Courtesy of Michael Fier/Staff
College junior Kaeya Majmundar is taking her invention BZbox to the next level: on May 16, she will be on
ABC’s show Shark Tank.
College junior Kaeya Majmundar started with a cardboard box, but now she’s transitioning to a shiny, black box: television.
On May 16 at 8 p.m., Majmundar will be featured on ABC’s season finale of the reality TV show, “Shark Tank,” which features business pitches from entrepreneurs to a panel of Sharks, or investors.
She’ll be presenting her invention, the BZbox. The BZbox is a cardboard box with a twist: it requires no assembly. To use the box, all one must do is pop open the box.
Majmundar is currently negotiating potential licensing deals with different companies to sell the BZbox.
Unlike most entrepreneurs on “Shark Tank,” Majmundar applied to be on the show during the early stages of developing her product.
“A lot of ‘Shark Tank’ entrepreneurs have at least a couple years of validation,” Majmundar said. “They have customers, are in stores or at least are selling online and are looking to take it to the next level. I, on the other hand, was filing the patent and prototyping simultaneously as I was moving through the stages of getting on the show.”
Majmundar got the idea to apply to be on the show in May 2012 when she was first fiddling around with collapsible box design ideas.
Her father suggested she watch the show; after the first episode, she was hooked.
“I blew through all the seasons of the show by the end of the summer,” she said. “I kept a notebook full of lessons and pitch strategies.”
Those notes helped hone her pitch for the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organizations National Elevator Pitch competition in November 2012, which she won. After her win, she decided to apply to be on “Shark Tank.” In March 2013, she got a call from California to complete more application papers.
When the season started, she received calls from family and friends who saw her in commercials for the show, but she was still uncertain whether “Shark Tank” would show her pitch.
“It was very long, nerve wracking and completely surreal,” Majmundar said. “The producers make it very clear that there is no guarantee anyone airs basically until you see yourself on TV.”
But just this past week, she got a call with good news: her episode had been scheduled to air.
“The odds are just so surreal to me and I still cannot believe I made it all the way,” Majmundar said.
The road hasn’t been easy – finding a balance between entrepreneurship and school has proven to be a challenge.
“Admittedly, it took a lot of blind faith on my part for me to believe so much in my product to the point where I occasionally had to put BZbox over academics,” she said.
However, she ultimately believes that the BZbox is headed in right direction for the future.
“When I come up with ideas, my mind just explodes with excitement,” she said. “I am really glad I finally found what I am passionate about. I think that will shine through on the episode.”
–By Elizabeth Howell
Updated on May 13, 2014 at 3:06 p.m.: This article has been updated to match the print version of the story run on April 25, 2014. The previous version of the article stated that Majmundar was approached in May 2013 to come to California, and has been changed to state that in May 2013, Majmundar received a call asking her to participate further in the application process. The print version of the article is correct.
Updated on May 16, 2014 at 6:00 p.m.: This article has been updated to include the special air time (8 p.m.) of the episode as the season finale.
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She pitched her sale, thats for sure. She pitched it so hard that she outright started begging and pleading and insisting and whining, despite being told no, with the one lone shark who showed some interest (QVC goddess). Literally, we rewound the DVR and counted in the final 35 seconds, about 19-32 repeated overlapping pouty lines of “please…but..no….” and “…but i promise, please….i swear, i’ll…”
–(…i promise I’ll… do my homework mommy! Please mommy!….but….but i really really really wanna go to the big kids party!)
This last part was the impression she left in everyone’s mind. So although, this child DID eventually beg and whine her way into a deal, SHE LOST ALL CHANCE OF BEING TREATED LIKE AN ADULT from that point on in business. The ability to accept no, TO RESPECT No, is one of the most admirable and charming professional qualities that win you points among the candidates on this show. The maturity to to react to unexpected failure with enviably polished finesse — it isnt just great SPORTSMANSHIP and expected of professional athletes and befitting of any true champion. That is also the mark of a high quality character in personal relationship: a mate who will respect your boundaries and RESPECT YOU to have your own wishes and preferences. Not someone like this, who will also be more likely to stalk you in jealous fury, be an ex girlfriend who slashes your tires and hacks your accounts and trashes you on facebook…just because you respectfully broke up with her so as not to waste both her time and yours, and after you were absolutely sure you two weren’t the ideal mates compatible in
Life or best fit “for you” THIS CHILD refuses to accept any decision you make “for you” because in childhood and adolescence, there is only ME, me, me!!!
Those with the bravado and bravery to walk out of this show clearly crestfallen, but not lose their cool—? Immediate extra credit and a huge invested longer term success with Delayed gratification. THE BEST OF THE BEST EVEN EXPRESS GRATITUDE for their time and the opprtunity——This is expected normal behavior for all adults in an interview, meeting, comference, whether it is for a job or for a sale or for a cure for cancer.
And, THAT IS WHO YOU WANT to work with. Youll probably end up calling them in as backup if your first choice falls through. Youll DEFINITELY call them to be included on the next relevant opportunity, and most importantly, those are the people who leave you (and The sharks) thinking they lost something great and should reconsider.
Children dont understand subjective or intangible things like Mutual Respect and Ability to mitigate problems, nor can they Handle personal disappointment for sake of group success.
GIMME NOW MINE, and, maybe if shes from a more discplined home, PLEASE PLEASE WHINY POUT BUT I PROMIIIIISE.
For the record, the response by our blonde Shark (QVC Goddess) was half done to put her fellow sharks out of misery and silence this overgrown toddler’s tantrum. The proof was in the baby pudding: there was a TOTAL PARENTING MODE, a new “Motherly” manner of speech, and a gentle but firm, it-is-for-your-own-good tone like we speak to toddlers, and that was used by our poised blonde Shark goddess to respond– it immediately forecast the future of this business bust.
This kid absolutely sold herself short. Next time, when she feels she is worthy to call HERSELF a young woman, she will put on a proper business dress suit, lose the hot pink kiddie floral dress and (severely unflattering) neon kiddie cardigan sweater piled over it. Tie back your hair, put on some killer Designer pumps, and act like the businesswoman you wanted to be when you finally GREW UP!!
If u missed this shark tank show: You have to watch it over . I have never seen a scarier portrait of a 4th grade child stuck in an overgrown body. Tons of teens come on shark tank and earn lots of respect. This one seems resolute to perpetuate the mommy-kiddy discipline relationship in her Business life, leaving little hope for her future husband to be able to enjoy a peer, companion, nor treat her as an equal. Even if he wanted reallly reaaaalllly rewaaaaally waaaaaantes to. Waaaaaah waaaah.
When she starts swimming in millions and is riding around in her lamborghini, you will still be here talking about how she didn’t tie her hair up or how she didn’t wear a dark colored sweater.
i hope she makes her millions and stores them in her boxes!!!!
The patent (US20140084016 A1) is a joke…. The box doesn’t work unless you make them by HAND!! There is no equipment known to mankind that will assemble this ‘storage container’. Besides, the waste in the blank size is beyond reason. This is a fourth grade art school project. She must have glued and taped it up to look like a production ready design, but it’s not. Nor will it ever likely be.
And her price break at +400M to meet an RSC? Ah, anyone that buys or sells corrugated containers must have fell of the couch. Price breaks general end around 25M. FAIL!!!!
I hate it when people B.S. there way around thinking that we’ll just eat it all up. This is a B.S. Box, it’s about as original as the wheel. Stick to folding up origami designs and leave the box business to those that studied design, manufacturing, and work hard at it everyday.You went on national TV and made a mockery of our industry. ‘Oh look, I created the wheel!! Give me $50K and let’s get rich!’ Seriously? I’m glad you’re not going to Med School. You’re saving lives… .
@ Kaeya – I am not sure if you are going to read my comments. But if you do I want you to know this.
I was out of the country for work and had the privilege to watch you on shark tank last night. Your story reminded me of my very own and I was happy for you when you got the offer from Lori.
I come from an Indian family in NJ and share a similar background as you with my mother being a Doctor and my father being an IT professional. When my parents wanted me to be either a Doctor or get into IT field, I said no and pursued my MBA, paid for my school and successfully landed in a great job. Looking back at the last 8 – 10 years, I feel happy about my decision and I am doing what I wanted to do rather than what my parents wanted me to do.
You are the one in charge of your career. When you are as old as I am and look back at your career (telling you from my experience), you will not regret it because it was ultimately your decision to do what you are doing and not someone else’s.
Good Luck!
I think Kaeya will do fine. She just needs to get her mom to do marketing for her. Have you seen the jugs on her?