"Shark Tank" Pioneer Kevin Harrington Backs Hotel & Golf Ad-Tech Firm

DENVER, CO – May 05, 2026 – Edison Interactive, a technology firm specializing in connected screen systems for the hospitality industry, today announced a significant strategic move, securing an investment from Kevin Harrington, the renowned entrepreneur widely credited as the inventor of the infomercial. Harrington will also join the company's board of directors, lending his four decades of direct-response marketing expertise to the rapidly scaling enterprise.

Harrington, an original panelist on ABC's hit series Shark Tank and the creative force behind the “As Seen On TV” brand, has built a career on identifying and capitalizing on nascent consumer channels. His decision to personally invest in the Denver-based company signals a powerful vote of confidence in Edison Interactive's mission to transform screens in hotel rooms and on golf courses into a sophisticated, programmatic advertising network.

The partnership arrives at a critical juncture for Edison Interactive. The company is in the midst of a national expansion of its hotel Connected TV (CTV) and golf Digital-Out-of-Home (DOOH) platforms and is actively executing a capital raise to fuel hardware deployment and sales growth. Harrington's involvement is expected to not only inject capital but also provide invaluable strategic guidance and open doors within the media and brand communities.

The 'Shark' Enters a New Tank: Niche Advertising

Kevin Harrington’s career is a masterclass in performance marketing. Long before digital metrics like click-through rates and conversions became the industry standard, he pioneered a model of television advertising that was directly accountable for sales. By creating the infomercial, he transformed a passive medium into a powerful direct-response tool, launching over 500 products and generating more than $6 billion in global sales. This history makes his bet on Edison Interactive a compelling narrative about the evolution of advertising itself.

Harrington sees a parallel between the early days of direct-response television and the opportunity Edison Interactive is now seizing in hospitality environments.

“I’ve spent my career identifying distribution channels before the rest of the market catches up, and Edison Interactive is sitting on exactly that kind of opportunity right now,” Harrington stated. “Hotel in-room screens and golf cart media reach a verified, captive, premium audience that brands have always wanted to access. The infrastructure to monetize that audience at scale, programmatically, measurably, and efficiently, is being built right now by this team.”

His endorsement goes beyond a simple advisory role. “I don’t just join boards and lend my name. I invest where I believe in the outcome,” Harrington added, emphasizing his financial commitment. “When I look at what the Edison team has assembled in terms of technology, partnerships, and market position, I see a platform that is about to break into the mainstream in a very significant way.”

Beyond the Lobby: Monetizing the Guest Experience

Edison Interactive operates at the intersection of hospitality and media technology, converting traditionally static assets into dynamic, revenue-generating platforms. The company’s cloud-based system powers connected screens, turning in-room televisions and on-course golf cart displays into centrally managed, intelligent endpoints. This allows venue operators to deliver a premium guest experience while opening up a new, lucrative revenue stream from advertising.

This model taps into two of the fastest-growing sectors in digital advertising: Connected TV (CTV) and Digital-Out-of-Home (DOOH). The U.S. CTV advertising market is already a multi-billion dollar industry, and advertisers are constantly seeking new, high-quality inventory. Edison provides this by offering programmatic access to screens within hotel rooms, reaching verified audiences of business travelers, tourists, and convention attendees in a high-dwell, brand-safe environment.

Simultaneously, its golf platform targets one of the most sought-after demographics in advertising: affluent consumers. With golfers spending hours on the course, the digital screens on carts offer a unique DOOH opportunity for sustained engagement. While competitors like Sonifi Solutions and Enseo have long offered in-room entertainment systems, Edison’s focus on building a programmatic advertising infrastructure that seamlessly integrates with existing media buying workflows is a key differentiator. The company's technology stack, which includes its ArgusX autonomous monitoring system and QR code casting, is designed to make these niche screens perform like any other premium digital channel.

A Strategic Play at a Pivotal Moment

The timing of Harrington's investment is no coincidence. As Edison Interactive pushes to scale its network nationwide, it faces the dual challenge of deploying hardware and convincing media buyers to allocate budgets to a new channel. Harrington’s involvement directly addresses both. His capital contributes to the ongoing funding round, while his reputation provides immense credibility in pitches to brands and advertising agencies.

Nick Stanitz-Harper, Co-Founder and CEO of Edison Interactive, described the partnership as a landmark event for the company.

“Having Kevin Harrington invest in Edison Interactive and join our board is a defining moment for this company,” said Stanitz-Harper. “Kevin literally invented the concept of using television as a performance media channel. He understood before anyone else that a screen in the right context, in front of the right audience, could do something far more valuable than passive entertainment; it could drive action. That’s exactly what Edison is building in hospitality.”

The CEO highlighted the alignment between Harrington’s past successes and Edison’s future vision. “We have premium, verified audiences in high-dwell environments, and we have the programmatic infrastructure to make that inventory work like any other top-tier CTV channel. Kevin has seen this movie before, and he knows how it ends. The fact that he chose to invest his own capital alongside joining our board tells you everything you need to know about where Edison Interactive is headed.”

The Future of Connected Spaces

This partnership is more than just a celebrity endorsement; it represents a strategic convergence of media expertise and technological innovation. It underscores a broader industry trend toward finding and monetizing audiences in previously untapped environments. As consumers become more adept at avoiding traditional advertising, brands are flocking to contextual opportunities that feel integrated into an experience rather than disruptive.

For hotel and golf course operators, this model offers a compelling value proposition. It transforms what has historically been a fixed cost center—the television in the room or the screen on the cart—into a revenue-aligned asset. By participating in the advertising revenue generated on their own properties, operators can enhance profitability while simultaneously modernizing the guest experience with interactive content and services.

For the advertising industry, platforms like Edison’s open a new frontier. They provide measurable, programmatic access to premium demographics that are otherwise difficult to reach at scale. With Harrington's direct-response philosophy now embedded in its boardroom, Edison Interactive is poised to not just sell impressions, but to champion a new era of performance-based advertising within the world of hospitality.