Kevin Hart can now add “Shark” to his ever-growing resumé.
Yahoo reports that the actor, comedian, and businessman on the rise appeared on the Jan. 7 episode of “Shark Tank,” the hit ABC series that gives once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to small businesses looking for an investor to grow their businesses.
The outlet confirms that Hart was filling in for longtime Sharks Daymond John and Robert Herjavec. He also endured some ribbing from fellow Shark Kevin O’Leary, who claimed that Kevin Hart was a “rookie” when it came to investing. (Despite O’Leary’s snark, Hart is far from a “rookie” when it comes to investing. According to Crunchbase, he’s made 10 investments as an individual investor, and he’s also a brand partner with Fabletics Men).
Ignorant jokes aside, Hart explained on the show that he created HartBeat Ventures — an investment offshoot of his HartBeat Productions — to create what he called “financial inclusion” opportunities. HartBeat Ventures has already partnered with Beyond Meat, Therabody, and Liquid IV.
But on the show, Kevin Hart seemed most impressed by Snactiv, which allows for the user to not get their hands dirty while they’re eating, and behaves in a similar way to chopsticks. The Asian-owned brand got a hefty $200,000 investment from Hart and fellow Shark Lori Greiner, in exchange for 20 percent equity in the company.
Kevin Hart made a $500,000 investment in Black Sands Entertainment, a production company whose spotlight focuses on Black history. He teamed up with Mark Cuban to invest in the company, which is not only Black-owned but veteran-owned and features products like masks, comic books, and T-shirts, all focusing on Black History. Black Sands also has its own cartoon production studio, which features animators from Disney and Pixar. The company boasts more than 60,000 units of its products sold, and they have thousands of followers on various social media platforms.
Were you moved by this movie company? 🎬 #SharkTank
— Shark Tank (@ABCSharkTank) January 8, 2022
Kevin Hart: His Previous Investments
Though Kevin Hart made some notable investments on “Shark Tank,” he’s no stranger to the world of investing. As AfroTech previously reported, he was part of HUNGRY’s Series B funding (alongside Jay-Z) that ultimately raised $20 million. He also invested in Ellis Island Tea, the largest Black-woman-owned beverage manufacturer, and he donated $100,000 to Taraji P. Henson’s non-profit organization, which is centered around Black mental health. None of these investments, however, have made a negative impact on his net worth; in fact, as of 2021, Kevin Hart has a net worth of more than $200 million.