Last night, ESAI (pronounced [ES] + [AY] + [EYE]), the ethical AI platform helping students navigate college admissions, entered the Shark Tank when founder Julia Dixon took the stage to pitch her bold vision: an affordable, AI-powered way for every student to tell their story.

A former college advisor, Dixon built ESAI after witnessing how legacy status, zip codes, and access to pricey consultants gave wealthy students an unfair advantage. After attending a live audition, she made it to the tank where she demonstrated how ESAI works using a high school photo of Mark Cuban himself. Framing him as a student named “Mark C,” she showed how the platform might help a student connect a love of innovation and basketball into a compelling essay theme—personalized, ethical, and admissions-ready.

The Sharks were impressed by how the platform helps students uncover the right schools and programs—and empowers them to craft a compelling story to get there. Cuban and Kevin O’Leary both made offers. After a high-stakes negotiation, Dixon successfully secured her dream deal: $250,000 for 5% equity, with an additional 2.5% in advisor shares through a follow-on agreement.

"I invested because ESAI is solving a real problem," said Cuban. "This platform doesn’t spit out essays. It helps students figure out who they are and how to show that to the world. That’s powerful, and personal.”

“Mark was the Shark I hoped for,” said Julia Dixon, Founder and CEO. “He understands the tech, but more importantly, he understands the need—especially after going through the college process with his own family. I couldn’t be more excited to have him on our team.”

Since launching, ESAI has supported over 550,000 students in the 2024 admissions season and reached more than 35 million viewers on TikTok. The platform offers AI-powered tools that help students craft authentic, story-driven applications without outsourcing their writing. ESAI adheres to strict ethical standards, offering the same kind of guidance a human tutor would—at a fraction of the cost. Families have saved an estimated $145 million in advising fees.

With Cuban’s backing, ESAI plans to help even more students find the right-fit schools and craft the stories that get them in. Long-term, ESAI aims to be the place Gen Z builds their professional identity, evolving from college applications to career goals and everything in between.

ESAI is a platform that helps students uncover and showcase the true essence of who you are. The ethical, AI-powered tools make future planning intuitive, empowering, and fun — ensuring your story works as hard as you do.