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Across nearly 250 episodes, the BBC business show Dragons’ Den has shown us hundreds of different business pitches.
Some are successful in winning over the Dragons and securing that all-important investment. Others have walked away empty-handed and gone on to grow the business on their own.
But among the long list of successful ventures to come from the show, some have stuck out for being bad, confusing, or just plain bizarre.
From faulty security gadgets and pointless gizmos, to absurd fashion pieces and awkward toiletries, these are 10 of the most deranged pitches to grace the Den so far.
1. Saboteur Crime Prevention
In X Factor-like fashion, founder Samantha Gore appeared twice on Dragons’ Den in the hope of securing an investment for her security venture.
Gore’s first appearance was in 2008 on the show’s sixth season, where she pitched a “fake TV” product, which was meant to give the impression that someone was home to deter burglars. However, her product didn’t work during the pitch, resulting in Deborah Meaden describing it as the worst pitch she’d ever heard at the time.
Despite Meaden’s harsh words, Gore returned to the Den a year later with another security device — an automated curtain closer that homeowners could use while they were away. However, bad luck would strike Gore again, as the curtain product malfunctioned during her demonstration, leading to an incredibly awkward walk back to the elevator for Gore.
Saboteur Crime Prevention continued to operate for another four years before dissolving in 2013. LinkedIn suggests that Gore has since gone on to become a Managing Director at several ventures, proving her entrepreneurial spirit is one thing that certainly isn’t broken.
2. Tingotang
Wedding rings have been a symbol of marriage for decades, but how would you truly know if someone is single?
This is something founders Clare Sagar and Gill Kirtland aimed to answer with their uniquely-designed pendants. With different styles for both male and female wearers, the strange-looking fashion pieces were designed to signal someone’s single status and even help singletons find love. They claimed they had received positive customer feedback,
But the Dragons didn’t hold back on their criticism of the products. Peter Jones described the business as “embarrassing” and “ridiculous”, adding that there’s already a market for single people through dating apps. Duncan Bannatyne took it a step further when he suggested that the founders should actually close the business down.
After a sore rejection, Sagar and Kirtland left the Den empty-handed. Today, there isn’t much information on Tingotang, and they don’t seem to be actively trading.
3. Pro Gains
Marco Hajikypri’s story serves as an important lesson to business owners to never lie to a Dragon. Ever.
This is something Hajikypri learnt the hard way when he appeared on the show’s 14th season to pitch his health food business, Pro Gains. After requesting a £125,000 investment for a shockingly low 5% equity stake, Hajikypri boasted a £2.5 million business valuation and claimed the company had generated around £250,000 in revenue since its launch.
However, the Dragons were quick to catch his bluff. Meaden questioned the lack of a registered trademark, and while Hajikypri claimed he spent £175 to trademark the name, it was discovered that he merely applied for one, rubbishing his lofty valuation claims.
After failing to secure investment, Hajikypri continued to operate the business and in 2017, declined a £90 million acquisition offer as he allegedly believed his company was worth £1 billion. According to The Mirror, Hajikypri was forced to sell his house that same year, and according to Companies House, the business went into liquidation.
4. Virtual Puppet
After a lengthy pitch set up — with Jones not so subtly looking at his watch — puppeteer David Field got behind a large screen to present his pitch, in which he spoke through a rather ugly-looking gremlin cartoon character.
With help from motion capture specialist Ali Cord, the general idea behind Virtual Puppet was to provide a system where people can control virtual characters (or “puppets”) through interactive technology.
But while the Dragons were intrigued by the technology, they thought it was lacking, well, a point. They questioned the business’s marketability as it wasn’t clear who the target audience was. The expensive technology also wasn’t likely to generate a lot of sales.
In the end, Virtual Puppet failed to get investment from the Dragons, and the company is currently in liquidation. We also can’t help but wonder whether the virtual gremlin could have been the inspiration for “The Waldo Moment” episode from Black Mirror.
5. Fellas Products Ltd
Founder Colin Bruton had an interesting business idea, to stay the least.
Entering the Den during its tenth season, Bruton pitched Fellas — a male toiletry brand offering cleaning wipes for intimate areas. While the idea was already outlandish, Bruton also claimed that he had sold his house to fund the business, to the Dragons’ astonishment.
Unfortunately, Bruton’s pitch fell flat due to a lack of market research and not knowing who his competitors were. Moreover, Hilary Devey questioned the product’s viability when consumers already had baby wipes to deal with certain hygienic needs.
Bruton’s business was short-lived, and only lasted for three more years before dissolving in 2015. As for Bruton himself, he went on to start another business venture in window and door repairs, which is still operating today.
6. The Big O
Alex Hall appeared on Dragons’ Den during its second season with The Big O brand, selling pre-packaged olives for the pub and bar market.
With claims of having a “business brain”, Hall told the Dragons that there was demand for the product, but that it couldn’t deliver due to “teething problems” with its Spanish suppliers.
But while the idea itself was straightforward, Hall’s defensive manner, inability to prove sales figures, and refusal to answer Theo Paphitis’s question on revenue painted a picture of a founder who wasn’t ready to face tough scrutiny in the business world.
That, and commenting “Have you met the Spanish?” when asked to elaborate on her supplier issues didn’t win her any extra points.
We can assume that The Big O ended up resolving its supplier issues, as the business continued to operate until it went under in 2011. Hall later founded several more ventures, but all of them have since dissolved.
7. Fold-Ease
No one likes to deal with paper cuts, and founder Rupert Evans wanted to eliminate them for good with his Fold-Ease product.
Evans pitched the small, finger-mounted device to the Dragons in 2015, designed to help people fold paper neatly, while also protecting them from paper cuts and friction burns. He claimed it was useful for administrative professionals who handle a lot of paperwork.
However, Evans’s idea didn’t receive the response he hoped for. While Nick Jenkins praised the attention to detail, the other Dragons failed to see the viability of the gizmo, with Jones describing it as “just plain stupid”.
Evans later hit back at the Dragons’ criticism on The Daily Mail, claiming they didn’t understand the concept as they weren’t the target audience. Right now, there isn’t any information on what happened to Fold-Ease, so it’s safe to assume it didn’t become a national hit among secretaries or admin workers.
8. The Knowledge
The streets of London can be difficult to navigate, and back before the smartphone era, it was even harder to get around an unfamiliar place.
Founder Gerard Tomnay understood this pain point when he appeared on the show in 2006 to pitch The Knowledge — a premium-rate telephone line offering real-time navigation assistance from experienced London taxi drivers.
However, given the rise of free GPS services (e.g. Google Maps) at the time, the Dragons were sceptical about Tomnay’s business model. What’s more, things ultimately fell flat when Jones attempted to use the service and was immediately placed on hold. Unsurprisingly, none of the Dragons chose to invest.
Unfortunately, The Knowledge only lasted for three years before its demise in 2009. According to Company Check, Tomnay has not started a new business venture since.
9. Easy X Chair
Need to work out, but can’t face a visit to the gym?
Founder Peter Ashley believed he had the answer when he pitched Easy X Chair to the Dragons in 2006. Designed as a hybrid between a comfortable armchair and a multi-gym, the product featured built-in resistance bands and motorised components — allowing users to do cardio and strength training exercises from the comfort of their living rooms.
However, Ashley’s invention merely left the Dragons in fits of laughter as Bannatyne tested out the product in action by sprinting full pelt along the ten-inch long treadmill.
But amid the humour, the Dragons questioned the business’s viability in the fitness market and how it would compete against gym businesses (ironically, the Easy X would likely have done wonders when gyms closed in the COVID-19 era).
Ashley continued to develop the concept by redesigning the equipment to be attachable to various seating forms, including office chairs. However, its website domain has been taken over, and there’s little to no information about where Easy X is now.
10. DriveSafe Glove
When Mike Carr entered the Den in 2007 with his Safety In Hand business, he believed the answer to proper road safety boiled down to a single white glove a-la Micheal Jackson.
The product — simply named DriveSafe Glove — was designed to remind British drivers travelling abroad to drive on the correct side of the road.
While the concept was straightforward, Carr wanted a hefty £100,000 investment for his product. However, the Dragons didn’t take his idea seriously and expressed great doubt about its practicality and market potential, given that customers could simply recreate the idea for free with a spare winter mitten.
While it isn’t clear what happened to Safety In Hand after Dragons’ Den, its business website appears to be defunct, and it no longer appears to be registered on Companies House.
Lessons from the Den
Sometimes, a business idea might sound good on paper, and if Dragons’ Den has taught us anything, it’s that an idea is only as strong as the pitch behind it.
While these examples can be amusing, they also offer valuable lessons for aspiring founders. Overconfidence, lack of preparation, ignoring feedback or trying to reinvent the wheel without a genuine market need are all red flags that investors can spot a mile away.
The most successful entrepreneurs walk in with more than just a passion — they come armed with solid numbers, market research, good branding, and a product or service that solves a real problem.
Need some inspiration? Check out our list of the most successful Dragons’ Den businesses for proof of how a great idea can turn into a million-pound empire.
