From Dragons' Den Rejection to £13 Million Revenue
Dr. Guy Sandelowsky and Shiv Sivakumar, co-founders of pet health brand Omni Pet, have turned a humiliating Dragons' Den appearance into a stunning success story. After being called 'delusional' by Dragon Touker Suleyman in February 2025, the duo has since secured £11 million in investment and achieved £13 million in annualised revenue.
The entrepreneurs appeared on the BBC show seeking backing for their pet nutrition company. Despite scepticism from Peter Jones and Touker Suleyman, they secured investment from Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett. Since then, Omni Pet has experienced explosive growth, adding over 100,000 new customers and closing 2025 with £8.4 million in sales.
Co-Founders Reflect on Their Journey
Shiv Sivakumar, a former investment banker, expressed gratitude for the Dragons' Den platform. 'As a consumer brand, we know the power of a programme like Dragons' Den, and it really helped bring our mission to millions of people across the country,' he said. 'As an early-stage business, it's difficult to get your message out there because we're competing against the giants of the pet food industry while trying to do something genuinely different.'
Regarding the criticism from Touker Suleyman, Shiv added: 'Whenever you're trying to do something different, it's quite normal to be called “delusional”. Human nature is to follow what's already working, so if you challenge the status quo, people naturally question it. Sometimes that's actually a sign you're onto something.'
Dr. Guy Sandelowsky, an experienced veterinarian, described the company's success as 'extremely validating'. 'As founders, you're always taking a risk. Even if you believe in your idea, when respected business figures question your valuation, it inevitably creates moments of self-doubt,' he said. 'Now we've been backed by some of the most respected investors in consumer businesses.'
Investors Back Omni Pet's Vision
Omni Pet has attracted significant investment from firms including IW Capital and Redrice Ventures, with £11 million earmarked to fuel the next phase of growth. The company creates calorie-controlled, protein-rich products designed to tackle obesity, allergies, and digestive problems in dogs. According to UK Pet Food, over 50% of dogs and 43% of cats are overweight, a problem Omni Pet aims to address.
The brand has served over 300,000 customers and continues to raise awareness about pet nutrition. 'We've grown from around a £1 million annual run rate to approximately £13 million annualised revenue in just over a year, entirely through direct-to-consumer sales and Amazon,' Shiv noted. 'We're not even on supermarket shelves yet.'
Dragons' Den is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
