Most products that appear on Shark Tank get a brief moment of attention and then quietly fade out. Cerebral Success followed that path — but the story of how it launched, rebranded, and eventually closed is worth understanding if you followed the pitch or are searching for the product today.
This article covers what Cerebral Success actually was, how the Shark Tank pitch went, what SmartX had to do with it, whether the business is still running, and what founder Trevor Hiltbrand moved on to after the show.
What Cerebral Success Was and Who Started It
Trevor Hiltbrand founded Cerebral Success as a brain supplement aimed primarily at students. The core idea was simple: help people focus better and maintain mental energy during demanding study sessions or workdays.
Hiltbrand reportedly drew from his own experience. He struggled to concentrate while in school and built the product concept around that problem. That kind of founder-origin story is common in the supplement space — someone identifies a personal pain point and turns it into a product.
To be clear about what Cerebral Success actually was: it was a dietary supplement, not a pharmaceutical. Think of it as a student productivity aid — similar in category to other nootropic-style products that were gaining popularity around that time. It was not a prescription drug, and it was not regulated or approved the same way medications are.
The Shark Tank Pitch
Hiltbrand pitched Cerebral Success on Season 5 of Shark Tank, in episode 522. The pitch followed a structure most viewers recognize: a founder with a personal story, a product he believed in, and a request for investment capital to grow the business.
The Sharks were not overwhelmingly sold on the concept. The pitch did generate attention — partly because brain supplements were a newer category at the time — but the reception from the investors reflected real skepticism about the product’s proof points and market positioning.
It is worth being direct here: a Shark Tank appearance does not validate a product. It brings visibility, and sometimes capital, but it does not confirm that the product works or that the business will survive. Cerebral Success is a good example of that. The TV moment did not translate into lasting commercial success.
Cerebral Success Became SmartX — Here Is What Changed
After the show, the brand went through a significant change. The product was relaunched under the name SmartX. If you searched for “SmartX” and ended up here wondering if it is related to Cerebral Success — yes, it is the same company.
SmartX was positioned around mental energy and focus, and it included an ingredient called Cognizin, a branded form of citicoline that has been used in other cognitive supplement products. The rebranding appeared to be a push toward a broader consumer market, moving beyond just college students.
Coverage from that period cited a small internal study to support SmartX’s claims. According to those reports, the study involved 10 subjects over seven days and produced the following self-reported or measured results:
- 26% higher processing speed
- 14% improvement in memory recall
- 55% increase in focus
Those numbers sound impressive on paper. But it is important to say clearly: a study with 10 participants run over seven days is not a clinical trial. It is a very small internal test. The figures may reflect real results for those individuals, but they cannot be used as proof that the product reliably works across a general population. This kind of small-sample data is common in the supplement industry, and it should always be read with that context in mind.
The rebranding to SmartX seemed like a reasonable strategic move — new name, cleaner positioning, a branded ingredient to add credibility. But it did not save the business long term.
Is Cerebral Success Still in Business?
No. Cerebral Success and SmartX are no longer operating. You cannot buy the product online or in stores. The business has closed.
Different sources give different closure dates, and it is worth acknowledging that conflict openly. Some sources point to 2015 as the year the company effectively ended. Others suggest the brand continued in some form for longer, with at least one source noting the product was no longer available after 2024. Because the dates conflict and there is no single clear primary source confirming an exact shutdown, the most accurate thing to say is: the business eventually closed, and it is not active now.
If you are looking to buy SmartX today, you will not find an active storefront. The product is gone. Anyone still selling it would be working through old inventory, and there is no indication the brand is being relaunched.
This outcome is not unusual for supplement brands that get Shark Tank exposure. The show can drive a short-term spike in traffic and sales. But building a sustainable supplement business takes more than a TV appearance — it requires consistent distribution, strong margins, regulatory compliance, ongoing marketing, and customer retention. Not every founder has the infrastructure or resources to manage all of that after early momentum fades.
What Trevor Hiltbrand Did After the Show
Hiltbrand did not stay tied to the supplement industry after Cerebral Success wound down. Based on available coverage, he moved on to a different business entirely and became the CEO of Project Solar, a solar energy company.
That kind of pivot is more common than people expect. Founders who build their first company around a consumer product — especially in a crowded category like supplements — often take what they learned and apply it to a different industry. The skills involved in pitching, building a brand, and managing early-stage growth carry over even when the product does not.
It would not be accurate to say Hiltbrand’s career is defined by Cerebral Success at this point. Project Solar represents a completely different market, and that is where his focus appears to be now.
What This Story Actually Tells You
The Cerebral Success arc is a useful case study for anyone building a consumer product business. A few things stand out:
TV exposure is not a business model. Getting on Shark Tank creates a window of opportunity. It does not automatically create a viable long-term company. Many brands that appeared on the show — with or without a deal — eventually shut down.
Rebranding can signal strategy or desperation. The move from Cerebral Success to SmartX looked like a legitimate attempt to reposition for a bigger market. Whether the timing, resources, or execution were right is hard to say from the outside. But the rebrand alone was not enough to sustain the business.
Small studies are not proof of effectiveness. The supplement industry relies heavily on limited internal testing to make marketing claims. A 10-person study over seven days tells you very little about whether a product consistently works. Entrepreneurs and consumers both benefit from reading those figures carefully rather than taking them at face value.
If you follow Shark Tank updates regularly or track what happens to consumer brands after their pitch, Daily Business Zone covers this kind of business story with straightforward analysis, no hype.
Final Summary
Cerebral Success was a student-focused brain supplement founded by Trevor Hiltbrand and pitched on Season 5 of Shark Tank. The product later rebranded as SmartX, added a branded ingredient, and targeted a wider consumer audience. The business is now closed. You cannot buy SmartX or Cerebral Success anywhere today.
Hiltbrand has moved on and is currently associated with Project Solar, a solar energy company. The Cerebral Success story is not a dramatic failure — it is a fairly typical example of what happens when a consumer supplement brand gets early attention, goes through a repositioning, and ultimately does not find the traction it needs to last.
For anyone who was a customer or followed the brand, the short answer is: the product is gone, and the founder has moved on to something new.
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