‘Shark Tank’ preview: Scholly, luminAID, Keen Home smart vent, Taaluma Totes, Bottle Breacher

We’re not going to lie here: We are very fond of some of the products that are featured on Friday’s new “Shark Tank.” As a matter of fact, this may on the surface be our favorite batch that we have seen over the course of the years we’ve been covering this. We at least find merit in all for of them, and that’s not something we can really say all of the time. Of course, there is still plenty of room for error, such as an investor screwing themselves out of a good deal.

You can take a look at the synopsis for this episode below, and all of the businesses this week were apparently started by people in college:

“Interest in a scholarship app created by a student from Philadelphia ignites into the most heated Shark fight ever with three of the Sharks walking out of the Tank! Also, a young couple from Vienna, VA provides micro-loans to those in need from the money raised from backpacks made of traditional fabrics from developing countries. An update from former Navy SEAL Eli Crane and his wife, Jennifer, from Tucson, AZ and their product, Bottle Breacher, a unique bottle opener made of recycled .50 caliber shells.”

Now, let’s dive into the products.

Keen Home smart vent – The bad news? They only seem to be taking pre-orders right now. The great news? This product sounds awesome: A way to properly heat and cool different rooms of your house, increasing both your comfort level and efficiency. The website is nice, the product is actually cheaper than we imagined it would be, and if we were a long-term homeowner, this would feel like a slam dunk.

luminAID – Once again, another cool idea in theory. It’s a solar-powered, portable light that you can inflate, deflate, and pack away. It seems ideal for camping trips, emergencies, or even if you just want to save electricity. The price is nice, but the only concern is that it is extremely hard to judge the brightness of a light via the internet. That’s what we always worry about with products like this.

Taaluma Totes – They have a whole lot going on here. They have bold, self-described “wacky” tote designs made from unique fabric all across the world, they employ workers with disabilities, and also try to help offer support small businesses in other countries. All of this is very noble. The big thing here is whether or not they are still drawing profits, and also whether or not they have a strategy for a very crowded market. This sort of company has a tough time in the tank.

Scholly – We hear stories that this creates a pretty epic argument among the sharks, and to us, that means one thing: It’s a good product. We don’t know it is monetized, but we agree. It’s a way to make searching for scholarships much easier, and with rising tuition costs, but so little awareness of infrastructure into finding scholarships, this should be a must-have app for any college student.

Have an early favorite? Share with a comment, and take a look at some other highlights from this season! Also, be sure to sign up right now to score some other TV updates on all we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ABC.)