Whatever Happened To BedJet Heating & Cooling For Beds After Shark Tank Season 6?
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Mark Aramli invented the BedJet heating and cooling system with technology he used while engineering space suits for NASA. The BedJet can be adjusted with a remote or the BedJet app to make your bed the perfect temperature and has dual properties to allow couples to have different temperatures on each side of the bed. The device sits under the bed with a hose that attaches to the bottom of the sheets, pumping in warm or cool air. The heating and cooling system is compatible with all mattresses and can be used with your normal bedsheets or the company's $99 to $159 Cloud Sheets, which are necessary for the dual-zone feature.
When Aramli brought his invention onto "Shark Tank" Season 6 Episode 17 in 2015, the company was set to start production in six weeks. Though BedJet did not have any sales yet, its Kickstarter campaign had raised over $50,000. Aramli hoped to find an investor that would help his business get off the ground, but "Shark Tank" proved unforgiving.
Sharks are shocked by the price of BedJet
BedJet's founder, Mark Aramli, went into the tank seeking $250,000 for a 10% stake in his company, setting the valuation at $2.5 million. Aramli revealed that each BedJet costs $98 to manufacture, but he planned to sell them for $499. Kevin O'Leary was shocked by the price and convinced that consumers would walk away when they realized how expensive the product is, despite Aramli asserting that some mattress brands were already interested in BedJet. "You're going to fail. You've overpriced it because you're a pig," O'Leary said.
Aramli told the sharks that A.H. Beard, Australia's biggest mattress manufacturer, made BedJet a $1.1 million purchase order, but they were still unimpressed. With the potential investors shouting all at once, Aramli had trouble keeping up and offended Lori Greiner by ignoring her question. Greiner proceeded to go out, and the remaining sharks went with her. BedJet left the tank without a single offer, but Aramli was confident his product was a winner. "I'm going to prove Kevin wrong," Aramli said. "This product is going to be huge. You're going to see it in retailers all over the country, and I'm going to be happy to be the big deal that got away from the tank."
BedJet explodes after Shark Tank
Despite having a rough time on "Shark Tank", BedJet started seeing major success after its episode aired. Just one day after Mark Aramli's appearance on the show, Mattress Firm put out a press release, stating that they were partnering with BedJet. While the sharks didn't bite, the largest mattress retailer in the United States did. In the press release, Mattress Firm's Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Brian Baxter, explained the retailer's excitement about teaming up with BedJet. "Our customers regularly tell us that temperature control is an important factor in their ability to get a great night sleep," Baxter said. "We are always looking for ways to provide our customers with the highest level of product and service, and we look forward to offering the BedJet as a climate-control solution."
Aramli also managed to get his product into Bed Bath & Beyond, Brookstone, and Jordan's Furniture within days of appearing on the show. In an Interview with Furniture Today, Aramli discussed his experience with the "Shark Tank" investors. "The Sharks are very intelligent people but sometimes even smart people don't get it. I think they were dead wrong," Aramli said. "I think these are folks that don't ever worry about saving money on their utility bills on heating and air conditioning. My biggest takeaway from that is you've got to pitch your product to people who understand it and understand your industry. It was clear that they, as investors, do not understand the mattress industry."
BedJet continues to see success
Mark Aramli did not let the shark's harsh words interfere with his business, and he continued to make big strides after appearing on the show. Within two years of going on "Shark Tank," BedJet's sales were up by 300% and continued to rise in 2017. By the end of 2020, BedJet had sold 100,000 of its heating and cooling systems. In a press release, Aramli spoke about the success of his company. "We've accomplished much in 2020, from the completion of our new headquarters and the sale of our 100,000th unit to the launch of new and exciting products," Aramli said. "I am thankful for all of the BedJet owners that have believed in us since day one. The Sharks would have made 20 times their investment with BedJet so far and our team is incredibly grateful to have been one of the big deals that got away from the Tank."
The company continued to develop new versions of the BedJet and conducted a study with doctors to show how the product improves sleep. The results were later published in a medical journal. BedJet has now sold over 200,000 units and can be purchased on the company's website, as well as on Amazon.
What's next for BedJet and Mark Aramli?
With the success of BedJet, Mark Aramli decided to give back to his community in Newport, Rhode Island. In 2020, the company obtained more than 3600 N95 masks from other countries and donated them to nearby police departments, fire departments, nursing homes, and hospitals. BedJet later started the Aramli Foundation to support local charities. With each BedJet sold, the company puts a portion of the proceeds into the charitable foundation, which is focused on providing warmth, food, and medical assistance to families in need.
So far, the Aramli Foundation has given over $350,000 to organizations that help the community, such as the Newport Hospital Foundation, Newport Mental Health, Children and Family of RI, and others. Aramli continues to act as BedJet's CEO, according to his LinkedIn page, and in 2022, he was elected to be a member of the Newport City Council, though he no longer holds this position.
Recent developments from BedJet
With its boom in popularity, BedJet has continued expanding to serve more and more customers. This includes the typical clientele — average folks who need better temperature regulation while they sleep — but there are also some notable VIPs who endorse this product. Sleep is essential for recovery, and nobody understands this better than professional athletes. For the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, BedJet supplied the United States gymnastics team with cooling systems, helping to make the athletes' stays more comfortable. Plenty of other popular athletes have also hopped on the bandwagon, from MMA fighters like Katlyn Chookagian to professional football players like Taysom Hill. "The better, deeper rest I get with BedJet means more energy, endurance, and speed on game day. It definitely gives me a competitive edge," Hill said in an endorsement on BedJet's website.
As the company grows even more of a fanbase, it has also continued developing new products for its customers. BedJet has released three versions of its climate sleep system so far, and it also carries a dual zone system that's designed for couples with different temperature preferences. Its most recent drop, however, isn't a cooling system at all. The company has expanded to also start selling the PowerLift — a piece of equipment that's intended to convert an existing bed frame into one that's adjustable. It's not immediately obvious what the brand plans to work on next, but one thing is clear: the investors on "Shark Tank" missed out on a serious opportunity.