Who is Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Bob Gokani and what is EziDrops?
TV’s fan-favourite pitching programme Dragons’ Den has returned to screens, as hopeful entrepreneurs face the tough investors.
One entrepreneur hoping to impress the show’s tycoons is Bob Gokani. But who is the business owner and what will he pitch to the panel? Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is entrepreneur Bob Gokani?
According to his personal profile on LinkedIn, Bob Gokani is an entrepreneur and business owner who is based in Watford, England.
Within the world of business, Bob has held the position of director at the company EziDrops for over five years – a firm incorporated in March 2019, that offers a device to assist with the application of eye drops.
What is EziDrops?
The business idea behind EziDrops first came to light after entrepreneur Bob Gokani experienced great difficulties and frustrations when applying eye drops.
In a bid to create a solution to the problem, the EziDrops Eye Applicator was born – which as the name suggests, is a product that helps customers easily apply eye drops.
Due to its innovative design, those using the applicator will not see the drop arriving into the eye, which stops involuntary blinking and prevents wasting liquid.
In addition to this, EziDrops helps you put the drops right in the centre of the eye, without seeing them coming – making it perfect for helping children.
Inspired by the popularity of the EziDrops Eye Applicator, Bob’s business also created the EziDrops Ear Applicator – a product which simply allows users to self-administer ear drops without mess or waste.
As a result of EziDrops success, the Watford-based firm won Micro Business of the Year at the inaugural International Trade Awards at the Institute of Export and International Trade’s first Import Export Show in London in 2023.
Discussing the win in an interview with Insitite of Export & International Trade, Bob said: ”I didn’t realise that we would actually win it! It just makes all those late nights worth it.”
The entrepreneur added: ”I don’t know what gave us the particular edge, but what I do know is what we’ve been doing so far, and the fact that the products have been accepted by the marketplace.
”We’ve been inventing the products, and the biggest testament is the fact that it’s not just in the UK [that we’ve been selling], but we’ve been exporting to countries that I’d never imagined would be buying the products, from smaller countries like Serbia and Montenegro to large ones further afield like New Zealand and Australia, and now America.”
The EziDrops inventions are now sold in stores such as Boots and the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).
Amanda Freeland, a Manufacturing Growth Manager for MGP in Hertfordshire, who worked alongside Bob to help secure capital grant funding, has also shared an insight into the EziDrops empire.
Amanda said: ”Bob Gokani has worked tirelessly to create a brand-new product from scratch, with all the technical complexity of getting it manufactured, packaged and now sold through all the right channels.
”It’s been such a lot of hard work, and I’m really happy that our funding has been able to help him succeed.
”He’s created something so useful that he’s now getting volume sales from a major retailer, as well as other pharmacy & optical distributors and the RNIB.”
When can you watch Bob Gokani on Dragons’ Den?
Much to the delight of fans, Dragons’ Den is back on the box as a whole host of hopeful entrepreneurs pitch to a panel of business executives in a bid to secure an investment.
One entrepreneur hoping to impress the panel on Thursday, March 14, 2023 is Bob Gokani.
Viewers will watch Bob pitch to the famous Dragons – Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman, Sara Davies, and Steven Bartlett.
The EziDrops entrepreneur’s television appearance will air on BBC One at 8pm.
Alternatively, viewers can catch all the latest Dragon’s Den action on the broadcaster’s streaming service, BBC iPlayer.
Dragons' Den stars - past and present
Dragons' Den has been on our screens since 2005 and sees entrepreneurs enter the Den to try and win investment for their businesses from the Dragons.
Over the years there have been many wealthy investors sitting in the famous seats, here’s a rundown of them all and how long they were on the show for.
- Peter Jones – series 1 – present
- Deborah Meaden – series 3 – present
- Touker Suleyman – series 13 – present
- Sara Davies – series 17 – present
- Steven Bartlett – series 19 – present
- Duncan Bannatyne – series 1 – 12
- Rachel Elnaugh – series 1 and 2
- Doug Richard – series 1 and 2
- Simon Woodroffe – series 1
- Theo Paphitis – series 2 -10
- Richard Farleigh – series 3 and 4
- James Caan – series 5-8
- Hilary Devey – series 9 and 10
- Kelly Hoppen – series 11 and 12
- Piers Linney – series 11 and 12
- Nick Jenkins – series 13 and 14
- Sarah Willingham – series 13 and 14
- Jenny Campbell – series 15 and 16
- Tej Lalvani – series 15 – 18
- Emma Grede and Gary Neville were guest Dragons during series 21.