Black Sands Entertainment

Black Sands Entertainment is a media company creating culturally diverse comics, graphic novels and animation, with a focus on stories rooted in African and global history and mythology. The goal is to put underrepresented heroes and cultures at the center of the page and screen. The company was built by Manuel and Geiszel Godoy along with partner Teunis De Raat, growing from independent comics into a publisher with ambitions in animation and streaming.

On Season 13 they sought 500,000 dollars for 5 percent. The mission and the existing audience drew strong interest, and Mark Cuban paired with guest shark Kevin Hart, whose Hartbeat company works in entertainment, to make a joint offer. After negotiation, the founders accepted a deal at 500,000 dollars for 30 percent, bringing two influential partners into the business.

The pitch stood out for combining a clear cultural mission with a real catalog and fan base, not just an idea. Having Kevin Hart involved aligned the company with serious entertainment industry connections, while Cuban added business firepower. For a comics and animation startup, landing that pairing on national television was a major credibility boost and a memorable moment of the season.

The company confirmed that the deal with Mark Cuban and Kevin Hart officially closed, and it publicly framed the partnership as a step toward larger animation ambitions, including aspirations to grow into a leading animation studio and pursue further investment from existing backers.

Black Sands has continued building its catalog of comics and animated projects since the show, leaning on its new connections to access entertainment talent and resources. As of 2026 the blacksands.com website remains active, selling books and merchandise and promoting its media projects, indicating the company kept operating and expanding after the Shark Tank appearance.