The latest series of Dragons' Den has captivated audiences, but not every handshake in the Den leads to a lasting partnership. Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett revealed on his YouTube channel that after a deal is struck, due diligence begins, and some investments fall through.
Teenager Shaye Bhattessa-Sharma, the youngest ever entrepreneur on the show, impressed Peter Jones with his Football Billionaire board game in March 2023. Jones agreed to invest £50,000 for a 20 per cent stake, but the deal never materialised. Shaye later told The Sun his company was worth £2.5 million without Jones.
Retired teachers Debbie and Rob Greaves, from Milton Keynes, pitched their dog walking bags, Barking Bags, in 2022. Sara Davies agreed to invest, but the couple later decided against the partnership and secured local investment instead.
Tom Keen, then 27, presented the Flush Brush, a self-cleaning toilet brush, in 2019. He secured a deal with Touker Suleyman, but the partnership later collapsed, with Keen citing a lack of support.
These examples show that while the Den can launch businesses, many deals fail to survive the due diligence process or the transition to a working relationship.
