Shirah and Michael Benarde

Shirah Benarde is the innovative founder and CEO of NightCap, a company dedicated to preventing drink spiking through creative solutions. Her journey began in 2019 at the age of 16, when a friend's experience with drink spiking inspired her to develop a preventive measure. This led to the creation of the NightCap Scrunchie, a hair accessory that doubles as a drink cover, effectively deterring the introduction of unwanted substances into beverages.

Collaborating with her brother, Michael, who is president of the company, Shirah transformed her initial concept into a viable product. An appearance on "Shark Tank" in 2021 led to investment from Lori Greiner, enabling the Benardes to further amplify their mission to combat drink spiking. NightCap has since sold over 500,000 units in more than 40 countries; amassed a 600K social media following; and won TIME Magazine's Best Inventions award. The scrunchies have been sold in bulk to nearly 150 colleges, the U.S. military and liquor brands like Bacardí, Patron and Grey Goose. The Benardes have also partnered with Bumble to distribute them to college students.

NightCap has expanded its product line to include various drink protection tools, such as StopTops and bottle caps, catering to diverse consumer needs. The company's commitment to safety and innovation has garnered widespread recognition, including the Benardes being named on Forbes' 2024 Under 30 Retail & Ecommerce list.