the device, Charles has Lori test her breath alcohol content, which shows that she is legally able to drive. He also mentions that he is developing a diabetic testing app using the same technology.
While Charles invested $50,000 of his own money, he needs additional funding to bring the product to market. Mark expresses interest and offers $500,000 for a 20% stake in the company. However, Lori expresses interest in working with Mark, but he declines.
Mr. Wonderful offers $250,000 for a 15% stake in the business, but Charles explains that he needs to raise $1 million in venture capital within 60 days.
Robert, Kevin, and Lori then propose a joint offer of $750,000 for a 30% ownership stake. Daymond John offers $250,000 for a 10% stake and unrestricted manufacturing rights.
In the end, Kevin suggests that all Sharks participate in the $1 million agreement if Mark and Daymond agree.
However, it was later discovered that the product did not work reliably, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shut down the device due to deceptive marketing practices.
The FTC found that consumers had spent more than $5 million on Breathometer devices, which were advertised as accurate blood alcohol concentration testers, but these claims were not based on scientific evidence. As a result, Breathometer, Inc. and Yim agreed to deactivate the app and settle with the FTC.
The settlement included providing full refunds to customers and not making any future accuracy claims unless they were supported by proper testing.
Furthermore, all customers who had purchased the product were notified and given the option to receive a full refund.
Breathometer Shark Tank Episode
What Was The Problem With Breathometer?
The company’s app, however, was found to be unreliable and was shut down by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after an investigation revealed that the business had knowledge of the device’s regular underreporting of blood alcohol levels and had made false claims about accuracy in its marketing.
As a result of the FTC’s actions, customers were notified and given full refunds. The total sales of the app, known as Original and Breeze, were reported to be $5.1 million according to the FTC’s complaint.
Following this incident, the company’s founder was criticized by Mark Cuban, a notable investor, as having the “worst execution” on the reality show Shark Tank, due to his financial irresponsibility.
Brethometer Shark Tank Episode Summary
| Company/Product: | Breathometer |
| Shark Tank Episode: | Shark Tank Season 5 Episode 2 |
| Founder & Entrepreneur: | Jordan Barrocas and Daniel Fogelson |
| Amount Asked For: | $250,000 for a 10% stake in Three Jerks Jerky |
| Deal: Accepted Offer: | $1 million investment for 30% of the business |
| The Shark Investor: | All Five Sharks |
| Business Net Worth: | Company valuation of $3.33 Million |
| Business Status: | The business closed the operations |
Breathometer Shark Tank Updates
Breathometer is a smartphone breathalyzer that was pitched on Shark Tank in 2013 by Charles Michael Yim. Yim asked for $250,000 in exchange for 10% equity in his company and received an offer from Mark Cuban for $1 million in exchange for 30% equity.
The deal went forward, but only Cuban put up the money. Breathometer completed a successful Indiegogo campaign earlier that year, selling 4,000 devices within 30 days and generating $140,000 in revenue.
In January 2017, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against Breathometer and Yim, alleging that the company misled its customers about the product’s ability to accurately measure blood alcohol content.
The FTC claimed that Breathometer “lacked scientific evidence to back up their advertising claims” and forced the company to notify and fully refund every customer who had bought a device. In 2022, Mark Cuban called Breathometer the worst Shark Tank investment ever.
Breathometer has since moved away from the breathalyzer space and focused on Mint, its oral health sensor. In a note to users on Breathometer’s website, Kevin O’Leary, an investor and Shark Tank shark, said the company chose to settle with the FTC to focus on its digital health mission.
Breathometer Shark Tank FAQs
What Is Breathometer And How Does It Work?
Breathometer is a portable breath analysis platform that helps people make smarter decisions and improve their lives.
The company was founded in 2012 by Charles Michael Yim and develops innovative breath sensing technology combined with superior design and usability to deliver groundbreaking digital health products.
The Breathometer is a non-invasive and simple way to better monitor your health. The device is placed in the mouth and breath is blown into it.
The technology gathers the organic compounds in the mouth that are released by the bacteria. Once the technology gathers the compounds, it analyzes them and then sends the information to a program.
Breathalyzer tests are diagnostic devices that measure how much alcohol is in the air a person breathes out. A breathalyzer can calculate a person’s blood alcohol content (BAC) using the partition ratio, which is roughly 2,100 milliliters (ml) of breath containing the same amount of alcohol as 1 ml of blood.
Generally, a breathalyzer is able to measure BAC due to a chemical reaction. The alcohol vapor in a person’s breath reacts with an orange solution known as potassium dichromate. When alcohol is present, this solution turns green.
Breathometer works with most iOS devices which support iOS7 (iPhone 4s and newer, iPod Touch 5th Gen and newer, iPad 2nd Gen and newer, and iPad Mini). Breathometer will work with select Android devices (Nexus 4, Samsung S4, Samsung S2, HTC).
Who is the founder of Breathometer?
Charles Michael Yim is an inventor of the Breathometer, a portable device that has been available since its inception in 2013.
Breathometer was a device that claimed to be able to detect a person’s blood-alcohol level. The app, however, proved to be unreliable, and the Federal Trade Commission shut it down.
Charles Michael Yim, the company’s current CEO, launched Breathometer in September 2013.
When was Breathometer founded?
Breathometer was founded in late 2012 by Charles Yim with the goal of creating the world’s first portable breath analysis application.
What Was The Outcome Of The Breathometer Shark Tank Pitch?
Breathometer appeared on Shark Tank in Season 5, where Charles Michael Yim pitched his smartphone breathalyzer product to the Sharks.
He asked for $250,000 in exchange for 10% equity, but Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O’Leary offered $1,000,000 in exchange for 30% equity, which Yim accepted.
Breathometer completed a successful Indiegogo campaign in 2023, selling 4,000 devices within 30 days and generating $140,000 in revenue.
However, in 2017, the Federal Trade Commission ruled that the Breathometer device was “seriously inaccurate” in its blood alcohol content analysis, and the company was ordered to offer full refunds to customers.
Breathometer has since moved away from the breathalyzer space and focused on its oral health sensor, Mint.
What Happened To Breathometer After The Shark Tank Pitch?
After the Shark Tank pitch, Breathometer completed a successful Indiegogo campaign in 2023, selling 4,000 devices within 30 days and generating $140,000 in revenue.
However, in 2017, the Federal Trade Commission ruled that the Breathometer device was “seriously inaccurate” in its blood alcohol content analysis, and the company had to offer full refunds to customers.
Breathometer has since moved away from the breathalyzer space and focused on its oral health sensor, Mint. In a note to users on Breathometer’s website, investor and Shark Tank shark Kevin O’Leary said the company chose to settle to focus on its digital health mission.
Breathometer has also partnered with Philips Sonicare electric toothbrushes to offer a bundle. Breathometer CEO Charles Michael Yim blamed the company’s manufacturer for the accuracy errors and said they would work with a better partner for Mint.
What was the FTC’s point of contention?
It was dishonest and risky to underestimate the accuracy of the gadgets.” The FTC was concerned not just about the apparent reliability issues, but also about Breathometer’s response once it became aware of them in 2014.
The FTC was concerned not just about the apparent reliability issues, but also about Breathometer’s response once it became aware of them in 2014.
What’s the best way to test your product?
Regrettably, one big issue with this is the tendency to rush products into the market without adequately thoroughly testing them in order to avoid embarrassing recalls later on.
At the time, Yim’s argument appeared compelling, even if it succeeded to grab the interest of the renowned investors.
What was the impact of the Breathalyser?
The company initially generated a $5 million profit, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) demanded a recall in 2017, ordering the company to pay everyone who purchased the item.
The company initially generated a $5 million profit, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) demanded a recall in 2017, ordering the company to pay everyone who purchased the item.
What exactly is the issue with this device?
There never was sufficient testing is done, plus failure by the company to take immediate action against the product after being called out.
How did the Breathometer function?
In a summary, you buy a keychain-sized Breathometer gadget, put it into your phone’s audio socket, download the app, and blow into it after a drunken night out on the town.
How can I know if I’m above the legal limit for blood alcohol?
Well, Breathometer would have you believe so.
What’s new in this version of the Breathometer?
In this episode’s 604 updates, Yim shows off The Breeze, a new Bluetooth version of the Breathometer.
What was the FTC’s settlement with Breathometer?
As part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, Breathometer was forced to provide refunds for devices sold between 2013 and 2015.
What was the company’s failure to warn users?
Despite this, Breathometer chose not to notify its consumers about the problem and instead continued to advertise and sell its products.
What is Charles Yim’s historical background?
A Bachelor of Science in Business Economics graduate of the University of California and a seasoned entrepreneur who had previously launched two businesses.
What was the idea of the business?
Charles noticed that there wasn’t a breathalyzer that connected to the smartphone market and was portable, he realized that all current devices were either large and bulky or highly costly.
What were the problems with their products?
They alleged Breathometer knew their users’ blood and alcohol levels were being recorded incorrectly using unreliable technology and made misleading promises about its accuracy in their marketing.
What was the purpose of the Breathometer?
Breathometer was on the market from 2013 to 2015, however, the business switched to Mint, a similar gadget that measures dental health and hydration levels.
Where did the Breathometer app go?
Charles and the Fair Trade Commission reached an agreement, and the app was taken down.
What is the most affordable Breathometer? How much is a Breathometer?
Breathometer became available at a reduced price of $39.99 at a number of shops (and even online) since appearing on Shark Tank and raising the full million dollars.
Some knock-offs are available for $34.99, however they employ an earlier version of the Breathometer’s sensor.
Where Can I Buy Breathometer?
Breathometer was available at several locations (and even online) for a reduced price of $39.99 after appearing on Shark Tank and raising the full million dollars.
The item has been removed from the market.
How much does it cost?
They’re also in small-scale manufacturing and are now available for $49.99.
What was the revenue generated by Breathometer?
Original and Breeze sales totaled $5.1 million, according to the complaint.
What exactly is a Breathometer?
Yim highlighted out that no commercial breathalyzers were accessible for smartphones, and the only portable breathalyzers that were available were both pricey and impossible for consumers to take out on a night out.
What happened to Breathometer after shark tank?
Breathometer was a startup that received a lot of attention after appearing on Shark Tank.
They later had dependability issues and committed to a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission in which the business would provide refunds for mobile-connected breathalyzer devices sold between 2013 and 2015.
What was the deal?
Yim left shark tank with only a $1 million investment for 30% of his business.
What were the issues that were raised?
Breathometers would make inaccurate readings, implying that blood alcohol levels were lower than they actually were, putting people’s lives in danger.
What are the possible risks of using a Breathometer?
Breathometer findings might be lower than someone’s real BAC level, according to the FTC, and readings can be impacted by ambient humidity and temperature.
What are the advantages of BAC software?
The app also encourages healthy decision-making by stating that the app’s information should not be used to influence any prospective decisions, such as driving home or exceeding the legal BAC limit in the region.
What was the FTC’s decision?
Customers were notified and granted full refunds when the app was taken down.
The FTC compelled Breathometer to reimburse any cash given to clients and to stop selling the device to the general public because its promises were misleading, despite the fact that the firm is still worth at least $1 million after pivoting into various sectors.
What exactly is Mint?
Mint, Yim’s latest invention, uses the same technology as the Original to assess a person’s dental health and hydration.
It is Bluetooth-enabled and worked in the same way as the original.
What is Breathometer net worth after Shark Tank?
According to Charles Yim, the company was valued at a $50 million dollar business. He also noted that they made about 4.1 Million dollars in sales that year.
What was the business’s plan?
The business repurposed its technology into Mint, a new device that measures foul breath and dental health.
What’s Next for the Breathometer Settlement?
They are currently working with [the FTC] to make sure the promises are accurate and that the manufacturing is pretty reliable according to Yim.
What episode is Breathometer?
BreathOmeter pitch was featured in Shark Tank in Episode 5 of Season 2 aired in September 2013
Is Breathometer still in business?
The Breathometer was a device that claimed to measure a person’s blood-alcohol level.
Breathometer was on the market from 2013 to 2015, however, the business switched to Mint, a similar gadget that measures dental health and hydration levels.
The app, however, proved to be unreliable, and it was shut down by the Federal Trade Commission.
For all legal purposes, the business has been non – operational since 2017. Charles and the Fair Trade Commission reached an agreement, and the app was suspended.
The business is still working on improving its Mint gadgets, which evaluate a user’s dental health.
The breathalyzer app (Breathometer) has been removed from the app store. They are still in business as of August 2021, with yearly sales of $5 million.