Two Dragons' Den entrepreneurs who were branded "delusional" by Touker Suleyman over their company valuation have revealed their vegan pet food brand is now worth £11 million. The Dragon recently announced he would be stepping down from the show after ten years.
Touker's Departure from Dragons' Den
Touker Suleyman confirmed his exit from the BBC programme over the weekend, describing it as an "immense privilege" to have been part of the show. In a social media post, he wrote: "It has been an immense privilege to sit in that chair, to meet so many passionate and talented entrepreneurs, and to invest in businesses and people I truly believed in. The show gave me a platform not only to invest in leading British founders and companies, but to share hard-won wisdom built over decades in business – and I hope that, in some small way, I made a difference to those who stood opposite me."
The Omni Founders' Journey
Dr Guy Sandelowsky and Shiv Sivakumar, founders of Omni, appeared on the show last year seeking investment for their protein-based, vegan pet food brand. Established in 2021, the company focuses on improving pets' wellbeing through lab-grown, calorie-controlled, and environmentally sustainable food. Within two years, they had generated over £2.5 million in sales and sought £75,000 for a 1% stake in their business.
Touker's Scathing Rejection
Touker was unimpressed, declaring he "wouldn't even get out of bed for" that sum and bluntly stated: "You're delusional about what this is really worth." Although Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett supported the entrepreneurs, Touker rejected Omni's lifetime value projections and quickly said, "I'm out."
Proving the Critics Wrong
Despite Touker's harsh assessment, the Omni founders revealed in a 2025 interview that their business was valued at £7.5 million, and shortly after, it soared to £11 million. They have even collaborated with Springwatch's Chris Packham.
Reflecting on Touker and Peter Jones's comments, Dr Guy told Metro: "I feel like when we were in the Den, they were looking at our historical numbers and basing that on our valuation, but what we were basing it on was actually what our revenue was like at that point, because we're so fast-growing. We can make quite reasonable assumptions about what we're going to do in the coming months as well, and I felt like that wasn't necessarily as much their focus. When you look at our run-rate based on our revenue, it's not as crazy as they were sort of alluding to at all."
He emphasised that their experience in the Den came down to their product, not their numbers. "In hindsight, the one disadvantage of it is that we didn't get to show the nation so much of the other stuff we filmed, like the details of our products."
Overwhelming Demand After the Show
Speaking in March 2025, the founders said the response from the series had been "amazing." They added: "We're trying to keep up, honestly, we're just a small business trying to help pets live happier lives, and we knew that going on the show would increase our exposure. But we never imagined the demand that we're seeing now, we've had to re-evaluate our stock levels and the number of people helping with our customer service and packaging, so it's been really, really positive."
Dr Guy continued: "It's just a testament to the fact that so many people out there watching the show understood what we're trying to do, aligned with our mission and were willing to give it a go."
Touker's Farewell Message
In his announcement, Touker stated: "Stepping back from Dragons' Den will give me more time to mentor the entrepreneurs I have invested in, and to give back the 50 years of business experience I have accumulated. If I can help the next generation avoid the pitfalls I've faced, seize the opportunities I almost missed, and build businesses they are truly proud of, then that will be the most rewarding chapter of my career yet."
He concluded: "To the BBC, to my fellow Dragons past and present, to the production team, and above all to the entrepreneurs who dared to walk through those doors – thank you. It has been one of the greatest joys of my career. The fire in the Den burns on. I simply pass the torch."
Following Sara Davies's departure last year, it remains unconfirmed who will join Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, and Steven Bartlett in the Den. Dragons' Den is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
