Dragons’ Den 2021 moves to BBC One for its new series – here’s all you need to know.
Dragons’ Den returns with a new set of eager entrepreneurs hoping to strike a life-changing deal with the toughest titans of industry.
The Dragons on the series are Serial investor Deborah Meaden, technology titan Peter Jones, fashion retail tycoon Touker Suleyman, supplement supremo Tej Lalvani and crafting entrepreneur Sara Davies.
The new series of Dragons’ Den will see the show move to BBC One, currently airing Thursdays. The new series has 14 episodes. The next episode airs Thursday, 8 July at 9PM.
As well as watching on TV you can watch online and catch up with past episodes via the BBC iPlayer.
Dragons’ Den 2021 episodes
Episode 1 – 1 April
A pair of tea entrepreneurs find themselves in hot water when their numbers are interrogated. The Dragons’ discover hidden artistic talents when a mindfulness art business is pitched. An optical inventor hopes to have investment in sight with his anti-glare eyewear and a husband-and-wife team put the needs of NHS workers at the heart of their skin-care business, but will their altruistic approach go down well?
Episode 2 – 8 April
A pair of university graduates hope that their organic superfood powders will supercharge the Dragon’s pockets, a low-calorie craft lager business brews up trouble over its high valuation and a dental duo try out their plaque-detecting app on a Dragon; will they clean up in the Den? Finally, a heartfelt pitch from an entrepreneur hoping to scale her range of afro and curly hair products but with low sales figures, can she leave the Den with a bounce in her step?
Episode 3 – 15 April
Braving the heat of the Den tonight are a beauty entrepreneur with her range of affordable yet luxury waterless face oils, and a Northumbrian inventor whose nifty construction bracket has endless possibilities. A tech entrepreneur is put through her paces when she showcases a fitness app aimed solely at women, and a Scottish dog lover with a range of natural doggie treats hopes the Dragons will throw her a financial bone.
Episode 4 – 22 April
The Dragons are entertained by a DJ and dancer pitching a socially distanced nightclub business, and an Irish inventor with a muscle massaging device hopes his proposition will loosen up the Dragons’ pockets. A pair of optical consultants have their sights set on investment with their ready-readers business, and a 29-year-old tech enthusiast is confident that his clever way of monetising our personal online data will spark interest with the Dragons.
Episode 5 – 29 April
A Mancunian pair with a dream of sharing music through an app are brought down to earth over their optimistic forecasts. A husband-and-wife team stand their ground under fierce interrogation over their ethical clothing verification platform. And the Den is emotionally charged when an Irish entrepreneur tells the story behind her active shape-wear range, proving even the toughest of Dragons’ have a heart.
Episode 6 – 6 May
A plucky entrepreneur has lofty ambitions for his genetically personalised meal shakes, but will the Dragons see a nutritious return on their money? A married couple hope their alcoholic gift box business will make for an intoxicating proposition, and the Dragons are put to the test by a virtual escape room business – will they unlock their coffers and strike a deal? Finally, a ‘head nit picker’ is itching to show off her head lice treatment and clinic, but will the Dragons share her passion for parasites?
Episode 7 – 13 May
Hungry for investment in tonight’s fiery episode are two ex-barmen with a nifty premium whisky subscription business, a construction worker with an easy-assemble lighting system he thinks will spark some interest, and an Isle of Man entrepreneur pitching a clever sand-removing powder. The Dragons are intrigued by a quirky nose-mounted air filter, but will it get a sniff at investment?
Episode 8 – 20 May
Plantable children’s books are the offering from two friends who are hoping to gain a Dragon to grow their brand. A pair of ex-bankers pitch their ambitious at-home private chef service, and a Wirral-based entrepreneur pitches his range of luxury home fragrance products. Finally, a husband and wife team are keen to broaden out their scent-detection courses for dogs; will the Dragons see it as an opportunity that’s not to be sniffed at?
Episode 9 – 27 May
A London-based entrepreneur pitches an assortment of naturally derived sugar alternatives, hoping the response to his proposition will be just as sweet. A couple face a roasting over their optimistic projections for their vitamin-infused coffee, an inventor hopes to fix a deal with her portable children’s suction mats, and will a range of innovative eco cleaning products clean up with the Dragons?
Episode 10 – 3 June
Familiar face Theo Paphitis makes a comeback as he stands in for Peter Jones, who is self-isolating. He joins red-hot investors Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Tej Lalvani and Sara Davies in the famous chairs. Tonight, there’s an explosive start to a pitch when a father and daughter duo demonstrate their airbag safety equipment. A self-balancing serving tray is put through its paces by a hands-on Theo Paphitis. The Dragons are bewildered by a multitudinous mix of merchandise on offer by a planet-saving entrepreneur, and an Irish couple pitch their anti-roll changing mat for babies. Can they hold down a deal?
Episode 11 – 10 June
Spirits run high when the Dragons are served a selection of premium spiced rums by a confident drinks entrepreneur, and a nursing bra designed to help mothers and babies breastfeed effectively is questioned over its scalability. A heatless hair-curling device invented in a garden shed is offered up, and a Midlands-based duo pitch a voice-enhanced app for learner readers. Will their tech concept open up a new financial chapter, or will the Dragons close their books on a deal?
Episode 12 – 24 June
Hoping to strike a deal tonight are the musical inventor of a drumming training device and an LA-born entrepreneur with a culinary alcohol product range. There is also a first-aid demonstration by four children who hope to boost their parents’ chances of investment. Finally, a prototype shoe mechanism is sized up by the Dragons, but do they think the entrepreneurs’ substantial expenditure on patents was a step in the wrong direction?
Episode 13 – 1 July
An Irish inventor plans to scoop up some cash with his quirky pet products, and a pair of optometrists hope the Dragons will see a bright future in their blue-light filtering products. A schoolteacher tempts the Dragons’ taste buds as well as their pockets with her low-sugar children’s jams, and an eco-entrepreneur pitches a carbon-offset trading app, but with unclear business projections, will he plant the seeds of doubt within the Dragons?
Episode 14 – 8 July
Facing the Dragons tonight in the series finale: a digital entrepreneur with her online hypno-birthing platforms; two business partners from the north east with a unique recycled building system; a plant-based, biodegradable chewing gum start-up; and a dynamic pair of jewellers with their bespoke ring-making kits. When this last pair lose their grip on the numbers, their proposition appears to be more of a diamond in the rough than a glittering opportunity.
Dragons’ Den airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday nights at 8PM from 1 April.
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