How a spiked drink led to a startup

Summary

Business Daily – "How a Spiked Drink Led to a Startup"

Podcast: Business Daily (BBC World Service)
Host: Sam Fenwick
Guest: Shira Bennett, co-founder of Nightcap
Date: February 27, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of Business Daily’s "Meet the Founders" spotlights Shira Bennett, the teenage innovator behind Nightcap – a company on a mission to prevent drink spiking. Host Sam Fenwick explores how a traumatic incident in Bennett’s social circle sparked the invention, and how her vision grew from a homemade hair scrunchie to a successful global safety brand, including high-pressure pitches on Shark Tank, viral social media moments, and pioneering new drink safety laws.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin: A Personal Issue Inspires Innovation

• The Catalyst: At age 16, Shira’s friend was the victim of drink spiking at a college bar, spurring Shira to take action.
  • "I had a friend, a college friend, who had her drink spiked at the bar...Hearing what happened was really scary. I felt, like, hopeless and like I wanted to do something about it." – Shira Bennett [07:45]
• Understanding the Problem: Shira detailed the lack of awareness and frequent under-reporting of drink spiking incidents, especially how victims are often dismissed or blamed.
• Personal Reflection: Her friend ‘slept off’ the effects, but Shira emphasized that victims “live with that… the rest of your life.” [10:14]

2. The Invention: Turning an Idea into a Product

• A Dream Becomes Reality: The idea for a wearable drink cover – doubling as a scrunchie – came to Shira in her sleep.
  • "I invented a scrunchie that also doubles as a drink cover...I went to bed one night, and I thought of the idea in a dream." – Shira Bennett [10:42]
• Early Prototype: Made from her mother’s stockings and a hair tie, the first Nightcap was hand-crafted at home.
• Family Effort: The invention and business were true family affairs, with Shira’s parents and brother all pitching in with advice, naming the product, and helping to raise early investment. [13:22]
• Legal Savvy: Filing for a patent was the first business move after a neighbor advised her to protect her idea. [14:38]

3. From Bedroom Startup to "Shark Tank" Sensation

• Pitching on National TV: At 17, Shira (with her brother Michael) pitched Nightcap on Shark Tank, seeking $60,000 for 20% equity.
  • "I remember walking down the aisle just before the Two doors open...Being actually in the tank was something that felt surreal to me." – Shira Bennett [02:49]
• Deal and Validation: The product resonated instantly with investor Lori Greiner, leading to one of the show's fastest deals: $60,000 for 25% equity.
  • "Lori really jumped on Nightcap very fast. She knew that drink spiking is a huge problem…she just saw the mission and passion." – Shira Bennett [04:35]
• Immediate Impact: The show’s exposure fueled a spike in sales—almost $200,000 within 48 hours—requiring quick scaling and re-investment into inventory. [06:49]

4. Building Nightcap: Community, Awareness, and Scaling Up

• Funding the Growth: Apart from Shark Tank, Shira previously raised $12,000 through colleges and crowdfunding, followed by additional family and friends’ support to scale manufacturing. [07:25] [16:09]
• Going Viral: Early traction came from TikTok, with substantial sales driven by a single video. [05:44]
• Real Impact: Users reported instances where Nightcap physically prevented drugs from entering their drinks – sometimes finding residue on the cover itself.
  • "We have actually had people say that they have found pills and powders on top of their nightcap, which we never expected...that means that we've saved someone's life." – Shira Bennett [10:42 & 12:07]

5. Societal Context and the Broader Problem

• The Scope of Drink Spiking:
  • Nightcap’s own survey: 76% of women (18-25) worried about drink spiking; 25% reported it had happened to them. [17:33]
  • Other reported statistics range from 8% among US students to as high as 56% of women and 44% of men per Alcohol.org. [17:33]
• Challenging Social Narratives: Shira and Sam discuss the criticism that puts responsibility on potential victims rather than perpetrators, and the shift in nightclub/bar culture—especially as Gen Z rethinks going out.
  • "We have to normalize safety in establishments that don't necessarily acknowledge [the issue]...We are giving people tools to go out and protect themselves." – Shira Bennett [18:39]
• Advocating for Change: Nightcap moves beyond commerce—advocating for new safety laws and partnerships.
  • "California reached out to us and said, why is this happening? How can we help? ...it has potential to be picked up in New York now." – Shira Bennett [20:38]

6. Product Value: Why Nightcap?

• Practicality vs Alternatives: Shira explains why Nightcap is superior to makeshift solutions:
  • Beer mats/coasters "fall right off"; napkins and hands “just not effective.” Still, personal vigilance is essential – “you should always carry your drink with you.” [21:39]
• Not Replacing Responsibility: Emphasizes Nightcap is a tool, not a complete solution, and education is crucial. [21:51]

7. Growth, Impact, and the Future

• Milestones:
  • After the Shark Tank deal, annual revenue surged to $2 million, with $3 million in total sales to date.
  • Attracted new investors including pop star Julia Michaels. [21:56]
• Plans for Expansion:
  • "We want every single person in the world to have a nightcap...We're innovating...for different kinds of beverages...and some molecular testing." – Shira Bennett [22:29]
• Societal Impact and Reflection:
  • Shira is proud to have led an open conversation about drink safety.
    • "I think we definitely helped lead it and it's helped heal a lot of people and it's helped protect and empower a lot of people." – Shira Bennett [23:25]
  • Hopes for a future where products like Nightcap aren’t necessary, though she recognizes there’s still a long way to go. [24:06]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Inspiration:
  "Very, very proud of my 16 year old self that thought this dream would save lives. Because it definitely has." – Shira Bennett [01:42, 23:25]

• On Shark Tank Experience:
  "I kind of turned those nerves into excitement because I was like, this is the coolest thing ever." – Shira Bennett [03:38]

• On the Reality of Drink Spiking:
  "You can say someone is okay, but at the end of the day, people live with these experiences...the rest of your life." – Shira Bennett [10:14]

• On Product Efficacy:
  "We've had multiple people say...they realized that there was pills and powders on top of their drink." – Shira Bennett [12:07]

• On Societal Responses:
  "I think alcohol brands and bars and clubs are extremely worried right now about Gen Z...We are desperate for connection. But...why would we go to establishments that don't think about the customer in that way?" – Shira Bennett [18:39]

• On Advocacy:
  "California came to us...Now it's modeled...in Tempe, Arizona, and it has potential to be picked up in New York." – Shira Bennett [20:38]

• On the Future:
  "We want every single person in the world to have a nightcap." – Shira Bennett [22:29]
  "I would love to see that day...when the products...aren't needed because people do feel so safe." – Shira Bennett [24:06]

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Key Timestamps

• [01:42] Shira reflects on her teenage self and founding Nightcap
• [02:20–03:38] Shark Tank pitch, nerves, and excitement
• [04:14] Lori Greiner’s swift deal and impact
• [06:49] The $60,000 investment: scaling production and viral demand
• [07:45] The origin story: a friend’s drink spiked
• [10:42] Describing the product, early prototype, and user experiences
• [12:07] Real-life examples where Nightcap prevented drugging
• [13:22–14:38] The family’s instrumental role and patenting the idea
• [16:09] Fundraising and early growth milestones
• [17:33] Sobering statistics on prevalence of drink-spiking
• [18:39] Nightcap’s philosophy and the criticism of victim-centred products
• [20:38] Advocacy for legislative change; product use in venues
• [21:39] Addressing alternatives and explaining Nightcap’s unique value
• [21:56–22:29] Financial growth, future plans, and product expansion
• [23:25] Shira’s pride in fostering an open conversation and driving change
• [24:06] Aspirations for a safer future

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Conclusion

This episode delivers an inspiring deep-dive into the founding story of Nightcap, capturing the passion, ingenuity, and resilience of young entrepreneur Shira Bennett. From a traumatic incident to a viral product, and from a family prototype to social advocacy and millions in sales, Nightcap’s journey tackles a pressing safety issue with empathy and determination—proving that even in the face of societal challenges and skepticism, a good idea, driven by genuine purpose, can spark real change.

Transcript

[Advertisement Voice]

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[Sam Fenwick]

Hello and welcome to meet the founders from Business Daily on the BBC World Service with me, Sam Fenick. This is where we speak to innovators around the world about the ideas, risks and realities behind starting a business today. From a teenage DIY invention, to US national TV to changing legislation and now global sales.

[Shira Bennett]

Very, very proud of my 16 year old self that thought this dream would save lives. Because it definitely has.

[Sam Fenwick]

What started as a way to protect a friend who'd been drugged at a college bar became a product made from an old hair scrunchie and her mum's stockings. Shira Bennett tells how she set up Nightcap, a business that's grown from a bedroom prototype into a global safety brand in just a few years. That's today's Business daily from the BBC.

[Shira Bennett]

Hi Sharks, I'm Shira, I'm 17 years old and this is my brother Michael.

[Sam Fenwick]

We're from beautiful West Palm Beach, Florida

[Shira Bennett]

and we're here seeking $60,000 for 20% equity in our company.

[Sam Fenwick]

It's 2020 and a 17 year old Shira Bennett walked onto the Shark Tank, the American TV show where entrepreneurs pitch to millionaire investors. Contestants present their business ideas to four wealthy backers in the hope of securing a financial boost. It's a tough, high pressure environment.

[Shira Bennett]

I remember walking down the aisle just before the Two doors open and, you know, you start your pitch. Thankfully, I had my brother, my co founder, right next to me, so we were in it together. But for me, I was only 17 and doing something as grand as that was a dream come true, especially because I had only started Nightcap less than a year ago. So being able to be there was something that I literally felt like I kind of dreamed of. And so being actually in the tank was something that felt surreal to me, especially at such a young age when

[Sam Fenwick]

people watch it on the tv and you always think, don't you, oh, I could do better than that? And everyone thinks that they could do so much better. How hard is it? How tough is it in there?

[Shira Bennett]

You know, it's definitely like you feel like you're in the tv, you feel like, oh, my gosh, I've seen this before. How did I get here? And then, you know, your thoughts just kind of keep going. And for us, we went in there and we knew what we wanted. I think my brother was a little bit more nervous than I was because I was a bit younger and just more delusional and, of course, nervous. But I kind of turned those nerves into excitement because I was like, this is the coolest thing ever. I can't believe that I'm here. So we, you know, practiced a bunch and we did our pitch, but it can definitely be nerve wracking, especially with all the lights on you.

[Sam Fenwick]

Shearer secured a $60,000 investment from Lori Greiner in exchange for a quarter of the business. It was one of the show's fastest ever deals. Lori's known as the queen of qvc, the shopping TV channel. She's created more than a thousand products and holds more than 100 patents.

[Shira Bennett]

Lori really jumped on Nightcap very fast. And I think what she saw was she knew that drink spiking is a huge problem. And she even said herself, I've never seen something come to Shark Tank that's resonated to me so deeply. We came in there and we were solving a real problem that not a lot of people talk about. And Lori, with all of her experience, I think she just saw the mission and passion behind the brand and also hopefully resonated with us as founders, as young entrepreneurs that were really driven.

[Sam Fenwick]

So do you think she just absolutely loved the idea and the product?

[Shira Bennett]

Yeah, I really, truly do think she just loved the product and the mission behind it. And everyone in the tank was basically saying, this is a Lori product, like you, you've gotta take this deal. So we wanted her in the Beginning. And when she jumped on it, we pretty much knew that this is gonna be our partner.

[Sam Fenwick]

You did give away, though, a quarter of your business?

[Shira Bennett]

We did.

[Sam Fenwick]

How did that feel?

[Shira Bennett]

Well, it felt great. I mean, she was someone that we felt like we just truly aligned with. We did go in asking for 20%, and she wanted 25 because she said she wanted to be a partner right in there with us. And for us, it was awesome, because to have someone like Lori on board, you got mentorship that we never, you know, had access to. So I think right then. And there was a time where we just thought this could really be something that takes off or it helps people. You know, we had $68,000 in sales on the show, and 40,000 of those are from a TikTok. So, you know, we were kind of thinking, I don't know, is this just luck? Are people really going to buy this? And when we were there and we got that deal, it really helped us as founders be like, okay, like, we're working towards something that actually has a purpose behind it.

[Sam Fenwick]

So you mentioned there that up to now, most of the sales had come through TikTok. So what did this initial additional 60,000 do? How did it change where your business was going?

[Shira Bennett]

Yeah, we ended up taking that $60,000 and buying just all inventory. We used it all just to buy product. You know, we ended up doing about almost $200,000 in the next, like, 48 hours, which was crazy. And I think, you know, when that happened, we were just like, okay, we need to.

[Sam Fenwick]

You need stock.

[Shira Bennett]

We needed stock. So luckily, we had, you know, Lori's money to go and buy that stock, because otherwise we wouldn't have had any. Any money to really buy stock.

[Sam Fenwick]

And this wasn't Shira's first taste of fundraising. A year earlier, age 16, she'd already raised $12,000 from colleges and through crowdfunding long before she walked onto Shark Tank. So how did this all begin?

[Shira Bennett]

I had a friend, a college friend, who had her drink spiked at the bar. I had heard about it. You know, I heard things like drink spiking this, drink spiking that, but no one would really talk about drink spiking. And drink spiking has always been something that people hear about and think, oh, that person was just drunk, always had been shut down and belittled to people that had had their drinks spiked. And when this happened to my friend, I thought, oh, my God, I've heard about this before. But it's never. It's never come close to anyone that I Know, or at least that I'm aware of. And, you know, hearing what happened was really scary. And I thought. I think the issue with drink spiking a lot of times is not reported. So typically, most victims don't go to the hospital. So my friend didn't go to the hospital, but she was unconscious when it happened to her, and she found out what exactly was in her system because the drugs leave your body within less than 72 hours. So I guess in that moment, I felt, like, hopeless and like I wanted to do something about it.

[Sam Fenwick]

How did it change the way that you felt about going out with your friends or even on your own on a date or something like that?

[Shira Bennett]

Yeah, I mean, it just made me feel like I need to be more aware of my surroundings, and it could happen to anyone. And until that moment, I didn't realize that because it was just a term that was thrown around. And until it happens to someone that, you know, you're not as vigilant when, you know, you just want to go out. You have a. We want to have a good time. And when you're told that, you know, your friend had this experience, you know, she was just trying to go out and have some fun, and it's a shocking feeling to. And a hopeless feeling. Sometimes you're not even there to help someone, and that is really hard to not be in someone's presence or to not even know what happened. You just feel like you were taken advantage of. I mean, she was, of course, but I think the people around you also feel like you just can't do anything about it. So for me, I was so. I was young, but I also, like. I always wanted to do something for people. I always liked helping people, and I always liked. I always wanted to make a difference. And honestly, this all kind of felt like. Came to me.

[Sam Fenwick]

Was your friend okay? You said she slept it off.

[Shira Bennett]

You know, you can say someone is okay, but at the end of the day, people live with these experiences. So, yes, she was okay, quote, unquote. But you still live with that. Not only that night, but the rest of your life. You have to live with not knowing what happened to you.

[Sam Fenwick]

After this incident with your friend and your social group, you came up with an idea to help. How did you come up with that idea and tell us what it was?

[Shira Bennett]

So I invented a scrunchie that also doubles as a drink cover. When I was sleeping. A few weeks later, I went to bed one night, and I thought of the idea in a dream. And when I woke up, I ran around my house and grabbed my mom's stockings and a scrunchie from my room, and I created this little nightcap here. So it's literally a scrunchie that you can wear on your wrist or in your hair. I wear it in my hair all the time. It's washable and reusable, and I just wear it like this. And you just never know when you're going to want to go out for a little drink. Even if it's water, you never know. And then you just pull this cover out here, and there it is. And there it is. And it goes right on top of your drink. And there's a straw hole, so you can just pop your straw in and drink with peace of mind. And we've actually had people say that they have found pills and powders on top of their nightcap, which we never expected to ever happen because we thought, okay, this is a deterrent. No one's going to want to spike your drink. But actually, sometimes people cannot see that there is a nightcap in a really dark setting.

[Sam Fenwick]

So they can't see that there's a cover over the top of the glass. And they will try and put something in the glass, not realizing that it will not get into the liquid.

[Shira Bennett]

Yes. So we've had multiple people say that they were in a dark club and they walked into the light and they realized that there was pills and powders on top of their drink. So to us, that means that we've saved someone's life. Right. Like, we never thought that someone would still try. I mean, that itself alone is, like, worth every single thing that we've ever done. Because to know that people are still actively doing this out there, we are literally, like, going up against these people. So it is. It is a wild, you know, world that we live in. And I think that nightcap allows you to go out and have a good time and have peace of mind and give them out to all your loved ones and know that everyone you love around you is also going to be safe.

[Sam Fenwick]

The actual invention and how then the business got started was a real family affair, wasn't it? Because you mentioned your mum's tights. So they were used to make that kind of initial prototype. Your dad got involved with the name and then your brother also got involved trying to raise investment.

[Shira Bennett]

Yeah, you could call it a family affair. My mom's tights. And then, yeah, when I came downstairs that morning with this little crazy prototype in my hand, I sat down with my dad and I said, look at this. I Think I have something here. And he said, well, that's actually a good idea. And he's like, this is either nightcap or top hat. And I was like, well, nightcap it was. Nightcap it is. We definitely have a winner here. So it was a really fun experience in the beginning to be able to take these little baby steps and have so much fun with, like, creating a name. And then, you know, my dad was a super friendly guy throughout his career, so he was able to like call a local seamstress and call a local graphic designer. And we would just do little things to like, start getting a logo made and start filing for a patent. And we didn't really know what we were doing at the time. We were just like, this needs to save someone's life, so let's just start doing this. Did you do. I was about to go to college.

[Sam Fenwick]

Did you do those things before you actually started manufacturing them? Even if it was just in the garage, you got the patent very quickly, very soon on. Sounds like it, yeah.

[Shira Bennett]

The first thing I ever did was go and file a patent. And that's because I had a friend whose mom started a fashion brand and I, like, one day went knocking on her door and I was like, what do I do with this? Like, I think I have this really good idea. But, like, my parents aren't entrepreneurs, you know, I have no clue where to start. And she was like, you need to go and patent this. Number one. So that's exactly what I did.

[Sam Fenwick]

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[Sam Fenwick]

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[Sam Fenwick]

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[Shira Bennett]

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[Sam Fenwick]

I'm Sam Fenwick. And today we're hearing from Shira Bennett, a company founder who after a friend's drink was spiked, invented a product that fastens over the top of a glass and designed to help protect people on nights out. So the orders started pouring in. And with that initial $12,000, Shearer's brother helped raise an additional 18,000 from friends and family, and that was enough to start manufacturing. From there, Nightcap began landing big orders from colleges, universities and other public venues. There's no single global figure for drink spiking, largely because it's hugely underreported and countries measure it differently. But there are some surveys that give us a sense of the scale of the crime. A multi country nightlife survey by Global Drug Survey found that around 2% of respondents said that they'd had their drinks spiked in the past year, with about one in five saying that it had happened to them at some point in their lives. It is worth noting that that survey does skew younger and towards people who go out at night. There is no national survey in the United States, but college studies suggest higher rates among young adults, with research across several universities finding around 8% of students reported being drugged in a single academic year.

[Shira Bennett]

When we started NICAP, we also took a survey. We surveyed 100 women, 18 to 25, and 76% of them said they were worried about it happening to them. And then 25% of them said that it had happened to them. So the, the other statistics that I see are like on alcohol.org saying that it's. I think it's like 56% of women had their drinks spiked and 44% of men. So the statistics that I hear in like my, in my daily life, the stories that I hear, everyone is affected by it. We hear stories all the time. And those stories are just fuel for what we're building because we're going up against a side of the world that is doing it, if that makes sense. Like we have to normalize safety in establishments that don't necessarily acknowledge.

[Sam Fenwick]

But there are critics that say products like the ones that you make are actually putting responsibility on victims, not on perpetrators.

[Shira Bennett]

I think that alcohol brands and bars and clubs are extremely worried right now about Gen Z. Gen Z doesn't want to drink, they don't want to go out, they don't want to be social. I am also Gen Z and I think there is the safety aspect that they are forgetting to address because Gen Z wants to go out. We want to feel connected to people. We can't stay inside forever. We are desperate for connection. But when we go into these environments and we have these experiences and then there's nobody that's taking responsibility for it, why would we go to establishments that don't think about the customer in that way? I think the thing for us at Nightcap is we are giving people tools to go out and protect themselves. And we can't do anything about people that are, you know, perpetrators. We can spread as much awareness as possible and make you aware that this is happening. And that's what we do. We talk about angel shots, we talk about the red zone, we give so many safety tips and we're innovating to the point of now we have everything. No matter who you are, what you're drinking, we have something to cover your drink, no matter what circumstance.

[Sam Fenwick]

You've gone beyond selling these products, haven't you? And you've actually helped push through new rules in California which now require bars to provide drink spiking prevention tools. And you've partnered with organizations to supply some of those products for free. I'm assuming that changing the law, the state law in California is a pretty big deal for you as an individual, but also as a business. But how do you balance that kind of activism with actually running a business?

[Shira Bennett]

Actually, California came to us. California just reached out to us and said, why is this happening? How can we help? And we said, this is how we see it working. And you know, originally their idea was to provide test kits and drink covers and all we did was pretty much help advocate for that. And, you know, now it's modeled. Was also passed in Tempe, Arizona, which is exciting and it has potential to be picked up in New York now. And, you know, I think as we have time for. Doesn't take a lot of time out of your day to, you know, pop on a phone call and share your experience. And I think, you know, a lot of people now are offering their stories. We're taking a step back and we let those people speak for themselves.

[Sam Fenwick]

Why should I spend, what, 10 pounds in the UK or $12 in the US for one of your scrunchies when I could just maybe put a beer mat or a coaster on top of my drink?

[Shira Bennett]

Well, it'll fall right off. The coaster's not as effective. The napkin is not effective either. And going like this with your hand is just not a so or even

[Sam Fenwick]

carrying my drink around with me.

[Shira Bennett]

Well, you should always carry your drink with you. So nightcap is not a replacement for drink supervision.

[Sam Fenwick]

After getting investment from Lori Greiner on shark tank in 2021, things really started to move. In the year after the show, sales jumped to more than $2 million. Since then, Nightcap has brought in over $3 million in total, with annual revenues settling at around the $2 million mark. The company's valuation climbed too, helped along by $100,000 investment from the singer songwriter Julia Michaels. So how does Shira expect Nightcap to grow in the coming years?

[Shira Bennett]

We want to scale the business. We want every single person in the world to have a nightcap. We want every single person to go out feeling protected and empowered at the bar, party, restaurant, wherever you go. And we have new products coming out that you know will normalize protection at bars and festivals and also entering like the sports category, but also for different kinds of beverages. So we have a lot of new products coming out that we're excited about. And to your point earlier, also some molecular testing that we're excited to do to start launching because we need data and we need to figure out how big this problem really is because it is a huge one.

[Sam Fenwick]

As you sit here today and you look back at your younger self at 16, when you had the idea, how do you feel?

[Shira Bennett]

I feel great. I think we, I acted on something that really needed to be addressed at that time and now it's a conversation and we've seen thousands and thousands of people come out with different stories to share that you're not alone. And this conversation has taken years to start and I think we definitely helped lead it and it's helped heal a lot of people and it's helped protect and empower a lot of people. So very, very proud of my 16 year old self that thought this dream would save lives because it definitely has.

[Sam Fenwick]

Do you look forward to a day when maybe the products that you're manufacturing aren't needed because people do feel so safe?

[Shira Bennett]

I would love to see that day. You know, with what goes on in the world right now, I don't know where we're at there, but I would love to see that day.

[Sam Fenwick]

Yes, that was Shira Benard talking to me, Sam Fenneck. That's all for this edition of Meet the Founders. The producer was Ahmed Adan. For more conversations like this, search and subscribe to Business Daily wherever you get your podcasts and you can get in touch with the team. Our email address is business dailybc.co.uk.

[Shira Bennett]

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[Sam Fenwick]

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