Krista Rosen ’02 and her business partner, Inga Potter, have appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank to pitch their skin care company Cold Current Kelp.
Cold Current Kelp founders Inga Potter and Krista Rosen ’02 (l-r). Image: https://coldcurrentkelp.com/
The two of them began their “seaweed journey” in 2021 and base their operation in coastal southern Maine, where they harvest sugar kelp and transform it into a potent facial oil “rich in antioxidants and protective compounds.”
Potter, a marine biologist, and Rosen, who majored in government and legal studies at Bowdoin before going on to earn a law degree, earned some “glowing praise for their KelpOil facial product,” according to Seacoastonline. They were, however, unable to secure a deal, with investors unwilling to come up with the requested $100,000 capital, a commitment that would have valued the company at one million dollars.
They were among the contestants featured recently in the first two episodes of the latest sesaon of Shark Tank, a show in which aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business models to a panel of potential investors, known on the show as “sharks.” They brought a sample of the raw product into the studio to show to the panel.
“This is sugar kelp, a large brown seaweed and one of the most nutrient-rich organisms on earth,” explained Rosen to the sharks. “When applied to your skin, kelp can help defend against environmental damage while nourishing and repairing, and instead of sourcing mystery ingredients from halfway around the world, we built our very own ocean farm right off the coast of Maine.”
While Rosen and Potter were sad not to have progressed further with Shark Tank, they were grateful for the experience and told Seacoastonline they were excited to be receiving a “two-year federal grant for new extraction technology that could help lead to the development of kelp-based skin cleaner, moisturizer or body oil.”
View more media coverage:
https://www.wmtw.com/article/cold-current-kelp-shark-tank-kittery-maine-business/73932778
