Series 23 of Dragons’ Den continues tonight with episode 9.
The episode will see the return of guest judge and football legend Gary Neville alongside regular Dragons Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett.
The pitches in this episode cover nut-and-seed-based snacks, a gadget for tackling water waste, a vision for upscaling a mural installation business and cricket gear designed to empower girls and women.
RAISE Snacks
First in the Den is solo entrepreneur Chester Robinson, who enters hoping the Dragons will bite as he presents his nut-and-seed-based snacks.
The RAISE Snacks founder took to LinkedIn recently to share the news that he would appear on the show – “one of the biggest moments of my entrepreneurial journey”.
His company is on a mission to raise the snacking game for good via natural, delicious and nutritious snacks.
With natural benefits, each little cluster of nuts and seeds provides a great source of protein, fibre and antioxidants, and under 5g sugar per pack, without compromising on taste. They are also suitable for those following a gluten free or vegan diet.
Inspired by a family granola recipe – with early products developed with his mum in the family kitchen – RAISE now produces six flavours: four nut-and-seed clusters (Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt, Dark Chocolate & Orange, Maple Pecan and Caramel Sea Salt), and two nut clusters (Raspberry and Coconut & Almond).
Chester says he is looking to “big up natural snacking” and “take down the weird world of ultra processed snacks by pioneering big taste without the trade-offs”.
At the start of the year RAISE revealed brand new packaging in a refreshed design perhaps influenced by the Dragons.
RAISE also supports young people at risk of hunger in the UK by donating 1% of every sale to Magic Breakfast via Work for Good.
SealStop
Next up are Jason and Belle Richardson, founders of SealStop, a gadget designed to eliminate water waste.
The husband-and-wife team, who 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 – 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.
Street Arts Hire
Following them is Nathan Murdoch, a graffiti artist who will paint a bold vision for scaling his mural installation business.
Based in Peterborough, Nathan’s murals can be seen right across the East of England city.
Through his business Street Arts Hire, he creates private murals as well as community-led projects and is looking to expand.
He has won awards and seen several of his works go viral around the world.
Maiden Cricket
Completing the episode are cricketing sisters Honor, 18, and Cat Black, 17, founders of female-first cricket brand Maiden Cricket.
The Sussex sisters launched Maiden in 2024 with the tagline: ‘Built for her. Not adapted from him.’
At the time, the siblings were pupils at Hurstpierpoint College and had become frustrated at having to wear boys’ kit and use products that weren’t designed with female cricketers in mind.
The trousers were often too long, the tops were see-through and the pads were either too big or too heavy.
Their appearance on Dragons’ Den was filmed in 2025, when Honor and Cat were 17 and 16 respectively. They were joined by Nicole Muller, mentor and business lead at Maiden Cricket.
In just two years, Maiden has grown into a national brand working with clubs, schools, universities and county boards across the UK.
It is supported by a community of more than 300 ambassadors, including players and former players such as Alex Hartley and Mia Rogers.
Cat said: “Maiden started because we were tired of girls having to compromise on kit that wasn’t made for them.
“Everything we’ve built is about changing that and making sure female players have products that work for them, not adapted versions of men’s gear.”