Aaron Hirschhorn, an entrepreneur, venture capitalist and angel investor, died Sunday in a boating accident near Miami Beach. He was 42.
Hirschhorn had years of experience in venture capital before he launched the dog sitting business DogVacay with his wife Karine Nissim. The couple watched dogs for a year in their home before launching the company, Hirschhorn shared in a 2019 presentation sponsored by Refresh Miami. DogVacay went on to raise $47 million and was ultimately acquired by its main competitor, Rover, to become a $1 billion company.
The Philadelphia native’s most recent venture made it big on ABC’ “Shark Tank” in 2019. Hirschhorn appeared on the popular show to raise funds for his company Gallant, a pet health startup that uses stem cell research to develop regenerative therapies for dogs. He walked away with a half-million dollar investment from Shark Tank investors Lori Greiner and Anne Wojcicki, cofounder and CEO of 23andMe.
Hirschhorn and his wife moved their family from Los Angeles to Miami Beach about three years ago, according to Refresh Miami. Nissim, who is also an entrepreneur, is from Miami. Hirschhorn got involved in the local angel community, Miami Angels.
On Sunday, after her husband failed to return from an excursion on his hoverboard, Nissim posted the following on Instagram: “Friends in Miami Beach, who are outon the bay by boat please dm me ASAP.”
Also Sunday, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was notified by the United States Coast Guard of a boating accident involving a 38-foot Chris-Craft motorboat and a personal watercraft that collided in the Meloy Channel near 56th Street at 1 p.m. Hirschhorn was operating the watercraft and was pronounced dead at the scene. Florida Fish and Wildlife is investigating the accident.
Monday, his wife posted on Instagram, “My beloved husband of ten years died yesterday in an accident. We are broken and will never be the same.”
Hirschhorn is survived by his wife and their three young children: a daughter in kindergarten, a son in first grade and a son in second grade.
