Two entrepreneurs have secured a £100,000 investment on Dragons' Den for Peequal, a flat-pack squatting urinal designed to cut women's toilet queues. The product, created by Amber and Hazel, is 2.7 times faster to use from point of entry than a standard cubicle.
Solving the festival toilet problem
The pair met at university and united with a passion to find a resolution to the widespread problem of women's toilet queues. 'Our mission is to pioneer pee equality for all women everywhere,' they said.
Speaking to dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Steven Bartlett, Jenna Meek and Touker Sulyman, they highlighted the financial benefit for festivals which could be losing out on millions of potential spend from women stuck in queues when they could be buying food or drink.
Environmental and capacity benefits
Peequal also cuts costs by being able to pack three urinals in one truck, saves 1.2 litres of water per use and is built entirely out of ocean waste. Since launching at Glastonbury in 2022, it is now installed at more than 40 festivals, from Shambala and We Out Here to the London Marathon.
Amber and Hazel asked for a £100,000 investment for a 2% stake. 'We're getting so much demand – we're limited in capacity, not demand. This is what the investment will go towards,' they explained.
Dragons' mixed reactions
The dragons all agreed Amber and Hazel were 'so impressive', but Peter Jones said: 'I'm really upset with you. I'm upset because you've asked for too much money and I really want to find a way to invest in two great entrepreneurs of the future but I think you've overvalued your business to a level that doesn't make it investable. It would mean taking a large stake in your business at this stage which makes me uncomfortable too.'
Steven Bartlett told them: 'This is so difficult because I believe that you're going to be successful and I believe that your success is going to result in me seeing here everywhere I go – at every festival, at every marathon. But, still, having that foresight and knowing how successful this is going to be it wasn't clear cut for me and it reminded me how important passion is in my investment strategy because that's what energises me and I couldn't quite get there.'
Deal secured with Deborah Meaden
Deborah Meaden offered £100,000 but for a 5% stake, saying: 'I think your valuation is way off.' Amber and Hazel asked if she would go down to 4%, but the dragon held firm, insisting she made a 'fair offer'. The pair shook hands and left the den with £100,000.
Dragons' Den airs at 8pm tonight on BBC Two.
