Landing an investment from all five hosts of ABC’s Shark Tank was just the beginning for Charles Michael Yim.
The 31-year-old entrepreneur, who closed the first million-dollar deal in Shark Tank history with his smartphone breathalyzer company Breathometer, is launching a second product, the breath-monitoring device Mint. Whereas Breathometer’s Breeze product focused on analyzing blood alcohol content (BAC) to prevent drunk driving, Mint measures oral health indicators, such as bacteria and hydration levels. It may even save consumers a trip to the dentist, according to Yim.
“A lot of people think halitosis is just bad breath, but it’s really a byproduct of poor oral health,” he says. “We measure what are called sulfuric compounds, which have a direct connection to the amount of bacteria in your mouth.”
The beta version of Mint, which works in conjunction with a mobile app, shipped this week to contributors to the company’s Indiegogo campaign that raised more than $94,000 in March. Yim says the final version will be available to consumers in September.
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