10 Most Deranged Dragons’ Den Pitches 

Throughout almost 250 episodes, the BBC enterprise present Dragons’ Den has proven us tons of of various enterprise pitches. 

Some are profitable in profitable over the Dragons and securing that all-important funding. Others have walked away empty-handed and gone on to develop the enterprise on their very own.

However among the many lengthy checklist of profitable ventures to come back from the present, some have caught out for being unhealthy, complicated, or simply plain weird.

From defective safety devices and pointless gizmos, to absurd trend items and awkward toiletries, these are 10 of probably the most deranged pitches to grace the Den to this point.

1. Saboteur Crime Prevention

In X Issue-like trend, founder Samantha Gore appeared twice on Dragons’ Den within the hope of securing an funding for her safety enterprise.

Gore’s first look was in 2008 on the present’s sixth season, the place she pitched a “pretend TV” product, which was meant to present the impression that somebody was house to discourage burglars. Nonetheless, her product didn’t work throughout the pitch, leading to Deborah Meaden describing it because the worst pitch she’d ever heard on the time.

Regardless of Meaden’s harsh phrases, Gore returned to the Den a 12 months later with one other safety gadget — an automatic curtain nearer that householders might use whereas they had been away. Nonetheless, unhealthy luck would strike Gore once more, because the curtain product malfunctioned throughout her demonstration, resulting in an extremely awkward stroll again to the elevator for Gore.

Saboteur Crime Prevention continued to function for one more 4 years earlier than dissolving in 2013. LinkedIn means that Gore has since gone on to change into a Managing Director at a number of ventures, proving her entrepreneurial spirit is one factor that definitely isn’t damaged.

2. Tingotang

Marriage ceremony rings have been an emblem of marriage for many years, however how would you really know if somebody is single?

That is one thing founders Clare Sagar and Gill Kirtland aimed to reply with their uniquely-designed pendants. With completely different types for each female and male wearers, the strange-looking trend items had been designed to sign somebody’s single standing and even assist singletons discover love. They claimed they’d obtained optimistic buyer suggestions,

However the Dragons didn’t maintain again on their criticism of the merchandise. Peter Jones described the enterprise as “embarrassing” and “ridiculous”, including that there’s already a marketplace for single folks via courting apps. Duncan Bannatyne took it a step additional when he urged that the founders ought to really shut the enterprise down.

After a sore rejection, Sagar and Kirtland left the Den empty-handed. In the present day, there isn’t a lot data on Tingotang, and so they don’t appear to be actively buying and selling.

3. Professional Features

Marco Hajikypri’s story serves as an vital lesson to enterprise homeowners to by no means mislead a Dragon. Ever.

That is one thing Hajikypri learnt the exhausting approach when he appeared on the present’s 14th season to pitch his well being meals enterprise, Professional Features. After requesting a £125,000 funding for an incredibly low 5% fairness stake, Hajikypri boasted a £2.5 million enterprise valuation and claimed the corporate had generated round £250,000 in income since its launch.

Nonetheless, the Dragons had been fast to catch his bluff. Meaden questioned the shortage of a registered trademark, and whereas Hajikypri claimed he spent £175 to trademark the title, it was found that he merely utilized for one, rubbishing his lofty valuation claims.

After failing to safe funding, Hajikypri continued to function the enterprise and in 2017, declined a £90 million acquisition provide as he allegedly believed his firm was value £1 billion. In line with The Mirror, Hajikypri was pressured to promote his home that very same 12 months, and in accordance with Corporations Home, the enterprise went into liquidation.

4. Digital Puppet

After a prolonged pitch arrange — with Jones not so subtly taking a look at his watch — puppeteer David Discipline acquired behind a big display to current his pitch, wherein he spoke via a slightly ugly-looking gremlin cartoon character.

With assist from movement seize specialist Ali Twine, the overall concept behind Digital Puppet was to supply a system the place folks can management digital characters (or “puppets”) via interactive expertise.

However whereas the Dragons had been intrigued by the expertise, they thought it was missing, nicely, a degree. They questioned the enterprise’s marketability because it wasn’t clear who the target market was. The costly expertise additionally wasn’t prone to generate numerous gross sales.

Ultimately, Digital Puppet did not get funding from the Dragons, and the corporate is at the moment in liquidation. We can also’t assist however ponder whether the digital gremlin might have been the inspiration for “The Waldo Second” episode from Black Mirror.

5. Fellas Merchandise Ltd

Founder Colin Bruton had an fascinating enterprise concept, to remain the least.

Getting into the Den throughout its tenth season, Bruton pitched Fellas — a male toiletry model providing cleansing wipes for intimate areas. Whereas the thought was already outlandish, Bruton additionally claimed that he had bought his home to fund the enterprise, to the Dragons’ astonishment.

Sadly, Bruton’s pitch fell flat on account of a scarcity of market analysis and never figuring out who his rivals had been. Furthermore, Hilary Devey questioned the product’s viability when customers already had child wipes to cope with sure hygienic wants.

Bruton’s enterprise was short-lived, and solely lasted for 3 extra years earlier than dissolving in 2015. As for Bruton himself, he went on to start out one other enterprise enterprise in window and door repairs, which remains to be working at this time.

6. The Huge O

Alex Corridor appeared on Dragons’ Den throughout its second season with The Huge O model, promoting pre-packaged olives for the pub and bar market.

With claims of getting a “enterprise mind”, Corridor informed the Dragons that there was demand for the product, however that it couldn’t ship on account of “teething issues” with its Spanish suppliers.

However whereas the thought itself was simple, Corridor’s defensive method, incapacity to show gross sales figures, and refusal to reply Theo Paphitis’s query on income painted an image of a founder who wasn’t able to face robust scrutiny within the enterprise world. 

That, and commenting “Have you ever met the Spanish?” when requested to elaborate on her provider points didn’t win her any further factors.

We will assume that The Huge O ended up resolving its provider points, because the enterprise continued to function till it went below in 2011. Corridor later based a number of extra ventures, however all of them have since dissolved.

7. Fold-Ease

Nobody likes to cope with paper cuts, and founder Rupert Evans needed to get rid of them for good together with his Fold-Ease product.

Evans pitched the small, finger-mounted gadget to the Dragons in 2015, designed to assist folks fold paper neatly, whereas additionally defending them from paper cuts and friction burns. He claimed it was helpful for administrative professionals who deal with numerous paperwork.

Nonetheless, Evans’s concept didn’t obtain the response he hoped for. Whereas Nick Jenkins praised the eye to element, the opposite Dragons did not see the viability of the gizmo, with Jones describing it as “simply plain silly”.

Evans later hit again on the Dragons’ criticism on The Each day Mail, claiming they didn’t perceive the idea as they weren’t the target market. Proper now, there isn’t any data on what occurred to Fold-Ease, so it’s secure to imagine it didn’t change into a nationwide hit amongst secretaries or admin employees. 

8. The Data

The streets of London will be tough to navigate, and again earlier than the smartphone period, it was even more durable to get round an unfamiliar place.

Founder Gerard Tomnay understood this ache level when he appeared on the present in 2006 to pitch The Data — a premium-rate phone line providing real-time navigation help from skilled London taxi drivers.

Nonetheless, given the rise of free GPS companies (e.g. Google Maps) on the time, the Dragons had been sceptical about Tomnay’s enterprise mannequin. What’s extra, issues finally fell flat when Jones tried to make use of the service and was instantly positioned on maintain. Unsurprisingly, not one of the Dragons selected to speculate.

Sadly, The Data solely lasted for 3 years earlier than its demise in 2009. In line with Firm Verify, Tomnay has not began a brand new enterprise enterprise since.

9. Simple X Chair

Must work out, however can’t face a go to to the health club?

Founder Peter Ashley believed he had the reply when he pitched Simple X Chair to the Dragons in 2006. Designed as a hybrid between a cushty armchair and a multi-gym, the product featured built-in resistance bands and motorised elements — permitting customers to do cardio and power coaching workouts from the consolation of their residing rooms.

Nonetheless, Ashley’s invention merely left the Dragons in matches of laughter as Bannatyne examined out the product in motion by sprinting full pelt alongside the ten-inch lengthy treadmill. 

However amid the humour, the Dragons questioned the enterprise’s viability within the health market and the way it might compete in opposition to health club companies (mockingly, the Simple X would doubtless have finished wonders when gyms closed within the COVID-19 period).

Ashley continued to develop the idea by redesigning the gear to be attachable to numerous seating types, together with workplace chairs. Nonetheless, its web site area has been taken over, and there’s little to no details about the place Simple X is now.

10. DriveSafe Glove

When Mike Carr entered the Den in 2007 together with his Security In Hand enterprise, he believed the reply to correct street security boiled all the way down to a single white glove a-la Micheal Jackson.

The product — merely named DriveSafe Glove — was designed to remind British drivers travelling overseas to drive on the proper facet of the street.

Whereas the idea was simple, Carr needed a hefty £100,000 funding for his product. Nonetheless, the Dragons didn’t take his concept critically and expressed nice doubt about its practicality and market potential, on condition that clients might merely recreate the thought without cost with a spare winter mitten.

Whereas it isn’t clear what occurred to Security In Hand after Dragons’ Den, its enterprise web site seems to be defunct, and it now not seems to be registered on Corporations Home.

Classes from the Den

Typically, a enterprise concept may sound good on paper, and if Dragons’ Den has taught us something, it’s that an concept is simply as robust because the pitch behind it.

Whereas these examples will be amusing, additionally they provide useful classes for aspiring founders. Overconfidence, lack of preparation, ignoring suggestions or attempting to reinvent the wheel with no real market want are all pink flags that traders can spot a mile away.

Essentially the most profitable entrepreneurs stroll in with greater than only a ardour — they arrive armed with stable numbers, market analysis, good branding, and a services or products that solves an actual drawback.

Want some inspiration? Try our checklist of the most profitable Dragons’ Den companies for proof of how an ideal concept can flip right into a million-pound empire.