The Den was filled with sparkle when Mum Kitty Auguste entered the Den with her daughters. Nel and Tessie immediately set about demonstrating how to apply their glittery body paint using a flower shaped transfer, clearly experts at their craft.
Kitty explained that when she had looked for play makeup for Nel and Tessie, she was unable to find any available in the UK with purely natural ingredients. She’d discovered a gap in the market - consumers who are waking up to the need for products that are kind to the skin as well as the planet. That’s when she started The Natural Play Makeup Company.
“I wanted to produce play makeup without nasties, that are natural on the skin… and bring a natural sparkle into children's' lives.”
Kitty asked the Dragons for £70,000 in exchange for 15% of her business. She currently sells online and was seeking help to enter the retail market, but as the Dragons were all agreed, she would need to bring her costs down first to achieve the right margin.
Eco-Dragon Deborah Meaden could see an opportunity for Kitty as “the first and the most trusted” in the UK market for natural play makeup, in spite of the manufacturing cost challenge. Consumer education would be a key element of building the brand’s success, she advised.
I don’t think you’ll be making £20 million but we’ll have told a lot of people stuff they won’t even have thought about – right now they’re just putting it on their childrens’ faces.
Deborah’s offer of all of the money for 20% of the business added a touch of sparkle to Kitty’s day, as she willingly accepted the deal.
It was clear that Marietta Hickman inspired the Dragons with her professionalism as well as her tasty, home-made, Cheeky Nibble. She has found the repetitive process of hand baking more than 15,000 boxes of her allergen-free vegan granola bars therapeutic, helping to alleviate her anxiety and reduce the symptoms of her neuro-divergent conditions.
With innovation awards and Selfridges sales agreements to her credit as well as being in talks with Boots, Marietta asked for £60,000 for a 10% stake. This, she hoped, would help her scale up her business and “impact more lives”, declaring herself “on a mission to spread joy through food”.
In spite of being tempted by the granola bar flavours and being very encouraging about Marietta’s success so far, the Dragons felt that the cost of the bars would prevent her upscaling the business. They recommended instead that she focus on more niche outlets.
Marietta was not too downhearted, feeling proud of the kind words she had received from the Dragons.
I can see from our ‘Search for a trade mark’ function that both Kitty and Marietta have taken the step to register trade marks to protect their brand name from being copied.
The trade mark application process is straightforward. After submitting details of your mark and the goods or services you want to use it for, we (the Intellectual Property Office) will:
If there are any issues, we let you know, otherwise your trade mark will be granted around 3 to 4 months from the date of your application.
“With licensing he could be a multi-millionaire in years to come” said Peter Jones, watching entrepreneur Bob Gokani leave the Den empty handed. Bob had just rejected offers from Peter and Touker for investment in his patented eye drop applicator, Ezidrops, and an ear drop applicator.
With interest from Boots, Amazon and multiple independent pharmacies, Bob clearly had enough confidence in his product not to want to give too much of his business away or pursue the licensing route.
Is your IP ready for investment?
The IPO has a range of helpful, free to use online tools to help entrepreneurs such as Bob, including advice on how to prepare their business when they are seeking equity finance to grow. Find out more about our free online tools through this link – just register or log in to access.
Anthony Cherry was the last visitor to the Den in this episode. He has a patent and a patent pending for his Time:O:Stat invention – an easy to use thermostat for students and tenants in rented accommodation. The timer function can greatly reduce the cost of heating for landlords of multiple occupancy homes, Anthony assured the Den.
The Dragons could see the advantage of the product, and it was the well-connected Touker who negotiated a deal with the entrepreneur, in spite of seemingly high product costs. He was keen to link him up with UK landlord networks.
Discussion in the Den included a Dragon warning that others could come up with similar, more cost-effective solutions to the high cost of bills in multi-occupancy rentals. Anthony was wise to patent his invention to prevent others from copying it.
You will also need to include legal statements that set out the technical features of your invention that need to be protected. These are known as ‘claims’.
You will also need to include a summary of all the important technical aspects of your invention. This summary is called an ‘abstract’.
Find out how to prepare your description, claims and abstract.
If you are thinking about the intellectual property in your business, visit the IP for Business section of our website or sign up to receive regular updates.
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the IPO's Dragons' Den IP blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
]]>First into the Den is entrepreneur Nick King and his sons Daniel and Ricky, with their family run business, Goats of the Gorge. They asked for £30,000 in exchange for 10% of their business.
When diagnosed with osteoporosis, dad Ricky was advised by a hospital consultant to start drinking goats' milk to help with his calcium intake. After some further research the businessman discovered goats’ milk contains lactic acid which helps to break down dead skin cells and vitamin A which helps to repair damaged skin tissue. This is where the trio's idea for goats' milk skincare products began.
The special milky skincare formula they use could be protected by a trade secret. The good thing about trade secrets is that:
Some of the best-known products are protected by trade secrets. Trade secrets are free, have no expiry date (providing you can keep a secret!) and are not disclosed to the public. It is important that ‘Goat of the Gorge' asks anyone involved – suppliers, manufacturers, employees – to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Check out our guidance page on NDAs to learn more (link): guidance page on NDAs
Unfortunately, the trio failed to get the Dragons to invest this time, but they left the Den more determined than ever.
Next into the Den was business ‘Zebedee Any Angle’ with their innovative solution for maximising storage space in a room with a sloping ceiling. Inventor Diane Challender came up with the idea after she failed to find any angled hanging rails for her own bedroom. Determined to find a resolution to her problem, she set about designing her own.
“After a few versions, I hit upon the idea of using a spring around a rod. I drew what I wanted and took it to a local engineer to be made.”
A quick search of our database showed that Diane has a patent registered on the function of the pole. A patent protects your invention and lets you take legal action against anyone who makes, uses, sells or imports it without your permission.
If you are confident that your invention meets the strict criteria for a patent we would always advise getting professional advice to help with your application. A patent attorney can help you write your application and guide you through the process of getting your application granted.
Search for a Patent Attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) (link): Find a Patent Attorney - CIPA
Diane was asking for £75,000 in return for 10% of her business. Sara saw potential in the space saving business but felt that it would need to be restructured and rebranded to be successful. With Diane happy to do whatever it takes, Sara made her an offer, all the money in return for 40% of the business - four times the equity Diane wanted to give away.
After a ‘talk to wall’ the pair finally settled on 40% equity within the business. They agreed on paying Sara back the investment within 18 months with the Dragon’s shares in the company dropping to 30%.
Have you enjoyed exploring the IP in tonight's episode? Don’t miss out, subscribe to our Dragons' Den IPO blog to get the latest updates sent straight to your inbox! Sign up (link): Subscribe - Dragons' Den: the Intellectual Property blog
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the IPO's Dragons' Den IP blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
]]>As a dog lover and owner, I was easily distracted by the gorgeous ‘Penny’ who was in danger of dominating the whole pitch. Once the allure of Penny had left, it was on to business. You may be wondering how dog treats can be protected by IP as they are not a unique or creative item?
When we consider IP protection, we consider the overall business and deciding which elements could potentially be protected. It is true that you cannot protect the idea of a dog treat but Richard Marles, founder of Park Life, has developed quite an eye-catching brand which Steven Bartlett highlighted during the pitch.
If you have created a noticeable brand, it would be disappointing to have that stolen by your competitors so protecting it with a trade mark would be essential. A trade mark also adds value to your business and allows you the opportunity to look at licensing agreements and defend them if you are infringed.
If you want to check if your name is available for trade mark protection you can search our free online facility. Search for a trade mark - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Jayne and Martin presented a heart-warming personal story which led them to develop an app allowing dementia patients to spend money and maintain their independence. As many of the Dragons pointed out, the idea is not unique as there are other applications offering a similar service. It is not possible to protect a conceptual idea with IP, but there are elements that you can protect to strengthen your business to scale and grow.
The Sibstar app already has a great brand that has potential for protection with a trade mark, this will prevent any competitor developing a similar idea and using the name. An app is also considered a creative piece of work and as such will have automatic protection through copyright.
Copyright protects the creative elements of a business and the aesthetic appearance, to demonstrate this protection you can use the © on all of your work. The creator of the work owns the copyright but there are exceptions to this rule that you should be aware of before creating your IP portfolio. Having an IP portfolio will strengthen your business and make you more attractive to investors. For more information on Copyright How copyright protects your work: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Last into the Den was MyoMaster founders, Lottie and Joe, who believed they had the solution to post exercise recovery. It was pointed out by many of the Dragons that the technology has been in existence for many years, so in terms of IP, it would be very difficult to protect these items.
For a product to be eligible for patent protection the requirement is for it to be completely unique. As these items were not unique, the Dragons were most interested in the application that supported their business allowing users to pinpoint the post exercise recovery dependant to the exercise. As a keen runner of half marathons this would be very useful, even if I’m still not convinced by the ice bath!
The application was the unique element of the business that secured them the deal. In terms of protection for this; they could utilise a trade mark for their brand, copyright for the creative aspects of the app and potentially design protection if the products are unique in shape.
Another great episode of Dragons’ Den this evening with my standout being when Richard Marles bravely declared “I’m out”, and for that reason alone, I will be looking out for his products the next time I’m in the supermarket.
Hope you enjoyed this episode and don’t forget to come back for more upcoming editions as we follow the BBC Dragons' Den series.
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the IPO's Dragons' Den IP blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
]]>Joe Woolf’s bright and breezy pitch warmed up the Dragons immediately. He was hoping to secure a sweet deal for his confectionary business. More than just a sugary treat though, his flavoured gummy sweets, Tasty Mates, have an important message attached: check in on a friend and see how they’re doing during these hard times and perhaps even indulge in the snack together.
For all the energy and enthusiasm that the Dragons had for Joe they couldn’t quite find the same enthusiasm for the brand itself.
Deborah Meaden gave Joe some advice to chew over that could help make the Tasty Mates proposition more appetising:
… until you’ve worked out a compelling story, I don’t think you’re going to sort the brand out…it isn’t just the shape of the pack, it’s everything, and until you know what you are, you will end up spending another half a million pounds messing around.
Regular readers of this blog will know how often the subject of brand comes up both inside the Den and here, on our blog. A brand is more than just a name, logo or slogan, it is the ‘identity’ of a business and offers customers assurance of what product or service level they can expect to receive.
A good brand needs to be distinctive and in fact, that’s also the criteria for brand protection. A registered trade mark (link) is used to protect brands and helps distinguish the offering from one trader to another. It must be distinctive and not descriptive of the goods or services.
A registered trade mark can be a word, phrase or logo, and can even be a shape, colour, sound, aspect of packaging or any combination of these. It is also a ‘promise of an experience’ and offers consumers assurance about the nature of the product or service they will receive.
In the case of Tasty Mates, one by one the Dragons declared themselves out, all because they didn’t believe in the strength of the brand, until there was only one Dragon left. Although Peter Jones had similar reservations he said he couldn’t stop thinking about the product and offered Joe the full £60,000 investment he was hoping for, but for the much heftier stake of 20% of the business. Joe jumped at the chance. I’m sure they themselves will become ‘tasty mates’ as well as having a lucrative business relationship.
As a massive lover of a beach holiday, just seeing Dave Weller’s brightly coloured beachwear products even before the man himself had entered the Den, my mind was transported to sunnier climes. If the prospect of a beach product wasn’t enough, imagine my excitement when Dave immediately mentioned the patented functionality of the sealable waterproof pocket within the swimwear!
As Dave explained more about the investment he was after for his company, Randy Cow, it turned out that the patent itself was owned by another company. This use of another company’s IP can be a really useful strategy, especially where saving time is important. A business may get its products or services to market more quickly by acquiring a licence (link) to use existing IP, instead of re-inventing the wheel.
The outlook is sunny
Dave's pitch had obviously got Touker Suleyman thinking:
You’ve got an opportunity in this sector. All you need is a designer to come in fresh and put together a collection using all your credentials of recycled fabrics.
While licensing IP from others can be a very useful business strategy it’s always worth thinking about how best to protect the IP assets already in the business. Touker’s advice got me thinking about the other types of IP rights Dave could look to protect: designs.
Designs (link) are automatically protected by design rights. These can protect your design in the UK for 10 years after the design was first sold or 15 years after it was created, whichever is earliest. Registered designs offer even more protection and last up to 25 years.
You can protect the look of your product in the UK for as little as £60 with a registered design. This covers all aspects of the design including the appearance, physical shape, configuration and decoration. The registration gives you exclusive rights for up to 25 years and if someone was to ever copy or steal your design, it would make taking legal action more straightforward.
It was another investment for Peter, who saw the potential in Randy Cow. He persuaded Touker to join him, bringing his manufacturing and fashion credentials to the business. The Dragons were happy to share the investment of £80,000 for 40% of the business.
What a great episode! With its focus on friendship sweets and swimwear, I have high hopes that warmer weather is just around the corner.
Did you enjoy this episode? Keep a look out for more upcoming editions as we follow the BBC Dragons' Den series.
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the IPO's Dragons' Den IP blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
]]>One businesswoman who caught my eye was founder of Scoff Paper, Gemma Connolly. Gemma brought with her the unique concept of pet-edible greetings cards. Perfect for any naughty puppy owners, these cards are designed to be safe for dogs to eat.
After a bubbly entrance, Gemma showcased her business, potato-based greetings cards, looking for an investment of £50k for a 10% stake. With stockists including Pets at Home and Aldi, the Dragons were interested in the offering and impressed by Gemma’s confident approach which had previously secured deals.
With existing investments in the pet industry, Touker Suleyman was keen to know whether there was potential for more than an annual birthday card before considering an offer. The promise of Valentines, Easter and even 'get well soon' cards from Gemma started to diminish his reservations.
Whilst Gemma was anxiously awaiting a potential investment, I started to think about how she could protect her business. A quick look on the IPO trade mark register shows that she registered her business name as a trade mark in 2020.
To make the most of any licencing opportunities, Gemma could also register a design for her cards, protecting the appearance of the products. You can register up to 50 designs for £150, which can last up to 25 years if renewed every 5 years.
Find out more about registering a design:
My anxiety lifted when both Sara Davies and Touker offered Gemma an investment, with Sara’s higher offer cinching the deal.
Next in the Den were duo Michael Goulden & Benjamin Whitaker, with the Kerbo Charger. As electric vehicles become more and more popular, Michael and Benjamin saw a gap in the market for those who didn’t have a driveway to charge their car.
With interest from local authorities and a live trial in place, the Kerbo Charger offers a solution with quick to install cabling under the pavement. Michael and Benjamin also showcased their app which allows users to share their charger with neighbours.
Despite Peter Jones’ fierce questions about the practicality of the product, Green Queen Deborah Meaden was on board with the entrepreneurs, impressed by the interest of local authorities.
With all this innovation, there was plenty of IP to dig into, from the copyright of the app to the design of the cable gully. If you’re not sure where to start with identifying the intellectual property in your business, take a look at our IP Health Check which can help you audit your business.
Another entrepreneur to make an innovative use of the humble potato was Maria Antoniou, with her unique combination of crisps and chocolate in a Bar of Crisps.
My ears were open to see if Maria could find a solution to the question we all ask ourselves when looking for a snack, crisps or chocolate?
Looking for a £50k investment for 20% of her business, Maria demonstrated a range of flavours of crisp chocolate hybrids, from ready salted to cheese and onion. The display of onions and chocolate together raised some eyebrows in the Den, but the Dragons were keen to get tucked in.
Steven Bartlett wasn’t so sure on the combination, and despite my initial interest, I had to agree. I like my chocolate and crisps separate. But the other Dragons could see how Maria could tap into both a niche audience and the novelty gifting market.
A product as unique as this must have IP in it. Beyond the branding of Bar of Crisps, Maria could use trade secrets to protect the way she makes her product. Non-disclosure agreements with manufacturers and business partners could offer protection for the process and keep that process confidential.
Find out how companies are using trade secrets in our trade secrets case studies.
After a sample, the Dragons got down into the detail, asking Maria about her sales so far and the retail price of her product. The Dragons felt the price didn’t match up with her packaging and unfortunately didn’t make an offer today.
Understanding the IP in your business is the first step to protecting your assets. Get started with our IP for Business resources for free tools and training.
Did you enjoy this episode? Keep a look out for more upcoming editions as we follow the BBC Dragons' Den series.
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the IPO's Dragons' Den IP blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
]]>Emma is a fashion designer and founder of denim company, Good American.
The first entrepreneur to enter the Den was Titilolami Bello. She was hoping to tempt the Dragons to invest in her business, ORI Lifestyle, looking for a £60k investment from the Dragons for a 15% stake.
She explained how she has tried many styles on her Afro hair over the years, and struggled with hair loss, which inspired her to create her hair care product range. Alongside her hair products, she wants to help educate the consumer, offering hair advice through an app.
The Dragons were impressed to hear that Titilolami’s business is currently stocked in Harrods and online at Selfridges.
The Dragons seemed interested in the product and began firing their questions. Guest Dragon Emma led the charge by highlighting the need to stand out. Is the product unique? What is its appeal to the market?
After her pitch, the entrepreneur quickly felt the heat of the Dragons with some heavy grilling on profit margins and projected sales by Deborah Meaden. I thought Titilolami may be about lose her cool...
Touker Suleyman felt that her idea of an app was not the best way to promote the brand and was soon out. Sadly, Steven Bartlett and Peter Jones failed to see an opportunity to invest which left Emma offering 25% for all the £60k.
A delighted entrepreneur quickly accepted the offer only to then realise Deborah had not yet had an opportunity to make a bid. She gracefully declined to invest leaving Titilolami to walk away with Emma’s offer.
After a quick search of our trade mark database, I discovered that the ORI Lifestyle company logo was registered on 19th January 2024 - UK00004004326
Like Titilolami has done with Ori, you can register your trade mark to protect your brand, for example the name of your product or service.
When you register your trade mark, you can:
Find out more about trade marks:
The next entrepreneurs to catch my eye were duo Sam and Charlie with their frozen food range ‘Stocked’. They were seeking a £50k investment for a 2% stake in their business.
Marketed as “chef cooked portion-controlled meals, ready in 4 minutes, for people with busy lives” this struck a chord with Dragon Sara: “you have described my life...but let's talk about the numbers!”
It was clear the pair were passionate about their brand and they described how it aligned nicely with their personal interests and values, helping busy foodies eat well, no matter how busy their lives and family schedules.
After revealing some large losses rolling into year three predictions and failing to achieve a margin over 40%, all the Dragons were out. That left Steven, who made an offer despite the duo having to give up three times the equity to secure his support.
Sam and Charlie were candid about how they found their early years a challenge. We would always recommend that businesses like Stocked, well, take stock of their IP from early on in their journey, to see how investment could be leveraged from their IP.
In IPO’s free, online, easy to use toolkit there are resources designed to help businesses identify their IP and understand how to protect, manage it and even license it to scale up their product.
View the IP Basics toolkit through this link: IP Basics toolkit
Dancing into the Den, Will from York pitched his invention, ‘Inhaler Tailor’. He explained how, worldwide, more than 1 billion people have a respiratory condition that affects their day-to-day life. He showcased his range of fun, colourful, reusable asthma inhaler cases that will allow users to personalise their inhaler pumps.
Will was asking for £80k in return for a 10% stake in his business.
Although impressed that Will’s video on Tik Tok had scored more than one million views, Peter decided not to make an offer. Shortly afterwards Emma, Sara Davies and Steven declared that they couldn’t see the excitement of parting with their cash to support the business.
Deborah imparted some advice around his manufacturing set up. She felt that in fact he doesn’t need a Dragon to move the business forward. Although Will walked away from the Den without any offers, Touker left him with some helpful advice as a parting gift: he was happy to provide some help with the sourcing of materials.
It is clear that Will has spent a lot of time developing his product range. Will has registered his trade mark, and also been careful to register his Inhaler Tailor design, too.
You can view the design, along with the drawings, through our ‘search for a design’ link: View the Inhaler Tailor design.
If you have developed a creative idea or product like Will, it would be worth considering checking the designs journal to see if anyone has designed something similar before registering your own product design. You can check the designs register through this link: Check the designs register
Last to enter the Den are married couple, Denise and Ciaran from Dublin. They were looking for an £80k investment and 5% stake in their wellness and journaling plan business, ‘The Head Plan’.
Denise is a qualified life coach, and together with Ciaran they set out to guide others to achieve personal goals, find balance, and live mindfully.
Dragon Emma was first to find affinity with the wellness and mindfulness-designed journals and product range. She herself is a fan of ‘manifesting’ - a method of focusing your thoughts on a desired outcome using mindfulness and meditation.
Although impressed with the £3m revenue in just three years, the Dragons felt uneasy about where the digital side of the business could grow. Three of the Dragons pulled out.
Peter, Touker and Deborah made the Dublin couple offers, with Peter being the Dragon who was selected to take the business to the next level.
Denise and Ciaran have already found success globally with their colourful mindfulness range. They spoke about wanting to scale up their business, and one way of achieving this is through licensing.
There are some things to consider before licensing your IP:
We recommend you always seek professional legal advice when entering into a contract.
Did you enjoy this episode? Keep a look out for more upcoming editions as we follow the BBC Dragons' Den series.
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the IPO's Dragons' Den IP blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
]]>A 'hair' brained invention, or revolutionary hair and scalp care?
First up were Tim and Dani Binnington, the dynamic husband-and-wife duo behind Manta Hair. With a product aimed at minimising hair breakage and loss, the couple sought £240,000 for a 4% equity stake in their company. The Dragons, mindful of a previous miss with a similar product, Tangle Teezer, scrutinised the invention's uniqueness.
We decided to have patents in as many markets as possible...
You can view the patent for the Binningtons' flexible brush through this link.
Peter Jones acknowledged the couple's meticulous approach to intellectual property, lauding their investment in patents and other protective measures, commenting "You have done all of the right things, getting all your patents and doing all your IP".
Deborah Meaden expressed regret over passing on a comparable product in the past:
You’re great and the product is great. We turned down the Tangle Teezer brush and lived to regret it!
Despite multiple enticing offers, the Binningtons declined, leaving with their innovative hairbrush and a testament to the power of strategic IP planning.
For businesses like Manta Hair, securing design rights or patents can offer a quicker path to protection, ensuring the uniqueness of their product is safeguarded in the market.
If you're applying for a patent, make sure you haven't shared your invention publicly. If you've mentioned it in a speech, uploaded a photo to social media or displayed a prototype at a trade show, this could potentially stop your patent being granted. Consider using Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), even if you’re speaking to investors.
Dental Wand: the cat's whiskers?
Victor Carpio entered the Den with a solution to a peculiar problem – cleaning a cat's teeth. Seeking £45,000 for a 10% share in Dental Wand, Victor faced early challenges as the product broke during the demonstration. However, Deborah Meaden, a lifelong cat owner, recognised the potential and offered all the money for 40% of the business. Touker Suleyman matched the offer, and Victor sealed the deal with fellow feline enthusiast Deborah.
Touker was feline sceptical:
This is a baby business and a big risk!
A quick check shows that Dental Wand has secured design rights for Dental Wand, showcasing the importance of protecting not only the functionality but also the visual aspects of a product.
When it isn't possible or cost effective to patent an invention, design registration may be the solution.
A registered design provides a number of benefits including the right to take legal action against any copies of your work. Although there’s no official symbol to indicate a design is registered (like a trade mark), you can still display the design number on the product. This may serve to deter people from creating a design similar to yours.
Sooper Books: a literary twist in the tale
In a literary finale, husband-and-wife duo Charlene and Simon Mitchell-Hood presented Sooper Books, an online collection of stories for children. With an ask of 1% for £1, the couple aim to translate their fourteen million views into a Den success story.
The Dragons, in a collective effort, gave a pound for 1%, resulting in the couple giving away 5% of their business but walking away with the support of all five Dragons. Along with royal investment in Princess Beatrice, and the Dragons' unanimous support, this showcased a fairy-tale ending for Sooper Books. History books are made with the lowest valuation and the smallest ask.
While it wasn't explicitly mentioned, it would be prudent for businesses like Sooper Books to consider registering their trade marks, especially if they have a distinctive moving visual element like their logo.
Your logo is an important aspect of your brand. You can trade mark a logo and use it as a marketing tool so that customers can more easily recognise your products or services. For consistency, many companies ensure their logo looks the same across their product range to build brand recognition. Furthermore, when you trade mark a logo, you are protecting that image specifically.
For those inspired by the Den, it's crucial to recognise the importance of intellectual property in safeguarding innovative ideas. Trade marks, patents, and copyright play a pivotal role in securing a brand's identity and ensuring its longevity in the competitive market. As showcased in the Den, protecting assets and understanding the marketplace are vital steps for any business aiming to make their own mark in the ever-evolving world of entrepreneurship.
Don’t forget to keep a look out for more upcoming editions as we follow the BBC Dragons' Den series.
If you are thinking about the intellectual property in your business, visit the IP for Business section of our website or sign up to receive regular updates.
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the IPO's Dragons' Den IP blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
]]>
In the latest episode of BBC Dragons’ Den, the entrepreneurial spirit soared as four diverse businesses stepped in to pitch their ground-breaking ideas. From stone age education to South Asian beauty, natural ice pops, and lab-grown diamonds, this heated episode had it all.
First into the Den was husband and wife duo, Naomi and Dan, accompanied by their children Maggie and Wren. Their venture, The Stone Age Company, aims to deliver interactive workshops to primary school children.
Their unique approach to education, inspired by their experiences living outdoors and surviving off the land, resonated with the Dragons. Although the financials showed a bumpy journey with losses in recent years, Peter Jones recognised their dedication. He provided guidance and support, emphasising the importance of staying true to their passion.
The team delivers workshops to primary schools. Their lesson plans will be protected automatically by copyright when creating their original literary and dramatic work.
Find out more about what automatic copyright covers via this link:
How copyright protects your work.
Despite the Dragons all saying how much the stone age concept rocks, the family left the Den without investment, but with a promise of help from Peter Jones:
The biggest gift I can give you is support from my team, but I’m happy to help... your dream can still become a reality without having a Dragon breathing fire into your cave.
Next up in the Den, Pavan Dhanjal, the creator of Pavan Beauty, was seeking £50,000 for a 20% equity stake in her South Asian beauty venture. Her mission was to bring the art of henna to a mass market, celebrating diversity and inclusion.
The Dragons were impressed with Pavan’s CV, which includes a Guinness World Record (since bettered) of fastest henna artist, a permanent location in Selfridges since 2015 and she once created a window display in Harrods. Pavan demonstrated a strong pitch... then the Dragons dived straight in with their questioning.
The heat in the Den began to soar, with three of the Dragons soon declaring themselves out.
Touker Suleyman saw potential in Pavan's venture, however, offering all the money for a 40% stake, with the possibility of reducing it to 30% if he recouped his investment within 12 months. Pavan accepted, delighted at the potential for her cultural beauty products to thrive in the market.
Registering a company name at Companies House provides no legal right to use that name as a trade mark. To grow a brand it makes sense to register a trade mark. This is something businesses like Pavan’s might wish to do if they intend to expand their business.
IP rights don’t have to be scary. Intellectual property consists of many different areas, from logos and corporate identity through to products, services and processes that differentiate your business offering. It’s when these assets are used without permission that a person or organisation can potentially run into issues.
That is why it’s so important to know your patents from your trade marks and your designs from your copyright.
Take a look at our IP Basics video, 'Do I have Intellectual Property rights?'
Next Isaac, the 27-year-old founder of Pola Poles, pitched his natural ice pop company, seeking £50,000 for a 15% equity stake. His commitment to using real fruits and crafting natural, tasty alternatives impressed the Dragons.
Despite facing challenges and losses in the initial years, Isaac's determination remained icy cool. Touker Suleyman suggested exploring a franchise model, however, the Dragons, including Peter, Sara, Steven and Deborah, ultimately decided not to invest. They admired Isaac's passion but questioned the scalability of his business.
Many people think that you can protect an idea, such as Isaac’s natural ice pop business. However, an idea alone does not count as intellectual property (IP). It is what is created from an idea – an invention, a story and so on that can be protected.
Another belief is that you can protect a list of ingredients (used to create your product) with IP, which is not the case. However, many successful food and drink businesses protect their tasty creations using trade secrets, which require no application, are completely free and have no expiry date. A trade secret can be a very effective form of protection.
Read about how a popular drink brand has protected their recipe for more than 100 years.
Intellectual Property: Irn Bru - Case study - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The final entrepreneurs of the evening, Sidney and Jessica from Kimai, brought a touch of luxury to the Den. Seeking £250,000 for a 3% stake in their ethical, lab-grown diamond business, Kimai aim to revolutionise the fine jewellery industry.
Steven was keen to know the difference between a lab-grown diamond and a real diamond in terms of price and demand.
They are identical in terms of physicality. Chemically lab-grown diamonds are less expensive than mined ones by around 50-60%.
When it comes to protecting their business, the most obvious route for Jessica and Sidney to take would be a trade mark and registered design. I can see that the Kimai team has registered their business name both in the UK and across the pond in the USA. You can view it through this link: UK00918084098
Jessica spoke about how they have set out to focus on the design of their jewellery - come up with designs that are unique to them.
To protect the design of their products, Jessica and Sidney would need to register their designs. Design rights protect the overall visual appearance of a product including the shape, decoration and any special configuration.
Find out more about registering your design through this link:
Register a design
Touker and Peter bowed out, however, Sara, Deborah and Steven were dazzled by the diamond duo, Sara offering 3% and the other two offering all the money for a 5% stake.
In a surprising turn of events, Sidney and Jessica rejected all three offers, showcasing confidence in their brand's value. Peter Jones was stunned:
Just to get this right so I'm not confused, You’ve came in asking for a quarter of a million for 3% you've been given that offer and you've rejected it!
It became apparent the pair came here for social media guru, Steven. They tried their luck asking him if he’d negotiate for 3% equity in their business. His response:
I just can’t let you walk away so you’ve got a deal, you drive the best bargain in the world!
As the fiery episode concluded, each entrepreneur left with a unique story and a lesson in resilience and determination. The Dragons, with their diverse expertise, provided valuable insights and encouragement about opportunities for growth. It was a testament to the dynamic and unpredictable nature of entrepreneurial ventures, where passion and innovation take centre stage.
For those inspired by the Den, it's crucial to recognise the importance of intellectual property (IP) in safeguarding innovative ideas. Trade marks, patents, and copyright play a pivotal role in securing a brand's identity and ensuring its longevity in the competitive market. As showcased in the Den, protecting assets and understanding the marketplace are vital steps for any business aiming to make a mark in the ever-evolving world of entrepreneurship.
In the end, the Dragons' Den continues to be a stage where dreams meet reality, and entrepreneurs strive to turn their visions into successful businesses, one pitch at a time.
If you are thinking about the intellectual property in your business, visit the IP for Business section of our website or sign up to receive regular updates.
Disclaimer:
The purpose of the blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
[We reported here on the intellectual property of a business called Acu Seeds. We have removed our coverage of the pitch after the episode was withdrawn from viewing by the BBC, who are reviewing the content.]
The next entrepreneur to enter the Den had the Dragons in fits of laughter throughout the entirety of his pitch. Liam Browne, founder of Full Power Cacao, explained that he came up with the idea for his business after a long fight with his mental health sent him on a “journey to find happiness”. On this expedition he stumbled across a ‘Chocolate Shamen’ in Guatemala “and the trajectory of his life was changed forever.”
Liam asked the Den for a £50,000 investment in return for 5% equity in his enterprise.
Full Power Cacao sources its cacao from Venezuela where family farmers plant, grow, pick and process the seed. “They are all part of the ‘PLAN MÁS CACAO’. It is wise for Liam to think about protecting his IP such as his trade mark when trading abroad.
Registering your trade mark, design or patent in the UK doesn’t automatically give you protection overseas. Fortunately, there is lots of help available. The IPO has an international network of attaches based in Southeast Asia, China, Latin America, North America, Gulf States and India who are there to help provide advice on local IP matters to businesses trading in those regions. We also have country guides to help you protect your IP abroad.
Back in the Den, the Dragons get involved in a little song and get a chance to try Liam’s cacao drink. They get ready to decide whether they have the ‘Full Power’ to invest in Liam’s journey.
Peter, Touker, Steven and Sara all make offers, but Gary has an important question to ask before he can make his decision...
“What football team do you support?” Unfortunately for Gary, Liam supports Manchester City but is still keen to make him an offer.
Well look Liam you support the wrong football team, but I think I can get over that you are incredible, you actually make me a little emotional, you are an incredible ambassador for your brand but more importantly for me an incredible ambassador for the city that we’re in,” gushed Gary. “I love my city; I love investing in people and businesses around this city. So, I can’t not give you money, I can’t not make you an offer, but I will let you come back to me if you feel like you want me to be involved.
Without even needing to ‘visit the wall’ Liam asks if Dragons Gary, Peter and Steven will consider going in together to invest in his business.
All three agree to the full £50,000 asked for with Gary taking a 5% cut of the business and the other two Dragons both taking 10%.
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Disclaimer:
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has an arrangement in place with the BBC to publish the Dragons’ Den IP Blog after each BBC Dragons’ Den episode. The purpose of the blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.
First into the Den this week were sister and brother duo, Nicole Stanton and Alex Nicolaou. They were presenting NINI Organics, their award-winning eco-luxury brand of skincare products.
Asking for £50,000 in exchange for 10% equity in their business, they told the Dragons about the inspiration for their enterprise.
Alex described how he’d suffered from acute, confidence-knocking acne when he was young. Nicole story really moved me. She had worked as a special effects makeup artist and props designer but 5 years in, after developing a severe reaction to one of the most used chemicals in the field, she had to walk away from her career. Nicole described how this negative experience had a positive outcome - it led her to start her business with Alex, who is trained in formulating natural beauty products after working in the skincare industry.
Peter found Nicole’s experience as powerful as I did:
That’s the best reframe for any individual - when they have to face something as adverse as that and they treat that moment as a gift. That’s a great way to look at life.
Between them, Alex and Nicole have grown NINI Organics to a stage where they need a Dragon on board to help open doors for them to build their brand further.
We can see that Alex and Nicole have made the move to register their NINI Organics trade marks. As well as their brand, their intellectual property (IP) will lie in the special recipes they’ve formulated for their organic skin products. These are their trade secrets.
To ensure that trade secrets are protected, the information needs to be kept confidential. It’s important that businesses like NINI Organics asks anyone involved – suppliers, manufacturers, employees – to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Take a look at our guidance page on NDAs.
Nicole told us how they protect their IP:
We work closely with a lab to create some of our products, who we have an NDA with. Once we have signed off on a formula, we pay for the IP to be transferred to NINI Organics.
In the Den, Sara and Deborah complimented the entrepreneurs but declined to invest, leaving Touker, Steven and Peter to make offers.
After a ‘talk to the wall’ the siblings opted for Peter and Steven’s offer, asking them to go halves on all of the money for 10% each of the business.
‘Above Below’ is the brainchild of businessman and inventor, Will Watt. Although he is clearly an innovator with a wealth of ideas the Dragons found his pitch a little confusing.
Will described his inflatable rucksack carrier that he has designed and patented worldwide. The RuckRaft can carry kit and clothing during a new hybrid outdoor activity Will has created: hiking (the ‘above’ part of his business name) combined with swimming (below). He calls this cross-country swimming.
After asking the Dragons for £100,000 for 5% of his business, Will was left feeling somewhat deflated when they all opted out one by one. He didn’t leave the Den empty handed, however – he received some valuable advice from Dragon Peter Jones on delivering a perfect pitch and knowing how to use patents and IP to secure investors.
Last up was father Derry Green, founder of The Secret Garden Glamping. Like many of us, Derry had found himself looking for new and exciting ways to keep his children amused during the pandemic. Derry told the Dragons:
The first day we decided to have a camping trip out in the garden, it was great fun, but waking up on the wet grass in the morning wasn’t so exciting. I decided to build a deck to camp on. As days turned into months, I kept building. By the end of the first lockdown we had what is today our glamping site.
Derry’s glamping paradise was a hit on social media. He kept his followers updated daily on his progress and soon had people contacting him to book the unit for a holiday. He listed it online and within 3 days it was fully booked for the next 2 years. Derry quickly realised there was a gap in the market and now has 9 bespoke woodland glamping spots with more in the pipeline.
The entrepreneur offered the Dragons 5% equity in his business in return for £100,000.
Derry wisely understands the benefits of protecting the IP in a business. He has used The Secret Garden Glamping trade mark to franchise his business.
With your investment I would like to open more sites and make The Secret Garden Glamping the go-to for luxury glamping in the UK and abroad.
There are many benefits for a business franchising its IP including increased revenue and market share through others operating your concept in other territories. Our IP Basics YouTube video (link) gives a quick introduction to licensing and franchising your IP.
Back in the Den, we saw four out of five Dragons wanting a slice of the outdoor glamping lifestyle, all offering the exact terms Derry asked for. Steven Bartlett declined, recognising that holiday expert Deborah Meaden would be the perfect fit.
Agreeing with Steven, Derry accepted Deborah’s offer, deciding that, with her wealth of knowledge, she is the ideal Dragon to help him grow his outdoor experience business.
If you have enjoyed this adventure into the IP in the outdoors as much as we have, keep an eye out for next week's edition of The Dragons' Den IP Blog!
Disclaimer:
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has an arrangement in place with the BBC to publish the Dragons’ Den IP Blog after each BBC Dragons’ Den episode. The purpose of the blog is to help identify the IP in entrepreneurs’ pitches and highlight how IP works, or could work, in the real-life examples featured. IPO’s authorship of this blog does not constitute its endorsement or sponsorship of any products, individuals or businesses referenced within it.