News

Actions

Drop your phone in water? Denver men invent machine to salvage your device

Local invention gets attention on Shark Tank
Posted at 9:31 PM, Sep 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-24 00:41:42-04

DENVER -- It’s something many of us have done, yet hate to admit. But millions of people drop their mobile devices into water, including the toilet. 

Now, two engineers who are also graduates of the University of Denver’s business school have come up with an invention to repair damaged phones.

Entrepreneurs Craig Beinecke and Adam Cookson are the brains behind Denver-based TekDry.

Their machine can save a phone in just about an hour. The inspiration: a classmate who dropped her phone in the loo.

"We all have phones. The phones connect us to everything -- friends, family, co-workers. When we get separated from that, it's a traumatic experience,” said Cookson.

Right now their machines are being leased to dozens of Staples stores across the country, including here in Metro Denver.

In a bid to expand, the two men flew to Los Angeles to appear on the ABC show "Shark Tank."

"It was an incredible rush of emotion.  It was confusing at times; it was exciting all of the time,” said Cookson.

"I feel like there's nothing I've done in my life so far where I've learned so much as I have the last two years.  And 'Shark Tank' was no different," said Beinecke.

Two local entrepreneurs going bold, to save phones that have fallen into the commode.                       

"People are bombarded everyday with all kinds of information and social media and really have to have something to punch through that," said Cookson.

The process has a 75 percent success rate.

To find out how the men performed, watch Shark Tank on Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. on Denver7.

---------

Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.

Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.