Jason and Belle Richardson were second to pitch on tonight’s episode of Dragons’ Den.
Episode 9 of series 23 saw the return of guest judge and football legend Gary Neville alongside regular Dragons Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett.
The husband-and-wife founders of SealStop, a gadget designed to eliminate water waste, also own and run a farm in Pocklington – a market town and civil parish at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds in the East Riding of Yorkshire – and launched the device in 2024 after five years of preparation.
The portable ballcock features an automatic shut-off valve which allows gardeners to keep a tap or hose running without the risk of overfilling a container.
The team now sells SealStop across six countries and says it has won 12 awards – including recognition for sustainability and innovation.
They claim to have turned down offers from major companies to buy the company and say they are not motivated by profit.
On their appearance in the Den, Belle said: “We are so thrilled to have been featured in this series. It’s such an honour and a privilege.
“What started as one of those everyday frustrations on our smallholding has completely changed our lives.
“We never imagined it would lead us to building an award-winning business together and standing in front of the Dragons. We’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come in such a short space of time, and we hope our journey inspires others to back their ideas and just give it a go.
“Saving water has never been so important. It has been predicted that, by 2050, there will be a five billion litre water shortfall daily in the UK.
“Meanwhile the Government, realising this potential water crisis, has set a 20% reduction target for household water use.”
All Dragons’ Den investments made by Deborah Meaden
All Dragons’ Den investments made by Peter Jones CBE