Entrepreneurs Amber Probyn, 28, and Hazel McShane, 30, appeared on Dragons' Den on Thursday, 24 September, pitching their women's urinal startup PEEQUAL. They sought £100,000 for a 2% stake in the business, which launched at Glastonbury in 2022.
After their pitch, Peter Jones told them: "I'm really upset with you… I'm upset because I think you've asked for too much money. I really want to find a way to invest in two great entrepreneurs of the future but I think you've way overvalued your business to a level that doesn't make it investible. It would mean having to take a large chunk of your business at this stage, and that makes me really uncomfortable, too."
Dragons try the product
During the pitch, the pair invited the Dragons to try the flat-packed, squat-and-go urinals. Deborah Meaden joked she couldn't without her co-stars turning away, while Touker Suleyman had a go at squatting over the creation. Steven Bartlett admitted: "It's difficult because I believe you're going to be successful, and I believe your success is going to result in me seeing these everywhere I go, at every festival, probably every marathon." He and guest Dragon Jenna Meek declined to invest.
Touker praised the pair's "passion" but warned against competitors.
Deal secured with Deborah Meaden
Deborah offered the £100,000 the pair requested, but asked for 5% of the business, which Amber and Hazel accepted.
Amber said of the experience: "I've always loved Dragons' Den but I never thought I'd be on it! We've pitched for funding at Dragons' Den-style events - but knowing it's going on TV and with five very successful businesspeople questioning every part of your business, it's a different level of pressure. The BBC invited us to apply several times and this felt like the right time to go for it. But we didn't just want to secure a deal - we wanted to highlight the massive inequality in toilet queue times."
Hazel added: "I think everyone was a bit surprised when we backed our truck into the studio and started hauling out the urinal. We quickly announced it was freshly cleaned! When you've watched pitches torn apart on TV, it's a little nerve-wracking heading to the lift. We're really proud of how we did though."
Expansion plans after investment
Since the pitch and securing Deborah's investment, Amber and Hazel have raised just under £1 million, with plans to expand globally. "Ultimately, we want to cut queue times for as many women as possible," Amber said.
