In the light of yesterday’s post, which explained how the government is looking to the SME sector for advice on what alternative finance options should be available to small businesses, it is interesting to note that the producers of hit series ‘Dragon’s Den’ have started looking for this year’s contestants.
The phenomenon that is Dragon’s Den is set to return to our screens later this year, for what will be its eighth series. The whole gang – including service industry expert Deborah Meaden, newly appointed Big Issue UK’s Strategic Director James Caan and maverick entrepreneur Peter Jones – will all be back to judge the best and the worst of the UK’s entrepreneurs.
The production team expects this series to be the best yet, as small business owners, explain how they have survived the recession so far and why they now need more finance to build on what they have already achieved.
In the last series – in which budding entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas, products and inventions to a collection of five successful entrepreneurs in the hope of securing their expertise and financial input – over ten companies received a Dragon’s backing, while over fifteen of the entrepreneurs who pitched and did not recieve funding, went on to find an alternative route to market.
If you think you and your business idea are up to the challenge, check out the Dragon’s Den website to apply.