Dragons' Den: Series 23 launches with a new guest Dragon and pitches for upcycled hats, photo journals and teff drink
Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Steven Bartlett, and Touker Suleyman are back with a friend!
Dragons’ Den is back in business with series 23 and a brand new (almost) line-up of exciting new guest Dragons, but what are the pitches tonight?
In the first episode of the new series, “cosmetic powerhouse” Jenna Meek makes her debut. The CEO and co-founder of REFY Beauty joins Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Steven Bartlett, and Touker Suleyman as they “grill a fresh wave of hopefuls chasing the deal of a lifetime”.
Making their pitches on Dragons’ Den tonight is a London-based businesswoman with some rather wild headgear, and a former pharmacist’s women-only self-defence venture.
Meanwhile, there’s a business that transforms smartphone memories into cherished keepsakes, and a plant-based drink powered by an East African super crop. Here’s everything you need to know.
Dragons’ Den pitches tonight: Hat and Spicy bespoke headwear
London-based Chloe Messer, 32, pitches her business Hat and Spicy – a sustainable way to “reinvent pre-loved headwear as bespoke designer pieces” custom handmade to order. The hat she is wearing is from her own collection – up-cycled from a sun hat that she thrifted online.
Her fashion business and party supplies are all up-cycled and cruelty free – and pretty out there! The bold bespoke pieces have appeared in New York Fashion Week, on the cover of Vanity Fair, and Tatler Magazine. They’ve been worn by Jade Thirlwall, Penelope Cruz, Paloma Faith, and Ms Banks among others.
Chloe wants £50,000 in exchange for 15% of her business. She tells the Dragons: “At Hat and Spicy, our mission is simple. We take tired old hats, slip them a little magic, and turn them into the life of the party.” Even better, she arrives with a custom hat for each of the Dragons!
Founder, designer and maker of the bespoke hats, Chloe reveals she started the business in 2022. On average, her hats sell for £250. Touker(bunny) thinks Chloe “is very talented”, while Deborah describes the hats are “really cool”. Peter goes one step further and calls Chloe a “creative genius”. But will anybody invest?
Mosaic journal photography app
A charismatic entrepreneur pitches his photo printing app, which a “little bit of a twist”. Azerbaijan-born Murad Huseynov pitches his business Mosaic Journal. He is seeking £70,000 for a 4% equity in his company, which “transforms smartphone memories into cherished keepsakes”. It allows users to upload daily photos in an app. The buyer will subsequently receive the prints every month to keep in their Mosaic Journal.
One album and one free month costs £39.99, and buyers can customise the colour, front, and spine. The package includes a “luxury” linen-bound album, 365 spaces for a year of memories, instant app access, 31 free photos, and lifetime free delivery on photos.
There’s a one day mode – one picture uploaded every day. And a freestyle mode, where you can choose as many pictures as you like. Any one older than 30 will remember we all used to keep our photos in albums (they’re up in the loft).
Peter Jones – who owns Jessops – says the packaging is “really smart”, while Touker adds: “Let’s get back to reality; it’s a photo album.” Although Touker thinks it’s a limited business, Steven Bartlett sees the potential. But will any of the Dragons cough up the £70,000?
Dragons’ Den pitches tonight: The Original Teff-ly Ltd!
A plant-based drink “powered by an East African super crop” is the brainchild of two Leeds-based business partners. Karmen Gadi and Yoseph Brhane pitch their business The Original Teff-ly, premium teff-based products. The founders of the company ask for £100,000 for 2.5% of their plant-based, teff drink company.
So what is teff? Teff is a “gluten-free super grain” favoured by long-distance athletes in Ethiopia, as well as health conscious celebrities. Teff has a history dating back to 4000 B.C., and is a nutrient-rich source of sustenance for Ethiopians.
Described as the world’s next ‘super-food’, it is said to boost stomach microbiome health. With its high protein, high fibre content, mineral-rich profile, and slow-releasing properties, teff is a “powerhouse of nutrients” according to Agence France Presse.
The product comes in four different flavours, including the original Teff-ly Barista drink which is “unsweetened, never from concentrate, and fortified with essential nutrients”. These include calcium, iodine, and vitamins D3, B2, and B12. Like milk, The Original Teff-ly Barista Edition drink should be refrigerated and consumed within 5 days once opened.
Cartons of The Original Teff-ly Barista cost £2.98 per carton, or £16.50 for a six-pack. Deborah admits she’s “never heard of Teff”, while Steven questions the £2m investment Karmen and Yoseph have ‘secured’ from another investor.
Strike Back self defence for women
Former pharmacist Gulshen Bano, from Solihull, steps into the ring with her own women-only self-defence venture. She says “we are a global movement empowering women and girls across the world so they can take back control of their own safety”.
The all-female organisation Strike Back Defence for Women offer confidence-building, self-defence classes with one of the largest women’s self-defence organisations in the world. They teach practical, life-saving skills.
Gulshen Bano began her self-defence journey after looking for an effective self-defence system that would help protect her and her two children whilst out and about. She subsequently set up her own self-defence classes with the aim to “empowering women and girls with these skills everywhere”.
She wants a £25,000 in return for 10% equity in her business – which isn’t a martial art, or a sports-based system. Instead, Gulshen says they a global movement. Strike Back self defence for women qualifies instructors, and launches franchises.
Steven thinks Gulshen’s work is “incredibly important”, while Souker “loves Gulshen’s passion”. But enough to dig deep?
Read more: Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones shares ‘pain’ of losing his dad during emotional episode
