When you watch Shark Tank from the comfort of your couch, the pitch looks seamless. An entrepreneur steps out, delivers a polished pitch, fields intense questions, and hopefully walks away with a deal.
What the cameras don’t show is the years of grit, relentless iteration, and behind-the-scenes work that lead up to those high-stakes minutes.
Next week, local entrepreneur Kevin Langdon and his co-founder (and cousin) Andrew will be stepping onto that famous stage to pitch Ball 2 by Sperry Labs. It’s a smart, sensor-packed, AI-powered, foam ball designed to get kids and families moving and creating their own games.
Three Years of Iteration and Innovation
Great consumer products don’t happen overnight. While the bright lights of national television bring instant visibility, Kevin and his team have been quietly building Ball 2 for over three years.
With a background in computer science and roots in local education (including Hughesville High School), Kevin is no stranger to the startup world. “This is probably my 20th startup,” Kevin shared recently. “Persistence pays off. If you do it enough times, one of them will stick.”
Most tech products require endless cords, battery swaps, and charging docks. The Sperry Labs team engineered Ball 2 to require zero charging while streaming motion data at 800 samples a second to a free mobile app. Solving a major pain point in smart toys, energy efficiency.
Later, as Large Language Models evolved, they integrated AI, allowing players to invent, code, and play custom games – like “Groovy Distance” or active math multiplication games – just by talking to the app.
From Toy Fair to the Tank
Getting onto Shark Tank isn’t as simple as submitting an online form and showing up. It’s a grueling selection process among thousands of hopeful founders.
For Kevin and Andrew, the journey started at the New York City Toy Fair, where a casting director first spotted the product. What followed was a multi-month gauntlet of producer pitches, pitch refinements, and endless preparation.
“You build, build, build, build until you’re walking down that hallway,” Kevin recalled. “There’s four hours of getting ready, mic’d up, hair, makeup. And then you walk out.”
Local Roots, Big Dreams
While Sperry Labs designs cutting-edge tech, Kevin’s entrepreneurial spark comes from a deeply personal place. “I come from a family of entrepreneurs,” he noted. “My grandparents were chicken farmers.”
That grounded work ethic is evident in how Sperry Labs approaches growth. Rather than rushing straight into massive retail shelves where context can get lost, Kevin emphasizes supporting local, independent toy shops that can explain the magic of physical, screen-free play to parents and kids.
At the Bucknell Small Business Development Center (SBDC), we’ve had the privilege of watching Kevin’s dedication up close. Whether talking through deal structures, hiring strategies, or just using our team as a sounding board, Kevin embodies the spirit of continuous learning that makes local founders succeed.
Tune In and Support a Local Founder!
Standing in front of the Sharks with a live product demo is something most business owners only dream of. Getting to that stage is a testament to three years of late nights, engineering breakthroughs, and unwavering persistence.
Don’t miss the episode!
- When to Watch: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 9pm on ABC.
- Support the Product: You can learn more about Ball 2 or grab one before the holiday rush here.
Sign up today to schedule one-on-one business consulting with The Bucknell SBDC.
