What are the most successful businesses from Dragons’ Den?
DRAGON’S Den has offered a platform to thousands of budding businesspeople in the show’s 16 year history.
Many have had to face the wrath of the strict judges after a failed pitch, but many have prospered under the wings of the Dragon’s and their investments. Here are five of the most successful businesses from Dragon’s Den.
Look After My Bills
The co-founders of Look After My Bills left the Dragons in awe and ended up leaving with the best deal in the show’s history.
Dragons Jenny Campbell and Tej Lalvani BOTH invested £120,000 for just 3% of the company.
A form of price comparison site, Look After My Bills actually does a lot of the work for you.
Customers simply sign up just once, before the service finds you a great deal every year. If a better deal presents itself, Look After My Bills will switch you to it – all for FREE!
Since first appearing on the show, The company has gained 200,000+ members and was purchased by GoCompare in the Summer of 2019.
Levi Roots
Levi Roots has gone a long to way to making Duncan Bannatyne’s quip that there was “no future for this business” look foolish since first appearing on the show.
While Bannatyne was less than impressed, Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh were optimistic and invested £50,000 for a staggering 40% equity in the company.
Roots company Reggae Reggae sauces are now stocked in all major UK supermarkets, sky-rocketing his net worth to an estimated £30 million according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
Peter Jones once described his decision as “one of my most successful investments from the show” and remains a brand shareholder.
Magic Whiteboard
A left-field idea, portable whiteboard in a roll has proved to be a huge success.
Dragons Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis’ most successful investment, Magic Whiteboard was founded by husband-and-wife Neil and Laura Westwood.
The stationary equipment is currently stocked in all major office supply stores with a customer base all over the world.
In September 2014, the Westwood’s bought back Meaden and Paphitis’ shares, providing the Dragons’ with an £800,000 return on their £100,000 investment.
Skinny Tan
Skin-care company Skinny Tan launched in 2012 and recorded incredible profits of £600,000 in its first year.
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Co-founders Kate Cotton and Louise Ferguson certainly caught the attention of the Dragons with those kinds of figures, so much so that all five of the Dragons showed interest before Kelly Hoppen and Piers Linney made the successful offer of £60,000 for a 10% stake in the company.
Skinny Tan was sold for an undisclosed sum in June 2015, but both co-founders as well as Hoppen and Linney remain shareholders.
Mainstage Festivals
Mainstage Festivals pride themselves on offering “once in a lifetime” low-cost clubbing holidays for the 18-24 market.
Founded in 2011, when creators Rob Tominey and Aden Levin pitched the Dragons Mainstage Festivals, the company already had revenues of £1.6 million.
The duo received multiple bids before accepting Piers Linney’s offer of £100,000 in return for 15% of their company.