Episode 43- Howard & Steven Silverstein
For Long Island, New York-based entrepreneurial brothers Howard and Steven Silverstein, a fueling issue during a day on the water led to an a-ha moment that inspired an invention: the CLiX. Designed to prevent fuel spills, wasted gas and messy cleanups, the CLiX is a one-click spill prevention system for gasoline and diesel boats – a $39.95 funnel-shaped secure attachment that keeps every drop of fuel in the boat tank. With its custom-blended, biodegradable rubberized material and patent-pending technology, the CLiX is safe for users and the environment, helping boaters fuel up without the fuel ever overflowing onto the vessel or into the water.“I remember when my brother, Steven, asked me to come out on his boat for a day on the water. We had never been to the boat and were very excited about it. When we got there, it turned out that Steven had not been able to fuel it up that day as he normally would for company,” Howard said about the March 2024 outing at the Huntington Yacht Club in New York. “So, there I was, standing with him on the fuel dock while he fueled his boat up. He was calling out to his wife about the fuel level, and she was calling back. It was obvious that this was not like filling a car. It was stressful. I did not know that filling a boat was this difficult.” Steven explained the fueling dilemma to Howard, who examined the problem and instantly came up with a solution. “I sketched it out, and the unit you see now looks almost exactly like what I drew that day,” Howard said. Because Steven’s fueling problem was not unique to him, Howard knew he was on to something marketable with his invention. In October 2024, the CLiX officially launched at the IBEX show in Tampa, Florida. The positive feedback has been due, in part, to the fact that there is no other product on the market that does what the CLiX does. “It keeps the fuel in the fill tube and tank where it belongs,” Howard said. “It allows the fueling nozzle to activate the same way it does when filling a car, bringing that level of ease and eliminating all the stress of fueling.” The Silversteins are currently working with select marinas for them to sell directly to their customers and for use by staff as they fuel boats. “We have programs where the marinas can act as either affiliates, receiving a commission for every CLiX sold through our site, or as partners where they buy at a reseller price and sell direct to their marina clients,” Howard said. They are also working on sponsoring programs at marinas. The pair has brought on new partner Greg Friedman to assist with these initiatives. “The programs are focused on the environmental impact of boating and what we all can do to help,” Howard saidT he Silversteins pointed to how marinas can benefit from utilizing the CLiX. “Few spills to clean up means less reporting and less possibility of code violations,” Howard said. “By acting as good stewards of the water around their docks, they keep it free of fuel, creating a healthy environment for the marine life, which marina owners and boaters care so much about." The CLiX won a coveted Innovation Award for 2024 at the IBEX show, and it was also featured at the New York Boat Show and the Miami Boat Show. Garnering these accolades has been a professional coup for the Silversteins, who have both thrived in various business positions throughout their careers. Howard is already working on several other innovative ideas that may continue to help boaters have tranquil experiences on the water.
