‘Shark Tank’ Announces Cast as Mark Cuban Prepares to Depart

This season, Shark Tank introduces a new shark.

Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky will officially join the roster of regular sharks on the 16th season of the ABC reality series, the network announced on Sept. 18.

Lubetzky, a frequent guest on the business competition show, will take a permanent seat alongside seasoned sharks and entrepreneurs Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John and Kevin O’Leary when the 16th season premieres on October 18.

Daniel Lubetzky, founder of Kind Snacks, joins “Shark Tank” for Season 16 as a full-time shark.

“As a Shark guest for the past five seasons, Daniel has earned his place on Sharks,” executive producer Clay Newbill said in a statement. “A self-taught founder of a multi-billion dollar company, he has all the attributes we look for in a Shark and a genuine desire to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Daniel is a welcome addition to our panel and we look forward to working with him for many more seasons.”

Entrepreneurs set to appear as guest sharks in Season 16 include Todd Graves, owner and founder of Raising Cane’s; Jamie Kern Lima, co-founder of IT Cosmetics; Rashaun Williams, venture capitalist and partner of the Atlanta Falcons; and returning guest shark Kendra Scott, philanthropist and founder of the Kendra Scott lifestyle brand.

News of Lubetzky’s promotion comes on the heels of Cuban’s announcement last year that the 16th season of “Shark Tank” would be his last.

The business mogul and co-owner of the Dallas Mavericks shared the news during an appearance on the Showtime podcast in November 2023. “All that smoke.”

Mark Cuban has previously announced that the upcoming 16th season of Shark Tank will be his last.

Cuban first appeared on the show as a guest investor in Season 2. He was promoted to full-time shark in Season 3 and has remained on the panel ever since.

Cuban told “All the Smoke” hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson that he likes “Shark Tank” because “it sends the message that the American dream is alive and well.”

“I feel like I’m doing Shark Tank” over the years we have trained… multiple generations of entrepreneurs who could come from Iowa, Sacramento or wherever and appear on the Shark Tank carpet and show your business and make a deal, it will inspire generations of kids,” he said.

“Shark Tank” Season 16 premieres October 18 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and the following day on Hulu.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com