Which Shark Tank investor co-founded the software company SoftKey?

Kevin O’Leary co-founded the software company SoftKey before becoming a Shark Tank investor. SoftKey began in Toronto in 1986 and grew by developing and acquiring educational and productivity software.

The company became especially notable for its aggressive acquisition strategy. In 1999, Mattel acquired The Learning Company, which SoftKey had purchased, in a major deal that later attracted substantial criticism because of the acquired company’s financial performance.

O’Leary’s technology-business background is why he is often associated with software entrepreneurship rather than only television investing. On Shark Tank, he is better known by the nickname “Mr. Wonderful,” a name reflecting his blunt negotiating style. SoftKey is sometimes confused with The Learning Company, but they were separate corporate identities connected through acquisition.