Hidrent Shark Tank Update and the Company's New Name, Helpful Heroes

Hidrent went on Shark Tank in November 2021 with an app that books off-duty firefighters for chores around the house, and it left with a handshake deal. The company still runs today, but under a different name, and the deal from the episode is not the money that funded it afterward. This Hidrent Shark Tank update keeps those threads apart, the pitch as it aired, what happened to the deal, and what the company says about itself now.

Key Takeaways

• Hidrent was in season 13, episode 6 of Shark Tank, aired November 12, 2021, and the episode list records a deal.
• A fan site reports the on-air deal was with Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec, and that it appears not to have closed.
• The company's own site now says "Hidrent is now Helpful Heroes."
• Helpful Heroes still books firefighters and EMTs for home projects, through an app and a call-in line.
• The rename date and the company's funding after the show are not confirmed by a filing or a company statement read here.

Hidrent Shark Tank Update, the Short Answer

The business is alive and the name has changed. Hidrent's website now opens on Helpful Heroes, with the line "While our name has changed, our mission hasn't." The service is the same idea that went on the show, a way to "hire a firefighter or EMT for your next home project."

The deal is the harder part. The episode aired with a deal, and a fan site that follows every pitch reports the deal appears not to have closed. No statement from the company or the investors confirming either outcome was found for this update, so the article keeps the two claims apart and labels each one.

What Hidrent Pitched on Shark Tank

Hidrent was one of four businesses in season 13, episode 6, which first aired on ABC on November 12, 2021. The episode list names the panel as Mark, Kevin, Lori and Robert, the show's regular sharks, with Nextdoor co-founder Nirav Tolia as the guest shark. Wikipedia's episode list describes Hidrent as an "online platform that matches off-duty firefighters with local community members who need home projects completed" and marks the pitch with a deal.

Shark Tank Blog, a fan site that writes up every pitch, names the founder as Dave Heimbuch and reports that he asked for $300,000 for 8 percent of the company. By that site's account, Heimbuch is not a firefighter. He married into a family of firefighters, and the idea came from his brother-in-law, who said "I can do that. So can a lot of the guys at the station." The same recap reports lifetime sales of $850,000 at the time of taping. Those figures are the fan site's, taken from the episode, and they were not checked against a filing.

The Deal on the Show and After

On the air, the deal and the money are two different things, and this update treats them that way.

As aired, Shark Tank Blog reports, Robert Herjavec offered $300,000 for 20 percent, Lori Greiner asked to join him at $300,000 for 35 percent, and Heimbuch accepted a counteroffer from the two of them at $300,000 for 33.3 percent. Wikipedia's episode list agrees that the pitch ended in a deal, without the terms.

After the show, the same fan site says that "it appears the deal with Lori and Robert did not close" and that the company raised money from other investors instead, including an equity crowdfunding round. Neither investor's statement and no company announcement on the deal were found. A reader who needs the outcome for a business decision should treat it as reported and unconfirmed, and look for the crowdfunding filing, which is public.

From Hidrent to Helpful Heroes

The rename is stated plainly on the company's own home page, "Hidrent is now Helpful Heroes." The page goes on, "While our name has changed, our mission hasn't. We remain dedicated to helping firefighters, EMTs, and other community heroes connect with you for your next home project."

The page does not give a date for the change or a reason beyond that mission line. The company's menu now lists a Franchising page, which suggests the business has moved beyond running every city itself, but that page did not load when this update was checked, so the article makes no claim about franchises.

How the Service Works Today

Helpful Heroes describes three steps on its home page. A customer tells the company about the project and when it should start, the company will "notify firefighters or EMTs in your area about your request," and the customer connects with one "to schedule the job and get it done right."

The listed services are light fixtures, general handyman work, furniture moving, holiday lights, smoke detectors, hanging, hauling, furniture assembly, TV wall mounts and gutter cleaning. The company also offers a call-in line, 1-866-243-7648, for customers who would rather speak to a person, and it pitches that line as "Ideal for seniors preferring live communication." It promises "Upfront pricing, pay when work is completed."

The case the company makes for its workers is about schedules. Its about page says "Most firefighters and EMTs work 24 hours on duty, followed by 48 hours off duty," and that the work will "supplement their income." It also says its firefighters and EMTs "undergo a rigorous background check," which is the company's own claim about its screening. For workers, the company runs a separate Helpful Heroes Pro app and says there are "no bid fees."

Local news has covered the service city by city. A WZZM13 report from November 2, 2022 covered the service's launch in Grand Rapids, by its headline, and earlier stories from FOX19 in Cincinnati and KSLA covered it too. Only those headlines were read for this update, so it does not list the cities the company serves.

Who Runs It Now

The founder on the show was Dave Heimbuch, by the fan site's account. The company's about page, as read for this update, does not name its founder, owner or chief executive, so this update does not say who runs Helpful Heroes today.

Read the Record on Helpful Heroes

Hidrent is now Helpful Heroes, by its own site, and it still sends off-duty firefighters and EMTs to fix lights, move furniture and clean gutters. The Shark Tank deal is the part of the story with the thinnest record, a deal on the air, a fan site's report that it did not close, and no statement from the people involved. This update was checked on November 4, 2026, against the company's own pages, Wikipedia's episode list and one fan site's recap, each named where it is used.

FAQs about Hidrent

What episode of Shark Tank was Hidrent on?

Season 13, episode 6, which first aired on ABC on November 12, 2021.

Did Hidrent get a deal on Shark Tank?

The episode list records a deal. A fan site reports it was with Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec for $300,000 and 33.3 percent, and that it appears not to have closed.

Is Hidrent still in business?

Yes, under a new name. The company's site says "Hidrent is now Helpful Heroes."

What does Helpful Heroes do?

It connects homeowners with off-duty firefighters and EMTs for home projects such as handyman work, furniture moving, holiday lights and gutter cleaning.

Who founded Hidrent?

The fan site Shark Tank Blog names the founder as Dave Heimbuch. The company's current about page does not name him.

How do you book Helpful Heroes?

Through its app or its call-in line, 1-866-243-7648, which the company says is meant for people who prefer to talk to a person.

Are Helpful Heroes workers background checked?

The company says its firefighters and EMTs "undergo a rigorous background check." That is its own claim.

Why did Hidrent change its name?

The company's home page announces the new name without giving a reason or a date.