What Happened To Overplay From Shark Tank Season 15?

Imagine if there's a way for you to transform any video you recorded on your smartphone into a mobile game. Or a means to turn a meme into an interactive gaming experience. Overplay lets you do this — and more. The app, developed by entrepreneurs Dan Projansky and Caroline Strzalka, uses AI to give users the ability to turn any short video into an interactive video game they can share with friends on social media. The best part is that the process has been streamlined with simple controls and editing buttons, so there's no need to learn any coding.

Projansky and Strzalka are no strangers to the industry. The two met while working at Sesame Street's Sesame Workshop in 2008. Projansky used to design games for some of the best-selling game consoles of all time, while Strzalka focused on the business side of things. They made Overplay with the desire to disrupt an already massive gaming industry by offering something new. They initially raised over $1 million via WeFunder and also received backing outside of the crowdfunding site, bringing the total to $3.7 million by early 2024.

After soft-launching on iOS and Android, Overplay reached around 150,000 downloads and over 1 million games played in a matter of weeks. However, to better market their brand and reach a wider audience, Projanksy and Strzalka decided to pitch their app on "Shark Tank" Season 15.

Projansky and Strzalka appeared in Season 15, episode 18, seeking $500,000 in exchange for 2.5% equity. During their pitch, it was evident that they were nervous based on the awkward pauses and stuttering. At one point, Barbara Cordovan even told Projansky not to stutter. They still managed to present their product well, with Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary joining the demonstration. However, even though the sharks were entertained, most were skeptical when it came to discussing the numbers.

The business partners had already given away about 20% of the company in exchange for funding. They entered "Shark Tank" with $750,000 left in the bank. And while they needed additional money, they were hesitant to give up a bigger share of Overplay. With a valuation of $20 million and a small equity offer, the sharks, especially guest shark Jason Blum, were expecting to hear impressive sales. Surprisingly, the pair said they would only start monetizing in 2025.

Expanding on how they planned to make money, Projansky said they were banking on inter-app advertising and brand partnerships. Corcoran was the first to bow out, saying she had lost money from similar investments. Blum cited the same reason for tapping out. O'Leary and Lori Greiner did not make offers. Meanwhile, Cuban, who is exiting the series after Season 16, offered $500,000 for 15% equity. Projansky countered with 3.25% equity plus 0.75% in advisory shares. Cuban countered again with an offer of 4% equity plus a paid role as Overplay's promoter. The pair accepted the deal.

"Shark Tank" featured many innovative products in Season 15, including the PopLight rechargeable stick-on wall light, the Tik Pik guitar pick, and the Flora smart plant monitor. All three secured deals with different sharks before leaving the tank, but there was no clear indication of the deals being closed after the episode. Overplay's case is different: less than two weeks after its episode aired on March 15, 2024, Cuban fulfilled his word and closed the deal. In a press release issued on March 28, the startup announced that the television personality had already made an investment and officially joined the company as a brand ambassador and strategic advisor.

"I like to geek out with the good stuff. Overplay is the good stuff," Cuban said in the press release, expressing his excitement for the venture, which aligns with his interest in novel and innovative technologies. With him on board, it would be easier for Overplay to land content partnerships and more investments. In tandem with Cuban's investment, Overplay launched a community investment round, allowing the public to secure company shares. This pushed the company's WeFunder campaign to a total of $3.6 million in backing as of May 2025.

"Mark's belief in our vision is more than just an investment; it's a validation that we're on to something big and a catalytic force for our business. With his guidance and active participation, we're crafting the future of social media and gaming," Strzalka said after the "Shark Tank" deal closed.

Dan Projansky and Caroline Strzalka remain highly involved with Overplay. Aside from being co-founders, the former currently serves as the CEO, while the latter acts as the COO. Based on their social media activity, they have been aggressively promoting the app through different campaigns and events with big brands like Netflix and NASCAR. Notably, Overplay's partnership with NASCAR has led the brand to participate in the races, with its flag bearer, Austin Green, winning at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2025. The company also rolled out a NASCAR-inspired video game for fans to try.

In March 2025, Overplay was named Top Innovator for Venture Summit 2025, a premier event that connects the most promising startups with venture capital. It earned the accolade about a month after nabbing a new lead investor in N29 Capital Partners. The firm invested around $1.5 million in Overplay as part of its mission of supporting startups with the most promising products and services.

Outside of Overplay, Projansky, whose preferred pronouns are they/them, has dabbled in other passion projects, including film, motorcycles, and home design. The tech entrepreneur documents them through their Projansky.com blog. On the other hand, not much is known about Strzalka's endeavors outside of Overplay since her social media accounts are either private or inactive. However, she's been actively releasing updates about the company. The two co-founders are likely to get more preoccupied with growing their brand moving forward, especially since Overplay saw a 1,000% increase in app use after appearing on "Shark Tank."