Shark Tank Season 17, Episode 4 Recap: Fightwear for Women, Kitchen Sprouts, Protein Ice Cream & a Dog-First Airline

Season 17, Episode 4 is Alexis Ohanian’s first full swim in the Tank, and the producers did not ease him in. We’ve got women’s fightwear, a countertop sprouting system, high-protein ice cream bars, and an airline where dogs get better treatment than most humans in economy.

The panel this week: Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Kendra Scott, and guest Shark Alexis Ohanian. Four companies came in with tight pitches and serious numbers. Three left with deals.

Let’s walk through what happened, what the founders asked for, who actually wrote checks, and where the red flags were hiding.

---

Alchemize Fightwear: Gear Built for Women Who Fight

First into the Tank: Alchemize Fightwear, a combat sports brand built specifically for women. Founder Maya Nazareth came in with a straightforward thesis: most fightwear is designed on men’s bodies, and women have been dealing with wardrobe malfunctions and bad coverage for years.

Her gear is built “from the mat up” for jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing, and MMA: high necklines, secure fits, squat-proof coverage, and designs that don’t ride up or fall down mid-roll.

The Pitch

Maya’s story landed hard. She talked about matches where her gear failed her — pants slipping, chest exposed — and how close that came to making her quit jiu-jitsu altogether. Instead, she built Alchemize.

The line focuses on a small core of products (rash guards, leggings, singlets, gis) with limited-edition drops stacked on top to keep hype and test demand. She’s already built a sizable community and even landed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her work.

The Money

Numbers were solid for an early-stage direct-to-consumer brand:

• ~$1.8M lifetime revenue since launch
• ~$500k last year, with a jump to ~$875k projected for this year
• Customer acquisition cost around $30–$35 against an average order over $150

Kevin hated the $5M valuation; Alexis pushed back, arguing that niche, community-driven brands can justify higher multiples if they own their category.

The Verdict

• Lori and Alexis teamed up first at $250k for 20%.
• Maya countered, trying to protect dilution.
• Kendra Scott jumped in, proposing a three-way deal.

They landed at a rare three-Shark agreement: $300,000 for 15%, split equally among Lori, Alexis, and Kendra. Maya didn’t get her original valuation, but she walked out with money plus three very different distribution and brand engines behind her.

---

The Sprouting Company: Countertop Sprouts and a Missed Deal

Next up: The Sprouting Company, founded by Doug Evans. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because he wrote The Sprout Book and has been pushing sprouting as a daily habit for years.

His pitch: a countertop sprouting system and seed program that lets you grow fresh, nutrient-dense sprouts in about five days with nothing but water and time. No soil, no lights, no garden, no excuses.

The Pitch

Doug’s backstory is intense. After losing multiple family members to diet-related disease and moving near the Mojave Desert, he started sprouting as a survival strategy. That eventually became a full-on business: glass jars with custom lids, stainless-steel filters, stands, trays, and curated organic seed mixes.

The system lets you go from dry seed to bowls of broccoli and salad sprouts in under a week, on a kitchen counter, with just water and gravity.

The Sharks’ Problem

• The valuation was steep: $10M for 5%.
• Hardware plus seeds is a good story, but also a narrow category from the Sharks’ point of view.
• Kevin and Daymond both felt he was underestimating how much support and capital it would take to reach the mainstream.

Kevin and Daymond each offered $500k for 25%, then combined on a joint offer at the same terms. Doug countered in the single digits, and the gap never closed.

The Verdict

No deal. The Sprouting Company left without Shark money but with plenty of attention. Post-show, they’ve leaned into bundles, an iOS tracking app, and a “Shark Tank” promo push to convert the exposure into long-term customers.

---

Orka Bar: Protein Ice Cream Bars That Got Lori’s Money

Third pitch: Orka Bar, from founder Stephen Longo, a nutrition coach and lifelong athlete.

Orka is basically a crossover between a protein bar and an ice cream bar: a frozen, dark-chocolate–coated bar with a creamy, high-protein center made from egg whites. Each bar has around 15g of protein, low sugar, and comes in flavors like Cookies & Cream, Vanilla Bean, Raspberry, and Mint.

The Pitch

Stephen’s pain point: after workouts, he was stuck choosing between chalky protein bars or sugary ice cream. Orka is supposed to sit right in the middle — dessert texture with macro-friendly numbers.

The Sharks liked the taste and the nutrition label. The sticking point was logistics: these are frozen, so shipping requires cold-chain packaging and dry ice, which can destroy margins if you’re not careful.

The Negotiation

• Stephen came in at $100k for 15%.
• Most Sharks bailed over margin concerns and early-stage revenue.
• Lori initially pushed for $100k for 33.3%.

They eventually settled at $100,000 for 25%, giving Lori a meaningful stake and Stephen a Shark who understands QVC, freezer doors, and how to scale a better-for-you treat.

---

RetrievAir: An Airline Where Dogs Aren’t Cargo

Closing the episode: RetrievAir, a pet-first charter airline founded by Mark Williams and Benton Miller.

Their core idea: instead of stuffing dogs into cargo or under a seat, put them beside you in the cabin on jets configured specifically for pet families. RetrievAir uses modified regional aircraft with human-and-dog–friendly layouts, pet-savvy crew, and smaller airports to keep the experience smoother and less stressful.

The Pitch

Benton built RetrievAir after getting repeatedly blocked from flying with his own large dogs. Traditional airlines shove big dogs into cargo or refuse them entirely. Pet-only charters exist, but they’re priced like private jets.

RetrievAir’s model is semi-private: shared charters, fixed routes, and fares that are high but not billionaire-only — typically around $775 one-way, with some shorter hops closer to $300 and longer routes into the low thousands.

The Sharks’ Concerns

• High weekly burn (~$80k/week in operating costs).
• Regulatory complexity and dependence on a narrow customer slice.
• Need to fill seats consistently to avoid bleeding cash.

Kevin and Daymond both tossed around offers tied to heavy equity grabs and concerns about risk. Alexis, on the other hand, clearly saw a brand that fits his portfolio: a passionate niche with viral potential and strong community backing.

The Verdict

Alexis bumped his offer to a very on-brand number: $776,000 for 15% — a nod to his Seven Seven Six venture fund. Mark and Benton accepted. Post-show, RetrievAir has been adding routes and getting mainstream press for being the airline that doesn’t treat dogs like luggage.

---

Final Thoughts: Alexis’ First Flight in the Tank

Episode 4 feels like a clean blueprint for what Season 17 is trying to do:

• Alchemize Fightwear shows what happens when you own an underserved niche and already have traction — you can bring three Sharks into the same deal and still walk out happy.
• The Sprouting Company is the classic “great product, tough valuation” case. Strong numbers, but not enough alignment on equity to close.
• Orka Bar takes a simple idea — “make the freezer section less terrible” — and turns it into a clean, early-stage deal with Lori.
• RetrievAir is high-risk, high-visibility, and exactly the kind of moonshot a tech founder like Alexis Ohanian is willing to back.

Three deals, one miss, and a clear pattern: this version of the Tank rewards founders who know their numbers cold and can argue their valuation without flinching.

---

Official Product Links & Sources

• Alchemize Fightwear (Women’s Fightwear):
  https://alchemizefightwear.com
• The Sprouting Company (Countertop Sprouter & Seeds):
  https://thesproutingcompany.com
• Orka Bar (High-Protein Ice Cream Bars):
  https://www.orkabar.com
• RetrievAir (Pet-First Airline):
  https://retrievair.com

Companies and descriptions are based on ABC’s official Season 17 Episode 4 business list plus independent recaps and post-episode coverage.