The Woobles

The Woobles makes beginner-friendly crochet kits that teach people to make cute amigurumi animals from scratch. Each kit includes pre-started yarn, the right hook and tools, and access to step-by-step video lessons, so total beginners can succeed on their first try. Founders Justine Tiu and Adrian Zhang built it after Justine, a former Google designer and engineer, took up crochet to unwind and realized how steep the learning curve was for newcomers.

On Season 14 they asked for 250,000 dollars for 5 percent, valuing the company highly thanks to strong sales. The sharks were impressed, and Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner made a joint offer. On air, the founders accepted a deal at 450,000 dollars for 6 percent, a higher dollar amount for a small equity slice that reflected the brand's momentum and clean unit economics.

The Woobles stood out because it removed the usual frustration of learning a craft. By bundling materials with clear video instruction and a forgiving project, it turned an intimidating hobby into an achievable weekend win. The bright, charming character designs gave it strong gift appeal, and the founders' tech-to-crafting backstory made the brand feel both modern and genuinely useful.

The exposure fueled continued growth. The Woobles expanded into major retail and built a string of high-profile licensed collaborations, releasing kits tied to popular franchises and characters, which broadened its appeal well beyond core crafters and kept the brand visible.

Despite accepting the offer on screen, the founders ultimately did not move forward with the deal. Mark Cuban publicly noted the deal did not close and said it was the founders' choice. Even so, the company has thrived independently. As of 2026 thewoobles.com is active and selling, and the brand remains a leading name in beginner crochet kits.