Imagine you’re in a foreign country, trying to communicate but not understanding the language. This can be very hard. Ryan Frankel and Kunal Sarda saw this problem and wanted to help.
They created VerbalizeIt, a service that connects people with real translators quickly. They hoped this would make talking in different languages easier. They took their idea to the TV show Shark Tank, looking for support to grow their business.
The entrepreneurs asked the Sharks for $250,000 in exchange for 15% of their company. Did the entrepreneurs get a deal on Shark Tank? Check out our VerbalizeIt update to find out!
Verbalize It Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Ryan Frankel and Kunal Sarda went on Shark Tank asking for $250,000 for 15% of their company. This meant they thought their business was worth about $1,666,667. They made a deal with Kevin O’Leary for $250,000 for 20%, lowering the valuation to $1,250,000. The episode was aired on May 10, 2013. The company was later acquired by Smartling in 2016. Since it was acquired, its independent net worth is not applicable, but the acquisition value was estimated at around $3 million.
After appearing on Shark Tank, VerbalizeIt continued to grow. They didn’t finalize the deal with Kevin O’Leary from the show, but they found other investors to help them. They expanded their services to include translating documents, videos, websites, and apps.
In 2016, a company called Smartling, which specializes in translation services, bought VerbalizeIt. Today, VerbalizeIt is still operating under Smartling, helping people and businesses with their translation needs.
On Shark Tank, Ryan and Kunal asked for $250,000 in exchange for 15% of their company. They received offers from multiple investors, known as Sharks. They decided to accept an offer from Kevin O’Leary for $250,000 in exchange for 20% of their company. However, after the show, this deal did not go through.
| Shark(s) name | Offer & Demand | Counteroffer | Accepted? |
| Barbara Corcoran | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Robert Herjavec | $250,000 for 25% equity | $250,000 for 20% equity | No |
| Kevin O’Leary | $250,000 for 20% equity | N/A | Yes |
| Daymond John | Out | N/A | N/A |
| Mark Cuban | $250,000 for 25% equity | $250,000 for 20% equity | No |
Verbalize It Shark Tank pitch
Ryan Frankel and Kunal Sarda met while studying at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Ryan once got sick in China and couldn’t explain his symptoms because of the language barrier. This experience made him realize the need for real-time translation services. Kunal, who also valued clear communication, joined Ryan to create VerbalizeIt. They wanted to help people communicate better across different languages.
During their presentation on Shark Tank, Ryan and Kunal started by speaking in different languages. A translator named Erica helped explain what they were saying. They introduced VerbalizeIt as a service that connects users to live human translators through an app or website.
Users could get a translator on the phone within about 15 seconds. They believed this service would help in situations like business meetings where clear communication is important. They asked the Sharks for $250,000 in exchange for 15% of their company. Keep reading our VerbalizeIt update to see what happens next!
The Sharks had many questions about VerbalizeIt.
Robert Herjavec wanted to know how the service worked. Ryan explained that users could access VerbalizeIt online or through an app. When someone needed a translator, they would make a call that connected them to a translator within about 15 seconds.
Kevin O’Leary was curious if they had enough translators to provide such quick responses all the time. Kunal assured him that many translators were eager to use their free time to help. At that time, they had over 200 translators covering five languages.
Robert also wondered if translators were available at any time, day or night. Ryan confirmed that their community of translators was very reliable and available 24/7.
Kevin asked about their earnings so far. Kunal shared that they had made $10,000 in just two weeks and had been operating for only one month.
Barbara Corcoran questioned how their service was better than other translation apps. Ryan emphasized that human translators provide better quality than machines because they understand context and nuances.
Each Shark responded differently to VerbalizeIt’s pitch.
Barbara was concerned that their deal with Skype wasn’t exclusive, so she decided not to invest.
Daymond John felt that the other Sharks were more interested and knowledgeable about this type of business, so he also chose not to invest.
Mark Cuban offered $250,000 for 25% of the company but wanted an immediate decision.
Kevin O’Leary then offered $250,000 for 20% of the company. Robert Herjavec matched Mark’s offer of $250,000 for 25%.
Ryan and Kunal asked if Mark and Robert would lower their equity to 20% to match Kevin’s offer. Both declined, believing their expertise was worth the extra equity. After considering the offers, Ryan and Kunal accepted Kevin O’Leary’s offer of $250,000 for 20% equity.
Product Availability
From our VerbalizeIt update research, VerbalizeIt offers human translation services for phone calls, documents, videos, websites, and apps. After being acquired by Smartling in 2016, their services became part of Smartling’s offerings. You can access their services through Smartling’s website. Pricing varies depending on the type and length of the translation needed.
Conclusion
VerbalizeIt’s journey began with a simple idea to help people communicate across language barriers. Their appearance on Shark Tank brought attention to their innovative service. Even though their deal from the show didn’t work out, they found other ways to grow. Being acquired by Smartling allowed them to reach more people and businesses in need of translation services. We’ll continue to watch how VerbalizeIt evolves and helps make global communication easier.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib an undergraduate student of Bachelors in Business Administration. Shark Tank is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. The show provides a fascinating insight into the world of entrepreneurship by presenting creative solutions to common problems, which strongly connects to my academic interests. I’m interested in learning more about the strategic thinking and creativity that lead these companies as each pitch provides insightful information. I’ve found that watching Shark Tank has inspired my enthusiasm for business and entrepreneurship and has been a very enlightening and motivating experience. Apart from business and writing, I love food, shopping, and hanging out with friends and family. Read more About me.
