Series 23 of Dragons’ Den returns to our screens tonight after the summer break.
Episode 8 will see the return of guest judges Susie Ma and Jenna Meek – the commerce queens who made their debuts earlier in the series – alongside regular Dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett.
With female Dragons outnumbering the males for the first time, it signals a power shift in the Den… this series will be the last one featuring Touker Suleyman, who announced earlier this year that he would be leaving the show after more than a decade in the Den.
The pitches in this episode cover water-saving hair care, traditional confectionery, handcrafted spice blends and a mission-led travel startup.
Selkie haircare
First in the Den tonight is Cicely Coops (pictured below), founder of sustainable haircare company Selkie.
Based in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, Selkie was founded in 2021. Chemist Cicely will pitch her innovative powder-to-liquid haircare brand, created as a more sustainable, natural alternative to the current shampoo and conditioners on the market.
“I am so excited to be appearing on this series,” she said. “It could be huge for my business and I can’t wait for it to air.”
Manufactured by a certified B Corp partner in Europe, Selkie is made from 98% naturally derived ingredients and free from harsh sulphates, silicones and unnecessary additives.
Sold as a powder with a keep-for-life refillable bottle system, it eliminates single use plastic and ships no water, helping to reduce unnecessary transport emissions.
Mr Swainstons sweet shop
Following Cicely will be John Gray and Sean Robinson – founders of a retro sweet shop in South Shields in the North East.
Opened in May 2024, Mr Swainstons sells hundreds of retro sweets including cola cubes, aniseed balls and sherbet lemons. With 600 jars of sweets today, it also has an online business.
As well as individual bags, customers can build pick ‘n’ mix boxes while there is also a ‘snackle box’ with 1.6kg of sweets in a reusable lockable container.
The business was inspired by a trip to the Beamish living museum, they will tell the Dragons.
Spice Kitchen
Third up will be mother-and-son founders Shashi and Sanjay Aggarwal, behind Spice Kitchen.
Launched in 2012, they sell handcrafted spice blends and collections in traditional Indian stainless steel masala tins. They also sell spiced chocolates, hot chocolate and cookbooks.
Aggarwal is the self-styled ‘chief spice officer’ at Spice Kitchen. He wrote on LinkedIn of his experience in the Den with his mum: “Standing beside her as those lift doors opened is something I’ll never forget. I was SOOO flipping nervous while she was calm as you like.
“You all know that Spice Kitchen began with mum, her phenomenal spice cookery and conversations around our family kitchen table, so stepping into the Den together felt like a very special moment in our story.
Sanjay Aggarwal and his mum Shashi, of Spice Kitchen
“It dawned on us a few weeks ago that at 76, mum is believed to be one of the oldest entrepreneurs ever to pitch on the programme. I couldn’t be prouder of her, or more grateful that we got to take this particular leap of faith together.
“To all the founders and small-business owners in my network: you’ll know just how much courage it takes to put yourself and your business out there.”
Plotpackers
Last but not least in the Den tonight is Louise Truman (pictured, main image), the London-based founder of Plotpackers.
Louise recounted to BusinessCloud this week how a terrifying experience inspired her to build the £2 million business: then aged 21, she was sexually assaulted on a solo backpacking trip and considers herself lucky to have survived it.
In 2023, aged 23, she started Plotpackers with one goal: to build what she wished had existed for her as a young woman travelling the world solo.
Plotpackers organises group trips around the world, with more than 25 destinations on offer.