Dragons’ Den is returning to the BBC with a new series, giving more aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their business ideas. The reality show has been a TV staple for two decades, and during that time has helped to launch many businesses thanks to the support from multi-millionaire investors.
The likes of Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Sara Davies, Steven Bartlett and Touker Suleyman – some of Britain’s top businesspeople – have been convinced to part with their hard-earned cash to help others take their ventures to the next level. Success stories include Levi Roots and his Reggae Reggae Sauce, and the Craft Gin Club, founded by Jon Hulme and John Burke.
Below we take a look at the different Dragons’ Den entrepreneurs, and how they became so successful. We’ll also reveal the richest dragon– and it might not be who you expect.
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Peter Jones
Peter Jones started his first business at the age of 16 – and is now reportedly worth a staggering £1.157 billion. According to The Express, Jones then ventured into other businesses – including a cocktail bar, an online retailer specialising in the sale of wine and champagne, and a specialist recruitment business.
The father-of-five also famously fell out with Holly Willoughby following the collapse of a joint business venture. The long-time friendship soured when the former This Morning host backed out of their huge £11million collaboration at the eleventh hour.
Lifestyle brand Truly had been set up by Jones’ partner, Tara, and Holly in 2016, with Jones becoming chairman in March 2018. But the her was ‘furious’ when he discovered that Holly was abandoning the project during a tense meeting.
Jones, now lives in Buckinghamshire, having previously owned homes in The Algarve and Beverly Hills.
Touker Suleyman
Touker Suleyman went to school in Peckham, having moved to England in 1958. He made his millions during the early 1980s after starting his own fashion business, which eventually supplied high-street brands including Marks & Spencer.
From there, he went on to acquire a series of major clothes retail businesses, including Hawes & Curtis, which his company Low Profile Group purchased for just £1. He also snapped up fashion brand Ghost in 2008 and invested in start-up companies including Bikesoup.
The Cypriot, who has been on Dragon’s Den since 2015, was the second richest Dragon, with a reported net worth of £200 million.
Steven Bartlett
Steven Bartlett is the youngest Dragons’ Den entrepreneur at the age of 32 – but he already has an impressive net worth of £71 million. Bartlett, who joined the BBC show in 2022, dropped out of Manchester Metropolitan University when he was 22 and went on to create his social media marketing business, Social Chain in 2014.
His podcast, Diary of a CEO, saw him soar to fame, and he has welcomed an influx of influential guests, including experts and celebrities, since it started in 2017. It also ranked in the Spotify Wrapped top 5 most popular podcasts globally last year.
Deborah Meaden
Deborah Meaden made her start in business when she moved to Italy at the age of 19, and now has an estimated net worth of £50 million. She founded a company which imported glass and ceramics, supplying stores like Harvey Nichols – but after 18-months, it didn’t succeed.
However Deborah didn’t abandon her business ambitions and went on to launch one of the first Stefanel’s in the UK – an Italian clothing company, then running a Prize Bingo game at Butlin’s.
She later joined her family’s business, Weststar Holidays, and rose to the position of CEO. She acquired a majority stake in 1999, through a management buyout, and later sold the firm for £33m while retaining a 23 percent share – which she sold in 2007 when Weststar was purchased for £83m.
Deborah then bought woollen cloth manufacturers Fox Brothers and transitioned into a full-time investor. One of her most successful investments was Magic Whiteboard, which she partnered with Theo Paphitis for in 2006, investing £100,000 for a 40 per cent stake. Now used in schools nationwide, the owners repurchased Deborah and Theo’s shares for a staggering £800,000 in 2014 – eight times their initial investment.
Sara Davies
Sara Davies joined Dragons’ Den in 2019, when she was 35. She founded retail business Crafter’s Companion from her university bedroom in York and also invented an envelope-making tool for card makers, with help from her father, after identifying a gap in the market.
The Envelope was a hit among crafters, selling thousands of units – and by the time she graduated, her business had already generated £500,000 in revenue. The business is thriving nearly two decades on, generating an annual revenue of £34 million and providing her with a highly comfortable income. Sara is thought to be worth £37 million.
Dragons’ Den returns to BBC One for its 22nd series on Thursday, January 89. Watch it from 8pm.