Most people don’t think “diamonds” when they think of grief. But that’s exactly what Eterneva does—turning ashes or hair from loved ones and pets into lab-grown diamonds so families have something tangible to hold on to. It’s a literal way for people to keep memories close, and it’s not something you hear about every day. If you caught Eterneva’s pitch on Shark Tank, you probably remember the emotional pull—and the sharks’ curiosity about how it all worked.
Eterneva’s Shark Tank Pitch—And What Mark Cuban Saw
Let’s rewind to Eterneva’s 2019 Shark Tank appearance. Adelle Archer and Garrett Ozar, the company’s co-founders, stepped in front of the Sharks asking for $600,000 in exchange for 5% equity. That put their valuation at $12 million, which made a few Sharks blink twice. At the time, Eterneva had just wrapped up its first year, racking up $913,000 in sales. The business was projecting $2.7 million for the coming year, so things were heading up.
But some Sharks were uneasy. Eterneva had already raised over $1 million from other investors, which led to grumbling about whether there was any meat left on the bone for new partners. The Sharks pressed for details on costs, profits, and customer experience. For a business built on emotion, numbers still mattered.
After some back-and-forth, Mark Cuban offered the full $600,000—but for a 9% stake. That cut Eterneva’s valuation to about $6.67 million, much lower than the founders’ ask. Still, the pitch had connected. The founders agreed, and everyone shook hands.
After the Cameras: The Real Deal and a Gutsy Response
We all know not every Shark Tank deal actually closes, but in this case, Cuban joined the company as promised. It wasn’t long before Eterneva’s profile blasted upward. The show has a reach that advertising money just can’t buy. Right after their episode, Eterneva saw about 14% of new customers say they’d heard about the company through Shark Tank. That’s a serious boost, especially in a niche like memorial diamonds.
But success also brought questions. Not long after the episode aired, a well-known gemologist raised doubts in the press. Was there really enough carbon in ashes to make a real diamond, or was the company taking people for a ride? Mark Cuban was quick to step in. He didn’t just wave away the accusations—he helped push Eterneva to get clear, lab-backed confirmation.
Eterneva hired TDI-Brooks, an independent lab, to run in-depth chemical tests. The scientists confirmed it: there’s plenty of carbon in cremated ashes to produce synthetic diamonds. The study was made public, which calmed a lot of skeptics and made it easier for new customers to trust the process. In a field that’s personal and sensitive, having hard science on your side matters.
Bigger Numbers, Bigger Ambitions
The Shark Tank effect can be short-lived for some businesses, but for Eterneva, it was a springboard. Annual revenue, which had been just shy of a million at the time of filming, had shot up to between $6.5 and $7 million by 2023. Steady growth, year after year, became the norm. By 2025, estimates put Eterneva’s net worth at $9.76 million, with a healthy annual growth rate of just about 10%.
A big part of this expansion was going global. Eterneva moved into international markets like Germany and Switzerland, bringing its model to families all across Europe. Handling grief is universal, and the business found a steady demand from people wanting a personal way to remember the ones they loved. To keep up, Eterneva closed a $10 million venture capital round in 2021. The extra cash covered the costs of new labs, more staff, and outreach in foreign countries.
How the Product Works and What People Pay
It sounds almost sci-fi, but here’s the actual process: you send in a small amount of ashes or hair, and over 10 months, those remains are turned into a certified lab-grown diamond. The technology is similar to how synthetic diamonds are made for jewelry, but with the added backstory of your loved one’s carbon being part of the raw material.
Customers get to choose from a variety of colors—classic white, blue, yellow, and even green. Diamonds come in different shapes and sizes, from round to pear to princess cut, just like you’d find in fine jewelry stores. Pricing is wide-ranging: it can start at $3,000 for a petite diamond and can go up to $20,000 for a bigger or fancier gem. For Eterneva, each diamond costs $3,000 to $5,000 to make, so the margins are pretty solid.
It’s not a decision people make lightly. Eterneva found that customers wanted more than just a product—they wanted reassurance, respect, and support through a tough process. Plenty of buyers arrive after losing a pet, too. The flexibility to memorialize either a person or an animal (with hair or ashes) helped the business stay accessible to more people.
Stronger Focus on Empathy and Service
One of the company’s biggest shifts after Shark Tank wasn’t about its lab tech—it was about how it worked with grieving customers. Many folks sharing memories with Eterneva had stories about feeling uncomfortable or unsupported with traditional funeral industry options. The founders listened and made genuine empathy a central part of the service.
Eterneva’s team, mostly made up of regular people with their own stories of loss, tries to walk customers through each step as gently as possible. The process includes regular updates, photos, and videos. The idea is to let families feel connected the whole way, so they don’t get that cold, transactional feeling. The company even worked with Baylor University on a study about mourning and grief, aiming to make sure its staff could really meet clients where they are emotionally.
Eterneva also ramped up its resources for people going through tough times, providing guides and handling each case on a first-name basis. The shift from a “business” to a “partner in remembrance” was probably one of the biggest reasons Eterneva succeeded beyond just its technology. Customers wanted to be treated like people, not numbers.
The Current State of Eterneva (2025)
So, where’s Eterneva now? The business is still private but is active and profitable, with a model that’s proven resilient despite changing trends in the memorial market. Growth has stayed consistent, and expansion plans are still on the table, especially in Europe. The science question has been laid to rest, as multiple labs confirmed the process works as advertised.
New products and variations keep the lineup fresh. The focus on transparency and third-party testing helps keep customer trust high—especially important for a product that’s connected to something as emotional as loss. The team has talked openly about how many clients stay in touch long after their diamonds are delivered. It isn’t just about a transaction. For many, it’s a way to process grief and come away with a permanent reminder.
In the business and startup world, Eterneva has popped up in more than a few case studies. They’re used as an example of how to blend empathy and innovation. More information about approaches like Eterneva’s can be found at Aureo Business, especially for those curious about blending tech and personal service.
What Comes Next?
If you look at Eterneva now, you’ll see a company that feels established but still open to change. Expansion into more international markets seems likely, and the founders have hinted at new services on top of memorial diamonds—though specifics are guarded. The trends in the memorial space keep shifting, but Eterneva’s steady care and science-forward transparency have kept it front and center.
The business world is filled with tech startups that promise the moon and then fizzle out. Eterneva, though, has stuck to simple things: providing an honest service, treating customers kindly, and making sure the science checks out. They’re not just another company that came and went from Shark Tank—they built something that’s lasted, with growth that’s steady but grounded.
For families and pet lovers looking for meaningful ways to remember the ones they love, Eterneva’s updated model offers both science and heart. The company probably won’t be a household name for everyone, but for a growing number of people, it’s a solution that works—full stop. That’s where things stand, heading into 2025.
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