Shark Tank‘s Most Memorable Female Entrepreneurs: Where They Are Now?

Every week, Shark Tank serves up entrepreneurial spirit on steroids. The Sharks — a panel of successful entrepreneurs who invest in businesses that pitch to them — negotiate the perfect deal with almost cartoonish zeal. Take a shot every time a Shark gives a shout out to "the American dream" or drops the word "proprietary." (Don't actually, though. That would be dangerous.) Start a binge-watching session of Shark Tank and you'll soon start wondering if you could be on the show, shooting your shot in front of Mark Cuban. It's a world where becoming a millionaire in a matter of minutes suddenly seems totally in reach.

But here's the real deal: female business owners are still in the minority in the U.S., with women owning roughly 40% of all businesses. And in the VC world, things are really dire. In 2018, just 2.2% of VC funding went to companies led by female founders. In 2019, that number improved slightly to 2.8%. Shark Kevin O'Leary has said that his women-run businesses make him the most money, yet women are underfunded on Shark Tank.

Getting a deal on Shark Tank can be a grueling experience, but it's a steeper climb for female entrepreneurs, who often battle the perception that they're less competent. Throughout the show's 11 seasons, we've watched some fascinating women stand before the panel. Not all of them landed a deal, but each went on to succeed with or without Shark Tank funding. Read on for a few of our favorites.