NW Valley Times

NineteenTwenty, a clothing startup from Phoenix, recently secured a deal on ABC's "Shark Tank." The company's founder and CEO, Ashley Sankar, along with her husband and COO Zach Sankar, received an offer from panelist Robert Herjavec. He offered $250,000 in exchange for 25% equity in the company.

“There’s magic. You strike me as the kind of people that you’re going to figure it out,” Herjavec commented during the show. NineteenTwenty became the second business from GCU’s Canyon Ventures Innovation Center to land a deal on "Shark Tank," following Noggin Boss.

The deal marks a significant milestone for NineteenTwenty, known for its convertible jackets. The company had previously won the “Most Innovative Award” at GCU's Demo Day event last December. “We’ve seen an influx of sales, two times the amount of (website) sessions,” Sankar stated. She noted that many new customers have discovered their products.

NineteenTwenty’s unique jackets can transform into tote bags or pillows without sacrificing warmth. The investment from Herjavec is expected to help them improve inventory management and hire more workers with ties to GCU.

“We would love to partner with students who are right there and are passionate and very familiar with the work that we’re doing,” Sankar said. She also acknowledged the support of Canyon Ventures Founding Director Robert Vera, saying he played "an instrumental role" in their journey.

The Sankars faced tough questions from sharks like Mark Cuban but were unfazed due to Ashley's background as a U.S. Army logistics officer. “Mark Cuban is a walk in the park compared to my background,” she said.

Ashley expressed gratitude for participating in pitch competitions and highlighted how experiences like these prepared them for their appearance on "Shark Tank." “Any time you’re able to pitch your business and get amazing feedback... it also gives you that motivation to go to the next level,” she remarked.