After three college friends had their stuff stolen while at the beach, they turned their misfortune into an opportunity. “We tucked our things into our sneakers and went for a swim, and when we came back, everything was gone,” co-founder Jonathan Kinas told Entrepeneur. “When we realized several other people at our resort had the same problem, we said, ‘We need to invent something to prevent this.’”
The product was eventually called AquaVault, a portable lockbox that attaches to almost any piece of beach furniture. They sketched out the prototype on a napkin, and after a successful appearance (and funding deal) on Shark Tank, their sales skyrocketed.
“Shark Tank was a roller coaster,” co-founder Avil Samtani told the Miami New Times. “You have one shot at it, and you go out there and you have to really know your business and your numbers. And thankfully, it worked out in our favor.” Now, virtually every hotel on South Beach offers an AquaSafe as an amenity to their guests.
Sales of the AquaSafe topped $2 million last year and are projected to pass $10 million annually within five years.
The FlexSafe is a portable version, made of slash-resistant nylon with RFID blocking material layered throughout. There are other portable safes on the market, some specifically for your gadgets, but FlexSafe is specifically designed for outdoor activities, allowing you to secure it to a beach table or bicycle while you’re outdoors. It’s light, portable, and folds up into a package the size of a softball. After successful Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaign, it’s now available at Aquavolt’s online store for $60.
