Most Profitable Companies From Dragons’ Den 

Having formally hit its twentieth anniversary in January, Dragons’ Den has been round for a very long time – virtually so long as Startups!

First airing all the way in which again in 2005, the long-running actuality TV present has featured many hopefuls beginning their very own enterprise – some attaining nice success whereas others didn’t fairly make it.

This 12 months’s sequence noticed the return of long-serving traders like Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden, alongside newer faces corresponding to Steven Bartlett – the youngest Dragon so far. Visitor appearances additionally included the likes of Trinny Woodall and Joe Wickes.

Dragons’ Den has turn into identified for recognizing some unimaginable enterprise concepts, and even when companies are rejected, many have gone on to attain nice issues. So, we’re going to check out among the most profitable companies to come back out of the Den, and what they’re thus far.

BrewDog ($2 billion/£1.6 billion)

Certainly one of our most well-known names from the Startups 100 Index, founders James Watt and Martin Dickie utilized to Dragons’ Den in 2008 however had been rejected by producers after the ultimate display check.

“They deemed Martin and myself not funding worthy. We had been completely crushed.” Watt commented. The duo had been ready to supply 20% fairness in trade for a £10,000 funding.

Nonetheless, BrewDog went on to show that being turned away by the Dragons wasn’t the tip, hitting unicorn standing in 2017 and rising right into a craft beer empire – reporting a £137.5 million at the start of 2024, whereas promoting its merchandise in main supermarkets and opening over 100 bars worldwide.

Watt has turn into considerably of a controversial title within the enterprise world, having confronted backlash over BrewDog’s “poisonous” organisational tradition and his views on work-life steadiness. Watt was additionally later rejected to seem on Dragons’ Den as an investor however is ready to air his personal enterprise actuality present, Home of Unicorns, later this 12 months.

Wonderland (£220 million)

Wonderland’s journey goes all the way in which again to the first season of Dragons’ Den. A notable success in a sequence of failures and poor investments, founder Huw Gwyther secured £175,000 from Jones for 40% of fairness.

Whereas it doesn’t characteristic speaking rabbits or an evil queen, Wonderland’s journal showcases rising and established expertise throughout numerous inventive industries. Identified for its daring, high-fashion pictures and in-depth celeb interviews, Wonderland went on to characteristic main stars on its covers, together with the likes of Zac Efron, Janet Jackson and Megan Fox.

Gwyther stepped down from his duties on the journal in 2023 and now works as a contract model developer. Even so, Wonderland continues to make magic with its publications, boasting a 1.2M following on Instagram and persevering with to collaborate with high manufacturers, celebrities and creatives.

Gousto (£250 million)

One other reject turned success story, the founders of Gousto appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2013 in hopes of receiving a £100,000 funding for 7% of the corporate.

Traders rejected the enterprise and founders Timo Boldt and James Carter left with nothing, however this was just the start of their journey. Through the years, Gousto grew into one of many UK’s main meal package supply companies – delivering tens of millions of meals to households throughout the nation and reaching a billion-pound valuation in 2021.

Even after its unicorn valuation was lower because of post-pandemic inflation, the corporate remains to be going robust and has efficiently leveraged using synthetic intelligence (AI) know-how to personalise meal suggestions, predict future buyer wants and enhance its warehouse operations – in flip producing $93.4 million in income in 2024.

HungryHouse (£200 million)

HungryHouse was based in 2006, again when meal supply apps weren’t the norm and most of the people nonetheless ordered takeaway over the cellphone or with paper menus. 

Nonetheless, James Caan and Duncan Bannatyne noticed potential within the enterprise when founders Shane Lake and Tony Charles entered the Den in 2007. Sadly, the deal later fell by and the founders secured a £150,000 funding from different angel traders.

Regardless of this setback, HungryHouse had a profitable run after launching – securing over 2,500 restaurant partnerships. The corporate was later acquired by Berlin-based competitor Supply Hero, permitting it to function in 16 international locations and 60,000 extra eating places. Simply Eat then acquired it for £200 million in 2016, with HungryHouse ceasing buying and selling two years later to merge with Simply Eat.

Vacation spot London (£95 million)

Having labored as a taxi driver whereas finding out Regulation, founder Rachel Lowe entered the Den in 2005 to pitch her board recreation, Vacation spot London, requesting £75,000 in funding. 

Nonetheless, the Dragons had been ferocious of their suggestions, commenting that her enterprise pitch was poorly ready. Doug Richard commented that Lowe “couldn’t also have a fundamental enterprise dialogue”, whereas Rachel Elnaugh stated that the sport would wrestle to compete towards the likes of Monopoly. 

However regardless of leaving the Den empty-handed, Lowe quickly proved the Dragons improper, as the sport mockingly went on to outsell Monopoly the identical 12 months. Vacation spot London has since generated over £1.2 million in gross sales and is now price £95 million. In the meantime, Lowe has gone on to create extra video games and puzzles for main leisure names, together with Lodge Transylvania, Name The Midwife and Mr. Bean.

Tangle Teezer (£70 million)

Dubbed “hair-brained” and a “waste of time”, Tangle Teezer – a hair comb with 400 tooth which may glide by moist or dry hair – didn’t muster curiosity from the Dragons when founder Shaun Pulfrey appeared on the present in 2007.

Pulfrey wasn’t in a position to present any gross sales figures as he had solely simply began manufacturing the comb. He additionally had no offers lined up with distributors and had inadvertently insulted Meaden’s hair color; elements which led all 5 Dragons to negate from investing.

However regardless of Pulfrey’s ill-fated pitch, his plans remained undeterred, and the enterprise efficiently grew into a worldwide model – rising its 2024 annual web gross sales to over $76 million (roughly £61 million) whereas boasting celeb endorsements together with Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, Nicole Scherzinger, Cara Delevigne and even Princess Kate Middleton. In December 2024, the corporate was acquired by shopper items agency Binc for £165 million.

Reggae Reggae Sauce (£30 million)

One of the well-known success tales to come back from the Den, founder Levi Roots has turn into a family title together with his well-liked scorching BBQ sauces that inform you to “put some music in your meals.”

After showing on the present in 2007 – and having serenaded the Dragons with the tune that he would later turn into well-known for – Roots (actual title Keith Graham), secured funding from Jones and Richard Farleigh, however was instructed by Bannatyne that there was “no future for his enterprise.” Quick ahead almost 20 years, and Roots has undoubtedly proved Bannatyne improper.

Reggae Reggae Sauce is now stocked in main UK supermarkets, together with Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrisons. It has additionally expanded its choices to chilled prepared meals, pasties and even Carribean-flavoured smooth drinks – taking the model’s price to round £30 million, as of 2023.

Wonderbly (£30 million)

Based in 2012 by ‘dadpreneurs’ Asi Sharabi, David Cadji-Newby, Tal Oron and Pedro Serapicos, Wonderbly (then often known as Misplaced My Title) took to the Den in 2014 seeking a £100,000 funding increase.

In the course of the pitch, the Dragons had been impressed by the fast progress that the enterprise had skilled to date, having scaled by an eye-watering 2,000% between the October and November of 2013.

Nevertheless it was tech-lover and fellow father Piers Linney who was received over by the enterprise – a lot in order that he broke data by investing the entire requested cash for simply 4% fairness; the perfect fairness deal within the historical past of Dragons’ Den.

And evidently this daring transfer paid off. Identified for its lovely illustrations, enjoyable tales and complicated personalisation, Wonderbly has now bought over ten million books in international locations all around the world.

Chocbox (£25 million)

When Peter Moule pitched Chocbox and his marketing strategy to the Dragons in 2007, he had no concept that it could be labelled because the present’s “biggest-ever success”.

A easy however revolutionary electrical product designed to securely retailer and shield electrical wiring connections, Chocbox is available in a fire-resistant junction field that permits electricians and DIYers to surround electrical connections securely – lowering the danger of quick circuits or uncovered wiring.

After securing a £150,000 funding from Bannatyne and Caan in trade for a 36% stake, Chocbox shortly gained traction and landed a £25 million deal simply three months later. Right this moment, Chocbox is now a multi-million-pound product bought throughout 152 international locations.

GripIt (£23 million)

GripIt Fixing founder Jordan Daykin appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2014 when he was simply 18 years outdated. 

Having created a patented answer for firmly fixing screws right into a plasterboard with the flexibility to carry 180kg in weight, Daykin’s assured pitch received over Meaden, who invested £80,000 for a 25% fairness stake within the enterprise.

Whereas the corporate confronted some laborious instances over time – together with Daykin leaving the enterprise in 2019 and being confronted with potential insolvency – it’s now price £23 million and is bought in main DIY shops throughout the UK, in addition to the US, Canada, Europe, UAE, Australia and New Zealand.

Kirsty’s (£15 million)

Kirsty Henshaw was 19 when she first appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2010. Whereas elevating her son as a single mum on the time, Henshaw efficiently impressed traders along with her vary of dairy-free ice cream and secured £65,000 in funding.

Whereas Bannatyne and Jones had been eager to take a stake within the enterprise – named Worthenshaw’s on the time – Henshaw was unable to get the traction she wanted for an ice cream enterprise, so determined to rebrand with a give attention to gluten and dairy-free prepared meals.

Henshaw’s resolution paid off, as her merchandise are actually bought in main supermarkets and are actually valued at £15 million. Gross sales had been additionally reported to be at £15 million a 12 months and the corporate is working in direction of bringing it as much as £25 million within the subsequent two years.

Trunki (£12 million)

“Nobody of their proper thoughts would assume that enterprise was price £1 million” – was the remark made by Theo Paphitis following Trunki’s exit from the present in 2006 – an look which had seen founder Rob Regulation fail to win funding from the Dragons.

19 years later, Paphitis’s comment couldn’t be farther from the reality.

Extensively identified to be one of many Den’s most profitable “rejects”, the Trunki sit-on, ride-along kids’s suitcases have turn into a well-known sight at airports all around the world – securing a £4 million backing from the Enterprise Progress Fund in 2013 and being bought to ecommerce firm Heroes, for £12 million ten years later.

Pouch (£10 million)

Recognised within the Startups 100 Index for 2018, Pouch is a free browser extension launched by Johnny Plein, Ben Corrigan and Vikram Simha in 2016, which robotically finds and presents customers with the perfect low cost codes accessible when procuring on-line.

However whereas the founding trio accepted £75,000 in trade for 18% fairness – with Touker Sulleyman, Jenny Campbell and Tej Lalvani every taking 6% – the deal finally fell by.

Nonetheless, not lengthy after being aired, Pouch was supplied almost triple the quantity and a greater fairness deal, rising the corporate’s valuation to £10 million. It additionally had a serious PR increase, garnering over 60,000 new customers and partnerships with main retailers and on-line shops, together with Tesco, Boohoo and Sephora.

Hair Syrup (£6.5 million)

“Rejected by the Dragons, LOVED by TikTok” reads Hair Syrup’s TikTok profile.

Whereas founder Lucie Macleod’s merchandise didn’t win an funding, the ability of social media advertising and marketing has continued to drive success. Identified for its pure, pre-wash hair oil remedies, Hair Syrup has turned the enterprise right into a viral sensation on social media, gaining a loyal buyer base by influencer advertising and marketing and word-of-mouth suggestions.

Regardless of the Dragons’ considerations over profitability – with Woodall commenting that she doesn’t prefer to “spend money on tendencies” – Hair Syrup is booming and is projected to generate £6.5 million in income later this 12 months.

Hornit (£3 million)

With a mission to enhance bicycle owner security and visibility on the highway, Hornit’s merchandise – such because the “world’s loudest bicycle horn” – are designed to make cyclists extra noticeable and heard whereas out on the highway.

This was one thing founder Tom de Pelet pitched when he entered the Den in 2015. Sadly, although, he was unable to safe any funding from the Dragons. 

However that didn’t imply the journey was over for Hornit, as the corporate went on to succeed in over £3 million in world gross sales simply over 5 years later, capitalising on the rise in biking exercise in Australia throughout the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hornit remains to be going robust at present and sells a spread of motorcycle horns, safety-certified helmets, bike racks and extra.

Soccer Billionaire (£2.5 million)

The youngest entrepreneur on Dragons’ Den so far, Shaye Sharma was simply 15 years outdated when he appeared on the present in 2023.

Nonetheless finding out his GCSEs on the time, Sharma pitched Soccer Billionaire to the Dragons – a family-friendly board recreation the place gamers can construct their very own soccer empire by shopping for golf equipment, gamers and stadiums.

Sharma efficiently secured a take care of Jones, who supplied £50,000 in trade for 20% of the enterprise. Whereas the deal fell by, it was reported that Soccer Billionaire turned over double what Sharma anticipated, and is now price £2.5 million. Sharma additionally shared plans to develop a brand new board recreation, Billionaire, by which gamers can accumulate property like tremendous yachts and personal jets.

Pores and skin and Tan (£2.2 million)

Any enterprise which boasts revenue figures of £600,000 for its first 12 months is certain to show heads within the Den – which is precisely what founders Kate Cotton and Louise Ferguson did.

Often called Skinny Tan on the time, the corporate affords naturally deriving faux tan lotion, which claims to scale back the looks of cellulite.

After its 2013 look within the Den, Pores and skin and Tan remains to be going robust – producing £20.1 million in income in 2023 and increasing into the UK, US, Australian and Canadian markets.

Magic Whiteboard (£1.2 million)

One other firm thought-about one of many Dragons’ most profitable investments, Magic Whiteboard appeared on the present in 2008 and efficiently received over Paphitis and Meaden with its easy but revolutionary roll-on, reusable whiteboard sheets.

Based by husband and spouse group Neil and Laura Westwood, Magic Whiteboard’s merchandise are actually bought in main retailers like Ryman and Amazon, and have expanded into worldwide markets.

Right this moment, the corporate is reported to make £1.2 million in gross sales yearly and sells a spread of Magic Whiteboard-branded merchandise, together with blackout blinds, reusable notebooks, pegboard organisers and way more.

Wish to uncover the subsequent huge names in enterprise? Take a look at our Startups 100 for 2025 Index to see this 12 months’s most revolutionary startups which can be shaking up the business.