Two childhood best friends, a passion for art, and a mission to make creative education accessible to every kid in America. That is the story behind Sparketh, the online art education platform that secured a deal on Shark Tank despite some serious doubts from the panel. Here is what happened to Sparketh after Shark Tank.
What Is Sparketh?
Sparketh is an online art education platform designed for children and teenagers aged 6 to 18. The platform offers over 1,000 video lessons covering drawing, painting, digital illustration, character design, and even cake decorating. Students learn at their own pace through structured courses taught by professional artists, and they can build portfolios to share within the Sparketh community.
Co-founders Dwayne Walker and Tim Samuel started Sparketh in 2015 while studying at Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Both were broke at the time. Dwayne handled the graphic design work while Tim taught himself PHP, HTML, and CSS to build the website. They eventually dropped out of college to focus on the business full time.
The personal story behind Sparketh adds another dimension to the business. Tim Samuel lives with sickle cell disease, a condition that significantly reduces life expectancy. At the time of their Shark Tank appearance, Tim was 25 years old and acutely aware that his time might be limited. That urgency drove both founders to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams with everything they had.
The Shark Tank Pitch
Dwayne and Tim appeared on Season 13 of Shark Tank seeking $100,000 for 8% equity, valuing the company at $1.25 million. Their pitch was engaging from the start. They invited all five Sharks to participate in a live art demonstration, using toothbrushes to paint feathers on canvases. The room was immediately charmed.
The numbers, however, told a more complicated story. Sparketh had generated $300,000 in sales in 2020, up from $110,000 in 2018 and $75,000 in 2019. They projected $500,000 for 2021. The customer acquisition cost was $51.50, with a lifetime customer value of $160. But here was the problem: no subscriber stayed longer than 12 months. For a subscription business, that is a major weakness.
Lori Greiner stepped out first, saying she was not an app person. Kevin O’Leary followed, questioning how he would see a return on his investment with no clear path to profitability. Mark Cuban pointed out that free art tutorials on YouTube posed a serious competitive threat and also declined.
That left Barbara Corcoran and guest Shark Daniel Lubetzky. Barbara was still looking for a reason to invest. She offered $100,000 for 20% equity, but with one critical condition: Sparketh had to prove it could be profitable within six months. Daniel joined Barbara’s offer, adding his mentorship to the deal. Dwayne and Tim accepted, sealing the agreement with a four-way hug.
What Happened After Shark Tank?
After their Shark Tank appearance, Sparketh saw a significant boost in website traffic, user sign-ups, and social media engagement. The platform continued to grow its content library, expanding to over 1,000 video lessons covering a wide range of artistic styles and techniques.
The company focused heavily on the homeschool market, which turned out to be a smart move. Families looking for structured creative education outside of the traditional school system became a core audience for Sparketh. The platform offers two subscription plans: a monthly option at $25 and an annual plan at $250, both providing unlimited access to all video lessons plus personalised feedback through separate student accounts.
Sparketh’s social media presence has grown steadily. The company’s Instagram following has increased from around 18,000 at the time of their Shark Tank appearance to over 26,000, with the account regularly sharing art projects and technique demonstrations. The Facebook page has accumulated over 12,000 followers.
The company has also grown its revenue substantially, with estimates suggesting annual revenue of around $1.5 to $2 million, a significant jump from the $300,000 reported during their Shark Tank pitch.
Sparketh Net Worth 2026
As of 2026, Sparketh has an estimated net worth of approximately $3 million. The platform has established itself as a leading name in online art education for young people, with a growing library of content and a loyal base of subscribers.
Dwayne Walker and Tim Samuel took a product that three Sharks rejected and turned it into a thriving business. The deal with Barbara Corcoran and Daniel Lubetzky gave them not just capital but mentorship, and they have used both to build something that is genuinely changing how kids learn to create art. For two college dropouts who started with $500 and a dream, that is a pretty impressive canvas to have painted.