Whatever Happened To The Metric Mate After Shark Tank?

"Shark Tank" Season 14 saw the three-man team of MT Strickland, Braxton Davis, and Ecleamus Ricks enter with the hopes of funding their workout analytic device, Metric Mate. The product couples a remote device known as the TAP sensor — which stands for Training Accountability Partner — with an accompanying app on your phone. The sensor can be attached to a wide range of gym equipment and feed information on your reps, calories burned, and even potential injury risk to the app, allowing the user a well-rounded view of their progress. To increase accountability, users have the option to share their results with anyone from their coach to their social media followers. 

The three men hold eight different degrees between them and come from various backgrounds. Strickland is well-versed in engineering and manufacturing, Ricks has experience in software development, and Davis is a patent lawyer. They launched the product during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 as gymgoers were trying to find ways to bring their workouts home with them. The company started receiving rampant attention and growth during this period, most notably being named one of Georgia's Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies by The Technology Association of Georgia in March of that year.  

Nevertheless, Metric Mate was still in the relatively early stages of starting their company. To bring their idea to the next level, Metric Mate would need to try their luck on "Shark Tank." 

The Metric Mate team appears on "Shark Tank" seeking an investment of $100,000 for a 5% equity stake in their business. Given that the company is still in its fledgling stages, it'll take a lot to convince a shark to work with them. After allowing Mark Cuban to give Metric Mate a try, they dive into the business. The device measures your workout machine's output coupled with specific biometrics to create a full picture of your progress. Additionally, the app has the ability to provide a guided workout for those wearing headphones.  

To sell direct-to-consumer requires that their product go through expensive government testing. Given their limited funding, they are teaming up with personal trainers to work with clients as their source of revenue for the time being. The sharks all like the product but believe that it would have greater success being sold to consumers as opposed to trainers. 

Mark Cuban goes out, uncomfortable with how Metric Mate analyzes data. Lori Greiner thinks they should simplify the product to sell it straight to consumers. Barbara Corcoran and guest shark Tony Xu think it's too early to judge its success. Kevin O'Leary makes an offer of $100,000 for 25% of the business, making him a fourth partner. The team counters, asking for $100,000 for 12.5% with a $150,000 line of credit, but O'Leary remains staunch on his offer. Even despite Cuban urging the team to take it, they ultimately decline. Turning away a shark is always a bitter blow, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's lights out for Metric Mate.

The Metric Mate team had a long road ahead to achieve their intended goals. After appearing on the show, CEO MT Strickland aimed to ensure that, with or without a shark, their business would remain on the right side of history. In an interview with SRVMORE following the episode, Strickland commented, "So that's the thing I'm focused on now is making sure we can actually deliver on what we said on the show because now that's in concrete ... and at the end of the day when people read the story, it's about triumph instead of a defeat."   

Nevertheless, Metric Mate's mission to improve the physical fitness experience was heard and helped them gain traction following the show. Strickland explained this on Hypepotamus, where he praised the merits of the "Shark Tank" effect, stating, "Pitching at Shark Tank brought not only new cash flow, new pre-orders, and a new community, but also new investors to the table." Finding new investors became a high priority for the company and the team began work to ensure they'd attract as much interest as possible. It seems they decided to take Lori Greiner's advice and transition to switch to a business-to-consumer model. This helped them get interest from a variety of groups, including universities, government agencies, sports clubs, entertainment organizations, and more. But how much has this pivot helped out in the end?

Metric Mate is still in business but is still in the relatively early stages. Currently, their TAP sensors are sold out and only available through back orders. However,  they offer several fitness sessions in various Atlanta locations throughout the year. These events are likely a way of promoting Metric Mate's products but also aid in building a strong community around the company. The accompanying app is available for free on both Google Play and the App Store, where it has accumulated largely positive reviews. 

Along with these efforts, the company is still seeking funding. On August 1, they launched an Indiegogo campaign aiming to raise $100,000. The campaign has brought in $1,161 from 10 backers at the time of writing, but still has nearly a month to go at the time of writing. Strickland's intention is to see the product ship out during the Black Friday and holiday shopping season later this year, with hopes that New Year's resolution planners will be seeking them out. 

Metric Mate has had a good bit of exposure since their time in the tank. In April, they had the opportunity to work with Apple at the Apple Entrepreneur Camp to aid in the advancement of their app. Additionally, they were featured at the 2023 National Black MBA Association Scale Up Pitch Challenge and the 85 South Show's "Black Market," where Strickland got to share more about Metric Mate's many merits. The business is estimated to have a net worth of $2 million.

The Metric Mate team deserves plenty of kudos. It would have been easy for them to take Kevin O'Leary's offer, but they stood firm on their beliefs. It was undeniably a tough decision, but the group was well aware of the value each of them brought to the table. With that said, things have been moving slowly for the company since the show and a shark might have helped accelerate their endeavors. But even if they are still some steps away from reaching those goals, that hasn't stopped them from dreaming big. 

In an interview with the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, in which MT Strickland is a stakeholder, he shared his ultimate goal for the company, feeling that the product has legs outside of the gym. "And so in the grand scheme where my heart is really in it is that we see Metric Mate being an apparatus that can do remote physical therapy," he stated. "Help people get treatment from world-class doctors anywhere in the world by being able to evaluate their data through our technology." 

This is certainly a daunting proposition, but Metric Mate has already taken early steps to make this a reality. In the midst of the pandemic, they began running case studies with physical therapists and appeared to receive good attention. There's plenty of work to be done to reach this point, but with their determination and good mission, Metric Mate is sure to hit their stride.