Picture credit score: BBC/Simon Pantling
Since its first run in 2005, we’ve seen many Dragons’ Den traders come and go – listening to completely different pitches, negotiating offers and deciding to again a few of the UK’s most profitable companies with their hard-earned money.
Like most entrepreneurs, the Dragons didn’t begin with hundreds of thousands of their pockets. Every has their very own entrepreneurial journey crammed with highs and lows, earlier than changing into profitable enterprise tycoons with the data and expertise to again their choices within the Den.
However among the many profitable investments and failed ventures, which Dragon has essentially the most spectacular fortune of all of them?
From telecoms and retail to trend and social media, these Dragons have constructed vital empires through the years. Right here’s who’s sitting on prime relating to wealth and success.
Peter Jones (£500 million)
An unique Dragon since Collection One aired in 2005, Peter Jones began his entrepreneurial journey on the age of 16 by promoting private computer systems. Nevertheless, in his twenties, he misplaced £200,000 after promoting the enterprise to IBM. This resulted in him additionally dropping his residence and automobiles, and having to maneuver again in along with his dad and mom.
However this setback didn’t cease Jones from changing into the richest angel investor nonetheless in Dragons’ Den – rebuilding his fortune by means of his telecommunications enterprise, Telephones Worldwide Group, and later increasing his empire with investments in media, retail and expertise. In 2024, he was estimated to have a web value of £500m by The Solar newspaper.
Notable investments by Peter Jones:
- Wonderland Journal – £100,000 for 50%
- Naked Bare Meals – £60,000 for 50%
- Reggae Reggae Sauce – £50,000 for 40%
Duncan Bannatyne (£500 million)
One other unique Dragon and identified for his no-nonsense strategy to investing, Duncan Bannatyne’s first foray into the enterprise world began in his twenties when he purchased an ice cream van. Since then, he’s gone on to construct a multi-million-pound empire, with profitable ventures in well being golf equipment, spas, lodges and care properties.
Bannatyne left Dragons’ Den in 2015. One yr later, he revealed in a put up on X that he had offered all his investments from the present and now owns a series of well being golf equipment, spas and lodges underneath the “Bannatyne Well being Golf equipment” model. In Glasgow’s Wealthy Listing for 2024, his web value was estimated at £500m, matching Peter Jones.
Notable investments by Duncan Bannatyne:
- The Wand Firm – £200,000 for 30%
- Chocbox – £150,000 for 36%
- Kirsty’s – £65,000 for 30%
Tej Lalvani (£390 million)
Tej Lalvani is the CEO of the UK’s largest vitamin firm, Viabiotics, which was based by his father, Karter Lalvani. Born in India and raised in London, he discovered all of his management abilities from working within the household enterprise. After finishing his research in enterprise and taking over numerous roles inside Viabiotics, he was named CEO in 2015.
Throughout his four-year stint on Dragons’ Den, Lalvani used his experience to spend money on plenty of fledgling well being and wellness corporations. At present, he continues to run Viabiotics, which noticed its pre-tax revenue surge to £55.2 million final yr. In 2022, The Solar estimated his web value at £390m, a determine that’s seemingly even increased immediately due to Viabotics’ persevering with success.
Notable investments by Tej Lalvani:
- Look After My Payments – £120,000 for 3%
- ShakeSphere – £100,000 for 15%
- TEA+ – £75,000 for 50%
Want funding for your enterprise?
In case you can’t await an invitation to the Dragons’ Den, try our article on the greatest sources of enterprise finance to search out out how one can safe the appropriate funding to assist your enterprise develop and succeed.
Theo Paphitis (£290 million)
From beginning a college snack store at 15 to proudly owning a £300 million retail group, Theo Paphitis has turn into one of many greatest names in retail entrepreneurship. At present, he’s the chief of a few of the most profitable manufacturers on the UK excessive road, together with Ryman, Robert Dias, and Boux Avenue. Paphitis grew to become a Dragons’ Den investor in 2005 and remained there for eight years earlier than leaving in 2012 (though he returned as a visitor in collection 17 and 18).
Paphitis can be a passionate advocate for SMEs, supporting entrepreneurs by means of initiatives like Small Enterprise Sunday (#SBS), which he runs on social media. He’s a devoted soccer fan and beforehand owned Millwall FC between 1997 and 2005. In response to the Sunday Occasions Wealthy Listing 2020, Paphitis is value a formidable £290m.
Notable investments by Theo Paphitis:
- Magic Whiteboard – £100,000 for 40%
- Worth My Stuff – £100,000 for 40%
- WedgeWelly – £65,000 for 25%
Touker Suleyman (£200 million)
After being impressed by his father to begin a enterprise, Touker Suleyman first started his entrepreneurial journey promoting crimplene clothes for his grandmother. He finally fashioned his personal manufacturing firm – Kingsland Fashions – supplying clothes to manufacturers like Topshop and Dorothy Perkins.
Suleyman grew to become a Dragons’ Den investor in 2015 for the present’s thirteenth collection, alongside Nick Jenkins and Sarah Willingham. At present, he owns the Hawes & Curtis and Ghost manufacturers and was awarded the Drapers Lifetime Achievement award for his 50-year profession in trend.
Suleyman has been out of the highlight for a couple of years however in 2015, The Sunday Occasions listed him at 637th in its Wealthy Listing, estimating his fortune to be in extra of £200 million.
Notable investments by Touker Suleyman:
- Tru-Stress – £75,000 for 30%
- Matchstick Monkey – £75,000 for 25%
- Dangerous Brownie – £60,000 for 20%
Nick Jenkins (£150m)
Whereas solely on the present for 2 collection, the Moonpig founder was a notable investor in Dragons’ Den – backing companies with sturdy on-line potential and providing priceless ecommerce experience to aspiring entrepreneurs.
Apparently named after his personal nickname in school, Jenkins based web greeting card enterprise, Moonpig in 2000, earlier than later promoting the corporate for round £120 million simply over ten years later. Regardless of leaving the present in 2017, Jenkins nonetheless invests in startups, providing his knowledgeable recommendation on customer support, enterprise administration, gross sales and extra. In response to The Sunday Occasions Wealthy Listing in 2020, Jenkins was value £150million.
Notable investments by Nick Jenkins:
- Cocofina – £75,000 for 20%
- The Snaffling Pig Co – £70,000 for 20%
James Caan (£100m)
To not be confused with the late American actor, James Caan first joined Dragons’ Den in 2007 and remained on the present for the subsequent 4 years. Born in Pakistan, Caan moved to the UK as a baby. After working for numerous recruitment firms, he began his personal recruitment enterprise within the early Eighties. Caan later based Alexander Mann in 1987 with minimal capital earlier than promoting it in 2002, which had a £130 million turnover on the time.
These days, Caan is a distinguished British entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist with a profession spanning over 4 a long time. He’s additionally the founder and CEO of Hamilton Bradshaw – a London-based enterprise capital agency. In 2023, his web value was estimated at £100m.
Notable investments by James Caan:
- Rapstrap – £150,000 for 50%
- Chocbox – £150,000 for 36%
Steven Bartlett (£71m)
Other than being the youngest Dragon so far, Steven Bartlett is now additionally well-known for his Diary of a CEO podcast and his function because the co-founder of social advertising agency Social Chain (now Social AG), which we featured again in 2016 in our Younger Gun collection, in addition to his work within the digital advertising and entrepreneurship sectors.
Bartlett joined Dragons’ Den in 2021 and continues to look on the present. Final yr, he was concerned in controversy for his funding in “Ear Seeds”, an acupuncture product that falsely claimed to remedy continual fatigue syndrome, which he has since distanced himself from.
However his portfolio is wide-ranging, and he has additionally invested in plenty of Startups 100 firms together with PerfectTed. In 2025, MoneyWeek estimated his web value to be £71m.
Notable investments by Steven Bartlett:
- Bumblebee Areas – £1.5 million for 7%
- Pip & Nut – £1.2 million for five%
- The Sleep Coach – £250,000 for 15%
Piers Linney (£69m)
Linney started his skilled profession in regulation, earlier than shifting on to funding banking. He then launched his personal web enterprise in 2000 earlier than co-founding Outsourcery in 2007, which grew to become one of many UK’s first cloud providers suppliers.
Linney joined the Den in 2013 however introduced his departure two years later to be able to concentrate on different tasks. Since then, he has pivoted into machine studying. He co-founded Implement AI in 2023 and not too long ago advocated for the AI Motion Plan on LinkedIn. In response to stories, in 2023 Linney was value £69m.
Notable investments by Piers Linney:
- Wonderbly – £100,000 for 4%
- Skinny Tan – £60,000 for 10%
Deborah Meaden (£50m)
After graduating from Brighton Technical School, Meaden began her first enterprise in Italy at 19, promoting and exporting glass and ceramics. Whereas the enterprise failed after 18 months, Meaden went on to construct a profitable profession in leisure and retail. She can be a eager advocate for sustainability and has invested in quite a few green-focused Startups 100 corporations together with Daring Bean and Fussy.
Meaden joined the Den in 2006, taking up from Rachel Elnaugh within the present’s third collection. Through the years, she has invested in 37 companies, totalling round £2.64 million altogether. In 2024, Financhill estimated her web value to be £50m.
Notable investments by Deborah Meaden:
- Magic Whiteboard – £100,000 for 40%
- GripIt – £80,000 for 25%
- Omni – £75,000 for two%
Remaining ideas
With regards to pitching your enterprise, it might sound apparent to go for the individual with the largest checking account.
Nevertheless it’s not all concerning the cash. As a substitute, the appropriate investor ought to carry extra than simply money to the desk – they need to supply experience, expertise and a community that may assist your enterprise develop.
Whereas a big monetary backing is necessary, having an investor who genuinely believes in your mission and may supply the appropriate steerage could make all of the distinction in the long term.
To find extra about the way to discover the appropriate investor, try our listing of the prime enterprise capital funds within the UK.
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