Local entrepreneurs to appear on ‘Shark Tank’

Representatives of a Camas company will be among the presenters on the ABC program “Shark Tank.”

The Self Balancing Unicycle, created by Focus Designs, will be among the products featured on the show Friday, at 8 p.m., on KATU. A viewing party is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., at Big Al’s, 16615 S.E. 18th St., Vancouver.

“We are inviting the public to watch with us and to try the product,” said the company’s chief operating officer David Martschinske.

He and company co-owner Daniel Wood participated in the taping of the show.

“The TV experience was really exciting,” Martschinske said. “We can’t remember any of it, because it went by so fast. We are excited to see ourselves on TV but mostly nervous, because we don’t know how the edits will make us look.”

The 27 pound unicycle, which sells for $1,795 each, has an electronic motor brake. Its top speed is 15 mph, and there is a weight limit of 325 pounds. The unicycle can travel approximately 7.5 miles on a single charge. A fully depleted battery pack will take more than one hour to charge.

“It is most practical in urbanized areas, used in conjunction with public transportation for the ‘last mile’ of their commute,” Martschinske said. “It is so small and lightweight that people can take it anywhere.”

On “Shark Tank,” entrepreneurs attempt to convince multi-millionaire/billionaire tycoons to give them the funding they need to jump start their business ideas. In exchange for the investment, the entrepreneurs give up a percentage of their companies’ equity.

The owners of Focus Designs — a home-based business — are looking for a light-industrial space in the Camas-Vancouver area. They are also seeking partners with experience in the fields of solar, aerospace or light electric vehicles for future projects. For more information, call (360) 329-2537, email [email protected] or visit www.focusdesigns.com.