"The world's first automatic tattooing device" — Blackdot founder Joel Pennington pursues $1.5 million investment while on Shark Tank

Joel Pennington presented Blackdot on the latest episode of Shark Tank, which aired on March 21, 2025. Blackdot is a company that has developed a machine for automated tattooing. Joel explained to the sharks that people often struggle to find the right tattoo artist, and Blackdot's platform allows licensed designs to be uploaded and tattooed with high precision.

"We've recently introduced the world's first automatic tattooing device paired with an online marketplace for high-end tattoo art," Joel stated.

The designs were created by actual tattoo artists, who got paid each time their art was used. Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary was initially impressed and asked if Joel could make thousands of machines for tattoo shops. However, Joel stated that the company, based in Texas, had a limited supply. At the time, they only had one working machine.

"We've only pivoted the business recently to make the Blackdot device available to tattoo studios," Joel shared on Shark Tank.

The sharks were disappointed to learn that the machine had only been tested on volunteers, not paying customers. Kevin O'Leary noted that the idea was good, but Joel needed to improve his presentation. Despite initially seeking $1.5 million in exchange for 5% of his company, Joel ultimately left Shark Tank without a deal.

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Blackdot founder Joel Pennington aimed to disrupt traditional tattooing market before his appearance on Shark Tank

In an October 23 interview with Decrypt's Scene, Joel Pennington, Blackdot's founder, revealed that he had no tattoos when he came up with the idea for the company. At the time, he was working in the coffee industry. Being around many tattooed baristas sparked his interest. Joel researched the tattoo business and found a major flaw.

He discovered that people wanted smaller, detailed tattoos, but had to wait a long time or travel far to get them. Joel spent five years researching, developing, and testing his idea. He even got tattoos himself, including one partially done by his daughters using a Blackdot machine. He believes his company can change the tattoo industry.

“What people really wanted were smaller pieces that were really, really detailed, like the size of a credit card or less. But you'd have to fly to New York or LA, and you'd have to get on some type of year-long waitlist,” Joel stated.

However, he emphasizes that Blackdot is not trying to replace traditional tattoo shops. Instead, it offers a new type of body art. According to Joel, Blackdot's technology helps tattoo artists scale their work and opens up the market to new artists. The company is targeting a specific segment of the market, not trying to appeal to everyone.

Turkish tattoo artist Omer Tunca released a tattoo collection on Blackdot. This allowed customers to get his designs tattooed without traveling to Istanbul. Digital artist Tyler Hobbs also released a collection, bringing his code-generated designs to tattoos for the first time. Additionally, John Craig, who designed album art for Smashing Pumpkins, contributed artwork for a Blackdot tattoo collection.

The design fees for these tattoos ranged from $400 to $8,000, with execution fees between $600 and $1,850. Blackdot planned to add more designs through its Certified Artist program. This program allowed artists to upload their designs and accept custom commissions. Blackdot also had a royalties system, ensuring artists received a fee whenever their designs were used.

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Blackdot appeared on season 16 of ABC's Shark Tank. Notably, this will be Mark Cuban's final season on the reality show.