Entrepreneurs Christopher Cazden Morrison, Kai Forman, and Jacky Chao pitched their hands-on and collaborative education company, Creator Camp, on Shark Tank Season 16. Creator Camp offers animation, filmmaking, game creation, and music production classes for kids ages 6 to 13.
The idea for this business started when Kai went to Queensland University of Technology in Australia to study game programming. He realized he lacked creativity, especially with technology, so he teamed up with his four high school friends—Cazden, Jacky, Robbie, and Winston—to start Creator Camp.
What do the Sharks, especially guest Shark Rashaun Williams, think about this edutech company? Let’s find out the complete recap and progress update for this business.
| Company Name | Creator Camp | |
| Founder/Co-Founder | Kai, Cazden, Jacky, Robbie, and Winston | |
| Founded | 2020 | |
| Product | Hands-on and collaborative education | |
| Asked For | $350k for 5% equity | |
| Final Deal | $350k for 18% equity | |
| Shark | Barbara Corcoran | |
| Episode | S16 E5 | |
| Air Date | Nov 15th, 2024 | |
| Business Status | In Business | |
| Website | Visit Website | |
| Headquarters | Katy, Texas, United States | |
| Annual (Revenue) | $1 Million *estimated | |
| Worth / Valuation | $7 Million | |
| Watch On | Amazon Prime | |
What Is the Background of The Founder?
The education company Creator Camp was founded in 2021 by five childhood friends: Kai, Cazden, Jacky, Robbie, and Winston. Initially, they offered animation and filmmaking classes for children.
Their first location opened in Austin, Texas, followed by a second location in Spring, Texas. After receiving positive feedback from parents, they plan to expand to more locations. As for the founding members’ backgrounds, Kai Forman is an animator and videographer, Cazden is a video producer and content creator, and the other founders come from diverse backgrounds.
Business Pitch Episode Recap
Cazden, Kai, and Jacky appeared on Shark Tank seeking $350,000 for 5% equity in their company. They explained their Creator Camp product, sharing that they had been in business for 4 years.
In the first year, they generated $60,000 in revenue from one location, and in the second year, they earned $100,000. By the third year, they expanded to multiple locations, reaching $300,000 in revenue. In 2024, they have already made $840,000 in revenue.
Currently, their camps are available at 27 different locations in Texas. At each location, they run 3 to 4 camps at a time, with a maximum of 20 kids per camp. The camps run for 3 days, and the average cost for a 3-day course is $250.
Kevin O’Leary expressed concern about the company’s valuation. In response, Cazden explained that they are aiming to achieve 35 camps by next summer, with an estimated revenue of $1.3 million during that time.
Mark Cuban mentioned that he runs a foundation, the Mark Cuban AI Bootcamps, where they provide free learning to kids related to tech and artificial intelligence. Because of this, he said he couldn’t invest in their company, so he is out.
Lori Greiner said that this is not the right investment for her, so she is out.
Kevin O’Leary mentioned that the company’s valuation is too high, so he is out.
Rashaun Williams explained that 80% to 90% of investments usually end up as losses, but the returns from the remaining 10% to 20% of investments can cover those losses and provide a good return, which is known as venture capital. However, he felt that this company did not align with his investment fundamentals, so he is out.
Barbara Corcoran suggested that to scale the business, they would need to adopt a franchise model. She offered $350,000 in exchange for 20% equity. Kai countered with 17.5% equity, but Barbara stuck to her 20% equity.
Cazden then offered $400,000 for 20% equity, but Barbara declined. Barbara then said she would go down to 19%, and Kai countered with 18% equity, which led to the deal being finalized.
Sharks Offers list!
| Sharks | Offers |
|---|---|
| Rashaun Williams | No Offer |
| Kevin O’Leary | No Offer |
| Mark Cuban | No Offer |
| Barbara Corcoran | $350k for 19% equity |
| Lori Greiner | No Offer |
| Founder’s (Countered) | $350k for 18% equity |
| Final Deals | $350k for 18% equity |
Creator Camp Shark Tank Update
Before this episode aired, the company completely redesigned its official website and included a list of available camp locations. Additionally, many parents online expressed positive feedback about the learning camp idea.
We are currently tracking the progress of this business and will provide more updates soon.
You can check out Season 16 for more business progress reports.
