Dragons’ Den’s most successful investments: ranked

Even in times of economic uncertainty, the UK’s startup scene is still going strong, with business investment rising by 5.9% in Q1 2025, according to the latest May figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

And there’s even more bonus points if you’re lucky enough to appear on Dragons’ Den, which officially hit its 20th anniversary in January.

First airing all the way back in 2005, the long-running reality TV show has featured many hopefuls starting their own business – some achieving great success while others didn’t quite make it.

This year’s series saw the return of long-serving investors like Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden, alongside newer faces such as Steven Bartlett — the youngest Dragon to date. 

Dragons’ Den is known for uncovering standout business ideas, and even rejected pitches have found success. Here’s a look at some of the most successful businesses to come out of the Den — and where they are now.

BrewDog ($2 billion/£1.6 billion)

One of our most famous names from the Startups 100 Index, founders James Watt and Martin Dickie applied to Dragons’ Den in 2008 but were rejected by producers after the final screen test.

“They deemed Martin and myself not investment worthy. We were totally crushed.” Watt commented. The duo were prepared to offer 20% equity in exchange for a £10,000 investment.

However, BrewDog went on to prove that being turned away by the Dragons wasn’t the end, hitting unicorn status in 2017 and growing into a craft beer empire – reporting a £137.5 million at the beginning of 2024, while selling its products in major supermarkets and opening over 100 bars worldwide.

Watt has become somewhat of a controversial name in the business world, having faced backlash over BrewDog’s “toxic” organisational culture and his views on work-life balance. Watt was also later rejected to appear on Dragons’ Den as an investor but is set to air his own business reality show, House of Unicorns, later this year.

Wonderland (£220 million)

Wonderland’s journey goes all the way back to the first season of Dragons’ Den. A notable success in a series of failures and poor investments, founder Huw Gwyther secured £175,000 from Jones for 40% of equity.

While it doesn’t feature talking rabbits or an evil queen, Wonderland’s magazine showcases emerging and established talent across various creative industries. Known for its bold, high-fashion photography and in-depth celebrity interviews, Wonderland went on to feature major stars on its covers, including the likes of Zac Efron, Janet Jackson and Megan Fox.

Gwyther stepped down from his duties at the magazine in 2023 and now works as a freelance brand developer. Even so, Wonderland continues to make magic with its publications, boasting a 1.2M following on Instagram and continuing to collaborate with top brands, celebrities and creatives.

Gousto (£250 million)

Another reject turned success story, the founders of Gousto appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2013 in hopes of receiving a £100,000 investment for 7% of the company.

Investors rejected the business and founders Timo Boldt and James Carter left with nothing, but this was just the beginning of their journey. Over the years, Gousto grew into one of the UK’s leading meal kit delivery services – delivering millions of meals to households across the country and reaching a billion-pound valuation in 2021.

Even after its unicorn valuation was cut due to post-pandemic inflation, the company is still going strong and has successfully leveraged the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to personalise meal recommendations, predict future customer needs and improve its warehouse operations – in turn generating $93.4 million in revenue in 2024.

HungryHouse (£200 million)

HungryHouse was founded in 2006, back when meal delivery apps weren’t the norm and most people still ordered takeaway over the phone or with paper menus. 

Still, James Caan and Duncan Bannatyne saw potential in the business when founders Shane Lake and Tony Charles entered the Den in 2007. Unfortunately, the deal later fell through and the founders secured a £150,000 investment from alternative angel investors.

Despite this setback, HungryHouse had a successful run after launching – securing over 2,500 restaurant partnerships. The company was later acquired by Berlin-based competitor Delivery Hero, allowing it to operate in 16 countries and 60,000 more restaurants. Just Eat then acquired it for £200 million in 2016, with HungryHouse ceasing trading two years later to merge with Just Eat.

Destination London (£95 million)

Having worked as a taxi driver while studying Law, founder Rachel Lowe entered the Den in 2005 to pitch her board game, Destination London, requesting £75,000 in investment. 

However, the Dragons were ferocious in their feedback, commenting that her business pitch was poorly prepared. Doug Richard commented that Lowe “couldn’t even have a basic business discussion”, while Rachel Elnaugh said that the game would struggle to compete against the likes of Monopoly. 

But despite leaving the Den empty-handed, Lowe soon proved the Dragons wrong, as the game ironically went on to outsell Monopoly the same year. Destination London has since generated over £1.2 million in sales and is now worth £95 million. Meanwhile, Lowe has gone on to create more games and puzzles for major entertainment names, including Hotel Transylvania, Call The Midwife and Mr. Bean.

Oppo Brothers (£85.7 million)

Brothers Harry and Charlie Thuillier appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2016, serving up low-calorie, low-sugar ice cream made with natural ingredients like stevia and coconut oil. The duo sought a £60,000 investment for a 7% equity stake.

But while their pitch had a strong health-focused USP and was already snatched up by retailers like Waitrose, the Oppo ice cream just wasn’t to the Dragons’ taste. Subsequently, none of them invested in the business.

Following the rejection, the brothers turned to crowdfunding and successfully raised over £1.1 million from health-conscious investors and loyal customers alike. Oppo went on to expand into more major supermarkets (such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Ocado), export its products to over 10 countries and even win multiple Great Taste Awards.

Tangle Teezer (£70 million)

Dubbed “hair-brained” and a “waste of time”, Tangle Teezer – a hair comb with 400 teeth which can glide through wet or dry hair – failed to muster interest from the Dragons when founder Shaun Pulfrey appeared on the show in 2007.

Pulfrey wasn’t able to show any sales figures as he had only just started manufacturing the brush. He also had no deals lined up with distributors and had inadvertently insulted Meaden’s hair colour; factors which led all five Dragons to negate from investing.

But despite Pulfrey’s ill-fated pitch, his plans remained undeterred, and the business successfully grew into a global brand – growing its 2024 annual net sales to over $76 million (approximately £61 million) while boasting celebrity endorsements including Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, Nicole Scherzinger, Cara Delevigne and even Princess Kate Middleton. In December 2024, the company was acquired by consumer goods firm BIC for £165 million.

Pasta Evangelists (£40 million)

When Alessandro Savelli and Finn Lagun brought their fresh pasta startup to Dragons’ Den in 2018, they were met with a cold serving of scepticism. Seeking £75,000 for 2.5% equity, their pitch for a premium, authentic pasta delivery service failed to win over the Dragons — with Jenny Campbell famously calling it “pasta a la disaster.”

Despite the knockback, Pasta Evangelists stuck with its vision. And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, demand for high-quality food at home surged. The business boomed, achieving a £40 million turnover and earning three spots on the Startups 100 Index.

Today, the brand continues to grow, expanding into physical locations with pasta bars across London, including ten new openings set for this year.

Craft Gin Club (£37.7 million)

When founders Jon Hulme and John Burke entered the Den in 2016, they achieved what many entrepreneurs can only dream of — an offer from all five of the Dragons.

The pair impressed the Dragons with a subscription service that delivers exclusive, small-batch gins directly to customers’ doors each month, along with mixers, snacks, and a curated magazine.

After Sarah Willingham revealed she was already a customer of the brand, Hulme and Burke ended up accepting her offer of £75,000 for a 12.5% equity stake. Within months of airing, Craft Gin Club saw a huge spike in subscribers, equalling over 120,000 in 2022. According to Republic Europe, the company’s valuation is at £37.7 million.

Reggae Reggae Sauce (£30 million)

One of the most famous success stories to come from the Den, founder Levi Roots has become a household name with his popular hot BBQ sauces that tell you to “put some music in your food.”

After appearing on the show in 2007 – and having serenaded the Dragons with the song that he would later become famous for – Roots (real name Keith Graham), secured investment from Jones and Richard Farleigh, but was told by Bannatyne that there was “no future for his business.” Fast forward nearly 20 years, and Roots has undoubtedly proved Bannatyne wrong.

Reggae Reggae Sauce is now stocked in major UK supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrisons. It has also expanded its offerings to chilled ready meals, pasties and even Carribean-flavoured soft drinks – taking the brand’s worth to around £30 million, as of 2023.

Wonderbly (£30 million)

Founded in 2012 by ‘dadpreneurs’ Asi Sharabi, David Cadji-Newby, Tal Oron and Pedro Serapicos, Wonderbly (then known as Lost My Name) took to the Den in 2014 in search of a £100,000 funding boost.

During the pitch, the Dragons were impressed by the rapid growth that the business had experienced so far, having scaled by an eye-watering 2,000% between the October and November of 2013.

But it was tech-lover and fellow father Piers Linney who was won over by the business – so much so that he broke records by investing all of the requested money for just 4% equity; the best equity deal in the history of Dragons’ Den.

And it seems that this bold move paid off. Known for its beautiful illustrations, fun stories and intricate personalisation, Wonderbly has now sold over ten million books in countries all over the world.

Chocbox (£25 million)

When Peter Moule pitched Chocbox and his business plan to the Dragons in 2007, he had no idea that it would be labelled as the show’s “biggest-ever success”.

A simple but innovative electrical product designed to safely store and protect electrical wiring connections, Chocbox comes in a fire-resistant junction box that allows electricians and DIYers to enclose electrical connections securely – reducing the risk of short circuits or exposed wiring.

After securing a £150,000 investment from Bannatyne and Caan in exchange for a 36% stake, Chocbox quickly gained traction and landed a £25 million deal just three months later. Today, Chocbox is now a multi-million-pound product sold across 152 countries.

GripIt (£23 million)

GripIt Fixing founder Jordan Daykin appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2014 when he was just 18 years old. 

Having created a patented solution for firmly fixing screws into a plasterboard with the ability to hold 180kg in weight, Daykin’s confident pitch won over Meaden, who invested £80,000 for a 25% equity stake in the business.

While the company faced some hard times over the years – including Daykin leaving the business in 2019 and being faced with potential insolvency – it’s now worth £23 million and is sold in major DIY stores across the UK, as well as the US, Canada, Europe, UAE, Australia and New Zealand.

Kirsty’s (£15 million)

Kirsty Henshaw was 19 when she first appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2010. While raising her son as a single mum at the time, Henshaw successfully impressed investors with her range of dairy-free ice cream and secured £65,000 in investment.

While Bannatyne and Jones were keen to take a stake in the business – named Worthenshaw’s at the time – Henshaw was unable to get the traction she needed for an ice cream business, so decided to rebrand with a focus on gluten and dairy-free ready meals.

Henshaw’s decision paid off, as her products are now sold in major supermarkets and are now valued at £15 million. Sales were also reported to be at £15 million a year and the company is working towards bringing it up to £25 million in the next two years.

Trunki (£12 million)

“No one in their right mind would think that business was worth £1 million” – was the comment made by Theo Paphitis following Trunki’s exit from the show in 2006 – an appearance which had seen founder Rob Law fail to win investment from the Dragons.

19 years later, Paphitis’s remark couldn’t be further from the truth.

Widely known to be one of the Den’s most successful “rejects”, the Trunki sit-on, ride-along children’s suitcases have become a familiar sight at airports all over the world – securing a £4 million backing from the Business Growth Fund in 2013 and being sold to ecommerce company Heroes, for £12 million ten years later.

Pouch (£10 million)

Recognised in the Startups 100 Index for 2018, Pouch is a free browser extension launched by Johnny Plein, Ben Corrigan and Vikram Simha in 2016, which automatically finds and presents users with the best discount codes available when shopping online.

But while the founding trio accepted £75,000 in exchange for 18% equity – with Touker Sulleyman, Jenny Campbell and Tej Lalvani each taking 6% – the deal ultimately fell through.

However, not long after being aired, Pouch was offered nearly triple the amount and a better equity deal, increasing the company’s valuation to £10 million. It also had a major PR boost, garnering over 60,000 new users and partnerships with major retailers and online stores, including Tesco, Boohoo and Sephora.

Hair Syrup (£4.5 million)

“Rejected by the Dragons, LOVED by TikTok” reads Hair Syrup’s TikTok profile.

While founder Lucie Macleod’s products didn’t win an investment, the power of social media marketing has continued to drive success. Known for its natural, pre-wash hair oil treatments, Hair Syrup has turned the business into a viral sensation on social media, gaining a loyal customer base through influencer marketing and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Despite the Dragons’ concerns over profitability – with Woodall commenting that she doesn’t like to “invest in trends” – Hair Syrup is booming as it’s now worth £4.5 million and is projected to generate £6.5 million in revenue later this year.

Hornit (£3 million)

With a mission to improve cyclist safety and visibility on the road, Hornit’s products – such as the “world’s loudest bicycle horn” – are designed to make cyclists more noticeable and heard while out on the road.

This was something founder Tom de Pelet pitched when he entered the Den in 2015. Unfortunately, though, he was unable to secure any investment from the Dragons. 

But that didn’t mean the journey was over for Hornit, as the company went on to reach over £3 million in global sales just over 5 years later, capitalising on the increase in cycling activity in Australia during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hornit is still going strong today and sells a range of bike horns, safety-certified helmets, bike racks and more.

Football Billionaire (£2.5 million)

The youngest entrepreneur on Dragons’ Den to date, Shaye Sharma was just 15 years old when he appeared on the show in 2023.

Still studying his GCSEs at the time, Sharma pitched Football Billionaire to the Dragons – a family-friendly board game where players can build their own football empire by buying clubs, players and stadiums.

Sharma successfully secured a deal with Jones, who offered £50,000 in exchange for 20% of the business. While the deal fell through, it was reported that Football Billionaire turned over double what Sharma anticipated, and is now worth £2.5 million. Sharma also shared plans to develop a new board game, Billionaire, in which players can collect assets like super yachts and private jets.

Skin and Tan (£2.2 million)

Any business which boasts profit figures of £600,000 for its first year is bound to turn heads in the Den – which is exactly what founders Kate Cotton and Louise Ferguson did.

Known as Skinny Tan at the time, the company offers naturally deriving fake tan lotion, which claims to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

After its 2013 appearance in the Den, Skin and Tan is still going strong – generating £20.1 million in revenue in 2023 and expanding into the UK, US, Australian and Canadian markets.

Magic Whiteboard (£1.2 million)

Another company considered one of the Dragons’ most successful investments, Magic Whiteboard appeared on the show in 2008 and successfully won over Paphitis and Meaden with its simple yet innovative roll-on, reusable whiteboard sheets.

Founded by husband and wife team Neil and Laura Westwood, Magic Whiteboard’s products are now sold in major retailers like Ryman and Amazon, and have expanded into international markets.

Today, the company is reported to make £1.2 million in sales every year and sells a range of Magic Whiteboard-branded products, including blackout blinds, reusable notebooks, pegboard organisers and much more.

Want to discover the next big names in business? Check out our Startups 100 for 2025 Index to see this year’s most innovative startups that are shaking up the industry.