What Happened To The Sullivan Generator From Shark Tank Season 3?

Folks who tune into ABC's hit reality series "Shark Tank" can tell you that things can go from zero-to-wonky on the show fast. Sometimes it's the result of the person pitching the panel of prospective investors, and other times it's due to the product. When things really get spicy on "Shark Tank," it tends to be a combination of both, which was the case in the Season 3 episode that found Texas-based inventor Mark Sullivan showcasing his potentially game-changing "Sullivan Generator" to the panelists.

To be clear, there was actually nothing intentionally comedic about Sullivan's pitch. It was a mix of what Sullivan was promising with his generator and the deadpan sincerity with which he was pitching it that gave his "Shark Tank" appearance the feel of a Saturday Night Live sketch. 

Yes, the panelists had their fun with Sullivan's pitch both during his time on the sound stage and after he made his exit. But at the end of the day, Sullivan's concept was nothing if not compelling. The only question was whether the Sharks could grasp the idea enough to try and make a deal. Here's a look at what happened to Mark Sullivan and the Sullivan Generator after "Shark Tank." 

As noted, Mark Sullivan's "Shark Tank" pitch was about as far from one of those tragicomic farces that befell even well-received products like Haven Door Locks. Rather, the inventor briefly introduced himself to the panel consisting of Robert Herjavec, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Daymond John, and outgoing "Shark Tank" star Mark Cuban before getting down to business. As for the business side of Sullivan's pitch, the ask was sizable to say the least, with the inventor seeking $1 million in funding for 10% equity in his generator venture.

Before the Sharks could wrap their heads around the ask, Sullivan jumped into what that million bucks would be paying for — a massive device he claimed would generate power by sucking up saltwater from the ocean, and running it through his machine, which would essentially spin it into a full blown hurricane and in turn power a turbine that produced electricity. Quizzical eyebrows were raised throughout Sullivan's explanation, particularly when he claimed one of the byproducts of the process was, among other elements, real gold. He even posited that the machine could produce as much as $96 billion in gold as a byproduct.

If it all sounds like the stuff of science fiction to you, you're in good company. O'Leary even asked Sullivan "how long are you visiting Earth?" at the end of the pitch. But Sullivan explained he had degrees in biochemistry and physics to back his theories. Alas, it was all too unbelievable for the panel, with Cuban eventually proclaiming, "My B.S. meter is going through the roof!"

Unfortunately for Mark Sullivan, there was further laughter as the panelists continued to ask questions, particularly when he pointed out that, apart from his scientific patents, he also made money writing music and making leather clothes and purses. We'll spare you the barbs tossed the inventor's way before and after he left the studio. Despite the fact that he could not tempt anyone into making a deal during his "Shark Tank" appearance, you have to admire Sullivan's idealism. In his post-pitch comments, he boldly proclaimed, "Inventors like me are what will save America!"

Sullivan's web page is optimistic too. He notes that his desire to see the Sullivan Generator brought to fruition is because he believes a clean, renewable energy source could level out the unequal distribution of resources plaguing society while also making countries like America completely energy independent. More than a decade after Sullivan unveiled his vision to the "Shark Tank" panelists, and thus the world at large, it would seem he has still not found an investor willing to pony up the funds to get the project off the ground.

Though Sullivan has yet to build one of his generators, his site notes that he still owns a legal patent that covers 36 separate claims for the components that make the device work. So, if anyone is looking to build a gold- and power-producing hurricane machine anytime in the foreseeable future, they'll likely need to deal with him. 

As of this writing, it would appear the odds of Mark Sullivan ever actually building his Sullivan Generator are slim. However, in perusing his website, it would seem that The Sullivan Generator is not the only idea the inventor has percolating. He claims to have hundreds of new concepts "on the drawing board" that cover everything from aerospace and the NFL to urban design and dentistry. 

Sullivan also opened a clinic in Austin called Aunt Betty's Infirmary, which provides care for kids suffering from sicknesses like chicken pox, children recovering from a surgery, and per his website, "the long-term medically fragile child." He's also done research into the medical uses of Hirudo medicinalis, which is a specific kind of leech. His website also boasts a pretty cool dune buggy that Sullivan created himself.

Moreover, Sullivan has reportedly logged quite a bit work in the entertainment field, even noting he worked on high-profile productions such as "All the Pretty Horses," "Secondhand Lions," and the 2003 remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." We were not, however, able to independently verify those credits on IMDb, so make of that what you will. He also claims that he's made over 4,000 life-sized cardboard cutouts that have been featured in commercials and movies like "Ocean's 11." It would appear that even if Mark Sullivan never gets his generator into production, he's still got plenty of things in the works that could make for a bright future indeed.