New invention can repair cell phones damaged by water

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- If your phone has suffered an untimely demise due to an encounter with water, there could be hope.

Two engineers came up with an invention to repair damaged phones - a machine they say can bring your device back to life.

From the toilet to the tap, millions of phones are damaged every year by water.

"I accidentally spilled water on it," said Denver resident, Liz Diloreto.

Diloreto's phone almost became a statistic.

Her lifeline to the world was saved by a new machine. It's an invention created by two men in Colorado, who have helped save a few phones that took a dip.

Engineers and University of Denver Business School grads, Craig Beinecke and Adam cookson are the brains behind Tekdry.

"Our early business was mostly friends and family," said Beinecke.

Their machine can save a phone in just about an hour.

The inspiration? A classmate who dropped her phone in the toilet.

Right now their machines are being leased to dozens of Staples stores across the country, including several stores locally.

In a bid to expand, they pitched it to the investors on ABC's "Shark Tank."

"It was an incredible rush of emotion. It was confusing at times, it was exciting all of the time," said Cookson.

"I feel like there's nothing I've done in my life so far where I've learned so much as I have the last two years. And 'Shark Tank' was no different," said Beinecke.

They say the process has a 75 percent success rate.

To find out how the guys did on the show, you can catch them on "Shark Tank" on Friday Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. on 6abc.