Indian Inventor’s Foldable Measuring Spoon Wins $350,000 Deal on Shark Tank USA
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
An Indian industrial designer who studied at the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad has secured a $350,000 investment on Shark Tank USA with an innovative take on an everyday kitchen utensil. Rahul Agarwal, founder of Polygons Design, developed a foldable measuring spoon that replaces six conventional spoons with two slim, flexible tools capable of measuring different quantities.
Inspired by origami, Agarwal began working on the design in 2014 while he was a student at NID Ahmedabad. His invention has since won more than 20 international design awards and impressed investors Lori Greiner and guest Shark Mindy Kaling during Season 18, Episode 4 of the business reality show.
How Does the Polygons Measuring Spoon Work?
Polygons replaces a conventional six-piece measuring spoon set with two flat tools that fold into different sizes when pinched at marked points. The design allows users to measure ingredients without keeping six separate spoons in a kitchen drawer.
The larger spoon measures half a tablespoon, one tablespoon or two tablespoons. The smaller spoon offers quarter-teaspoon, half-teaspoon and one-teaspoon measurements.
When flattened, each spoon is just 2.8 mm thick. The product uses food-grade thermoplastic, food-grade hydrophobic silicone and embedded neodymium magnets.
According to the company, pinching the tool at a marked point forms the precise measurement required, allowing the spoon to switch between sizes while remaining compact when not in use.
How Rahul Agarwal Came Up With the Idea
Agarwal began developing the concept in 2014 while studying at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. A senior told him that the spoon had already reached its final form and did not need redesigning.
Rather than dismissing the idea, Agarwal treated the remark as a challenge.
“I don’t even cook,” he said, recalling how he became determined to rethink the utensil.
He arrived at the core concept within three days: a flat sheet that could fold into an exact measuring spoon when pinched. However, turning that initial idea into the finished product took several iterations and years of refinement before it reached the Shark Tank USA stage.
Who Invested $350,000 in Polygons?
Agarwal secured a $350,000 deal from Lori Greiner and Mindy Kaling on the show's 18th season. He accepted the investment in exchange for 8% equity in the company and an additional 2% in advisory shares, bringing the total stake offered to 10%.
The deal valued Polygons at $3.5 million.
Kaling praised the invention during the episode, describing it as “really ingenious” and “very useful”.
The investment marks a major milestone for Agarwal's effort to turn a familiar kitchen utensil into a space-saving product with multiple functions.
