Metric Mate walked into Shark Tank asking for $100,000 in exchange for 5% equity, left without a deal — and then the real story began.
This article breaks down exactly what Metric Mate is, what happened during the pitch, and what the founders did after the cameras stopped rolling. If you’re tracking the company’s progress or thinking about buying the product, here’s what you need to know.
What Metric Mate Is and How the TAP Sensor Works
Metric Mate is a fitness technology product built around a small device called the TAP sensor. TAP stands for Training Accountability Partner.
The idea is simple. Instead of replacing your existing gym equipment, the TAP sensor attaches to it — barbells, cable machines, weight stacks — and turns it into a trackable, data-generating tool. Think of it like a smart plug for a regular lamp. You’re not buying a new lamp; you’re making the one you have smarter.
Once attached, the sensor tracks:
- Reps and sets
- Tempo and range of motion
- Intensity and caloric burn
- Fatigue levels and injury risk indicators
All of that data syncs to a companion app. Athletes, personal trainers, coaches, and physical therapists can all access it to review performance and make adjustments.
One detail worth highlighting: if a rep doesn’t meet a proper range of motion, it doesn’t count. That’s a built-in form accountability feature, not just a tracking gimmick.
The retail price discussed on the show was $199 per device.
The Shark Tank Pitch — What the Founders Asked For and What Happened
Metric Mate appeared on Season 14, Episode 11 of Shark Tank. The three founders — M-T (Metrikus) Strickland, Braxton Davis, and Ecleamus Ricks — came in asking for $100,000 for 5% equity. That put their implied valuation at $2 million.
At the time of the pitch, the company leaned heavily toward a B2B model. Their primary focus was selling to gyms, personal trainers, and enterprise clients rather than going directly to everyday consumers.
Lori Greiner pushed back on that approach. She advised the team to shift toward a stronger B2C strategy — making the product available for individual consumers to buy directly.
An offer was made during the episode, but the founders chose to decline it. They left without closing a deal with any shark.
Despite that outcome, Goodie Nation — a startup support organization that had worked with the team — publicly framed the appearance as a “founder win.” Their reasoning: the national exposure alone carried real value, regardless of whether a deal closed.
How the Business Changed After the Episode Aired
The original episode aired in late 2022. A rerun aired in June 2023, about six months later, giving Metric Mate a second wave of visibility with a fresh audience.
Co-founder M-T Strickland stated publicly that “The Shark Tank Effect is real,” pointing to a clear spike in press coverage, attention, and pre-orders after the show aired.
Here’s what changed operationally after the show:
1. Strategic Pivot to B2C
The team moved away from a mostly B2B approach and started making the TAP sensor available for individual consumers to buy online. This shift was partly driven by Lori Greiner’s feedback on the show and what the founders observed after the episode ran.
2. App Improvement Through Apple Entrepreneur Camp
The team participated in Apple Entrepreneur Camp, a program Apple offers to app-based businesses from underrepresented communities. This gave them resources and technical support to improve the Metric Mate companion app.
3. Pitch Events and Community Exposure
Metric Mate was featured at the National Black MBA Association Scale-Up Pitch Challenge and the 85 South Show’s “Black Market” showcase. These appearances helped the brand build credibility and connect with new audiences beyond the Shark Tank viewer base.
4. Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign
On August 1, 2023, Metric Mate launched an Indiegogo campaign with a goal of raising $100,000. The campaign did not reach its target. That’s worth noting clearly — it shows the company was still working to secure capital even after all the post-show momentum.
Product Availability and What Consumers Found
One of the most common questions after a Shark Tank appearance is simple: can you actually buy it?
As of mid-2023 reporting, the TAP sensor was sold out and listed as backorder only. The founders targeted a Q4 2023 ship date for the first run of consumer units, with Black Friday as an ideal window. That was a stated goal, not a confirmed delivery — so treat it accordingly.
The companion app was free and live on both Google Play and the App Store, with positive user reviews. So while hardware availability was limited, the software side of the product was accessible.
If you’re considering the product, the best step is to check the official Metric Mate website directly for current availability and any updated shipping timelines.
Where the Company Stands Now
Based on available reporting, Metric Mate is still in business and operating as an early-stage company. Their estimated valuation remains around $2 million — consistent with what they pitched on the show — though that’s an approximation, not a formally audited figure.
The brand’s Instagram presence has stayed active since the show, using messaging like “Your Favorite Trainer’s Favorite Tool” and tagging posts with #TAPin. They’ve continued referencing their Shark Tank appearance as part of their identity, which signals the show still drives some ongoing interest.
The founder’s longer-term vision goes beyond fitness tracking. M-T Strickland has spoken about using Metric Mate for remote physical therapy — giving patients the ability to work out at a local gym while a physical therapist reviews their force, motion, and fatigue data through the app from anywhere. That’s a vision statement at this point, not a launched product line, but it shows where the company wants to go.
What the Market Thinks — and the Honest Challenges
Not everyone has been enthusiastic. Reddit discussions from Shark Tank viewers flagged the $199 price point as high for an early-stage product. Some users questioned whether the software was mature enough to justify the cost, and others noted that the smart fitness equipment space already has strong competition.
These are fair concerns. Combining hardware, software, and data analytics into one consumer product is genuinely hard. Scaling hardware manufacturing requires capital that Metric Mate is still working to raise. The Indiegogo campaign falling short of its goal is a signal that converting interest into funding hasn’t been straightforward.
For entrepreneurs tracking this company, those challenges are actually part of what makes the story instructive. Shark Tank gave Metric Mate real visibility. That visibility opened doors — Apple Entrepreneur Camp, pitch competitions, press coverage, pre-orders. But visibility alone doesn’t solve a hardware scaling problem or fund production runs.
If you follow startup journeys closely, Repute Business covers stories like this with the same no-filler approach — what actually happened, what the data shows, and what founders did next.
Key Takeaways from the Metric Mate Journey
Here’s a quick summary of the most important facts for anyone following this company:
- No deal was closed on Shark Tank — the founders declined the offer.
- The TAP sensor retails at $199 and attaches to existing gym equipment.
- The company pivoted from B2B to B2C after the show, largely based on feedback from Lori Greiner.
- The rerun in June 2023 gave the brand a second visibility boost.
- An Indiegogo campaign launched August 2023 but did not reach its $100,000 goal.
- Hardware was sold out and on backorder as of mid-2023 reporting, with Q4 2023 set as the shipping target.
- The app is free and available on both major app platforms.
- The company is still active and pursuing funding and scaling.
Metric Mate’s story is a clear example of how a Shark Tank appearance can change a business even without a deal closing. The exposure was real. The pivot was real. The challenges are real too. Whether the product ships at scale and finds its consumer audience is still a story in progress — but the foundations are in place for it to get there.
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