It’s that time of year again. The Dragons are soon to come out of hibernation and with all that fiery breath stored up, they’re on the look-out for fresh victims – sorry I meant entrepreneurs.
The majority of contestants that appear on Dragons’ Den go home empty handed, and for good reason too. Let’s not forget it’s an entertainment programme, designed to amuse and titillate its viewers. The worst ideas make for the most compelling viewing.
However, a business angel I spoke to a few weeks ago said the actual process of pitching for investment bears no resemblance to what we see on our TV screens whatsoever. It’s nowhere near such an aggressive interrogation process, he insisted.
Realism aside, there have been some genuine success stories from the show. Despite completely miscalculating his figures, Levi Roots managed to secure investment from Peter Jones and now stocks Sainsbury with his Reggae Reggae Sauce.
The guys from Igloo Thermo-Logistics turned their temperature controlled courier venture into a £1m+ business after investment from Duncan Bannatyne and Richard Farleigh.
So if you’re planning on applying for the next series, complete the application form here. But if the Dragons turn out to be a bunch of real sweeties once the cameras are turned off, don’t tell us. It’ll just spoil the fun!
