This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A University of Utah graduate will appear Friday on ABC's "Shark Tank" to pitch the reality show's investors on his startup company, which makes portable cooking pots that double as power sources.
David Toledo and fellow U. graduate Paul Slusser came up with the idea for Power Practical while studying materials science. They developed it with the help of the U.'s Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute. The $149 camping pot transforms heat and water into a power source that can charge phones or other devices using thermoelectricity.
The company has already raised close to $1 million, shipped more than 1,000 units and won the 2013 Editor's Choice Award from Backpacker Magazine. It's also been featured in Outside Magazine, as well as on Mashable.com, the Weather Channel and the show "Fox and Friends."
Toledo, who graduated in 2010, will appear Friday on "Shark Tank" at 8 p.m. The U. will hold a live broadcast of the show in Room 1110 at the Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
READ MORE: U. grads' Salt Lake City startup develops practical power solutions, June 20, 2013
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