Why HyConn Founder Blames Mark Cuban For Their Failed Deal

The complications brought upon by Mark Cuban’s deal put HyConn in a difficult place. While the business was receiving increased exposure thanks to its “Shark Tank” appearance and subsequent reruns, Stroope was unable to fulfill orders without a shark on board. However, a ray of hope came to HyConn’s aid not long afterward, but even this ended up not going as planned. 

In the summer of 2011, it was announced that the Arkansas venture studio 101 Ventures took an equity stake in HyConn. The new direction seemed promising. The incubation company shared that it had begun the manufacturing process and was in talks with over 30 nationwide distributors. Much like Kevin O’Leary, 101 was primarily interested in the garden hose connector Stroope had developed alongside the company’s flagship fire hydrant product. Nevertheless, the company was more than excited to be working with Stroope, with partner Matt Fifer saying in a press release, “We are extremely excited to be involved with an organization that has such tremendous potential for both saving lives and achieving commercial success.”

Sadly, nothing has seemed to materialize from the new partnership. As a result, HyConn has remained largely inactive in recent years. It has not posted on Facebook since 2019 while its Twitter account no longer exists. The website is still running, but its products are all listed as unavailable. Since 2021, Stroope has been a Tool & Die Shop Manager for the ammunition manufacturer D&M Holding Company.