Whatever Happened To EyeWris Reading Glasses After Shark Tank?

The team of Kenzo and Mark Singer and their business, EyeWris, finished off Season 14 of "Shark Tank." Their company has developed reading glasses that easily wrap around your wrists like a watch using a memory metal bridge design. The durable and fashionable product gives users an easy place to store their readers when not in use. 

Mark is no stranger to creating innovative brands. The longtime woodworker was responsible for creating and using the popular adhesive Gorilla Glue to aid in the creation of his furniture, which he later sold to another company for a royalty deal. Over the years, while working at his wood shop, Mark found himself going through countless pairs of reading glasses, oftentimes losing or misplacing them. This ultimately helped spark the creation of EyeWris, which he developed alongside his son Kenzo. Kenzo quickly learned that crafting a pair of glasses isn't too different from the skyscrapers he's helped design in his career as a structural engineer. 

They launched a Kickstarter for EyeWris in 2020, but it didn't get as far as desired, only making a little over $10,000 with a $25,000 goal. Nevertheless, the company began to pick up traction, getting featured on such outlets as Fast Company and Trend Hunter. Things seemed to be picking up for the duo when the time came for them to be featured on "Shark Tank."

On May 19, 2023, Mark and Kenzo Singer walked into the "Shark Tank" Season 14 finale with the intent of receiving $25,000 for 5% of their company, EyeWris. What they walked out with is one of the most monumental moves in the show's history. 

The Sharks like the glasses, but they question the size. Kenzo explains that they currently only have a universal, one-size-fits-all design that is compatible with most individuals. They also carry a utility patent that protects them in various countries, and they plan to release them soon in Europe. Each pair costs $30 to make and sells for $110. The business has only brought in $28,000. This was largely done as a way to remain cost-effective in marketing, and the company remains profitable. Additionally, Mark has put over $633,000 into their endeavors already.

When asked why they need a Shark, Mark gives an unexpectedly heartfelt response, saying, "Your most valuable commodity isn't your money; it's your time. You can always make more money, but you can't make more time. And time gone by is gone forever. I don't have it in me to build another company. My time has passed. My main reason for being here is to leave Kenzo in good hands, and by that I mean with successful, smart, honest, and ethical people like yourselves." The speech leaves Lori Greiner in tears, and the Sharks immediately want to get in on the business. In a stunning move, all five investors decided to go in on EyeWris together. After some negotiating, the parties agree on a deal for $125,000 for a 20% equity stake. 

EyeWris achieved a rare and major victory on "Shark Tank," bringing all five Sharks in on a deal for their company. Despite not having even cracked $100,000 in sales by that point, Mark Singer's prior success with brands such as Gorilla Glue and his wholesome speech were more than enough to win the Sharks over. And they weren't the only ones.

Twitter was set ablaze with reactions to the show-stopping Season 14 finale. Many were captivated by Mark's speech, such as @christy_barkley who tweeted, "@ABCSharkTank ugh. All the feels. Beautifully said. Mark. And seeing @LoriGreiner cry made me sob like a baby,!" Others, such as @RyanBartholomee, were impressed by the manner of the deal itself, saying, "You can prepare for a lot of scenarios on #SharkTank, but this is so rare!" Others were more skeptical, however, including @DaisyLou2320 who felt that one Shark would have been more effective, tweeting, "Too many cooks in the kitchen. They only need @LoriGreiner who can do this without the other four." 

Regardless, the EyeWris team were able to make the best of it all. Following the episode's airing, during which they held a watch party, the team received a barrage of heartfelt responses, stating in an Instagram post, "We want to sincerely thank each and every one of you for being with us on this WILD journey ... sharing this experience with the world has been nothing short of life-changing... All thanks to YOU, 5 Sharks, and the outstanding platform that is @sharktankabc." Unsurprisingly, the increased exposure led to a big boost in consumer interest, and they sold out of inventory. By late July, they were finally able to place their sold-out items on pre-order.

EyeWris is still in business as of this writing, and its website is currently the only place to purchase one of their innovative glasses. You can find them for men and women in either a black or tortoise and gold design. With the "Shark Tank" episode having aired relatively recently, the company is still running a limited-time sale, with prices slashed from $110 to $65.

Competitors do exist in the space, with ThinOptics offering the closest thing to what EyeWris provides, although instead of fitting around your wrist, ThinOptics can be taken in and out of a keychain. Given their utility patents and the higher quality of the glasses' material compared to competitors, it's likely that EyeWris will continue dominating the market. Its social media reach does remain limited; the company is only on Instagram and Facebook, with only a few thousand followers between both platforms. However, the company posts relatively often, usually showcasing the variety of situations where its product can come in handy.

Over the years, EyeWris has managed to win some major awards. In 2022, it took home the Gold New York Product Design Award, the Silver Muse Design Award, the Red Dot Innovative Product Award, and the Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design. Sales numbers are not entirely known, but the company currently has an estimated net worth of $1 million.

EyeWris, while far from failing, hasn't yet proven itself to have the million dollar potential that most of the Sharks typically go after. However, given the relative short time that EyeWris has been in the public eye, it's likely going to take some time for the team to work through the kinks of their business before diving into more ambitious waters.

While the team has yet to comment on any plans they have for the future, there are some obvious routes they should consider. Perhaps the biggest dilemma to tackle is the size of the product itself. The glasses are currently only available in a one-size-fits-all option, which has drawn some criticism from buyers. Of EyeWris' six reviews on Facebook, the majority of them are negative. Many of them, such as Renee Johnson, had issues with both the design and customer service, with the user commenting, "My order arrived and it is very ugly, uncomfortable on my face, and difficult to use. I paid almost $70 and then when I requested a return they said I could not return it due to it being a final sale item. Do not be taken in by what you see on 'Shark Tank!' This is a terrible product and company." Though she was eventually given a refund, in comments responding to the post, the handful of individuals who were able to return their glasses explained that they had to pay a return fee.

It doesn't appear that the "Shark Tank" deal has closed yet, as EyeWris is not available on Lori Greiner's website. Hopefully, once the parties come to an agreement, these issues will be resolved.