Is Bobo Buddies Still in Business? (2026 Update)
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Look for Bobo Buddies on AmazonFull story →James Roupell pitched a plush, animal-styled travel companion for children that doubles as a small backpack, a blanket and a pillow all in one.
The short answer is yes, on the evidence available, in a story that stands out even among this show's walk-away tales.
Two Dragons, One No
Roupell wanted £50,000 for a 40 percent stake, and the record shows Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden were ready to invest together on air, before he chose to walk away from both offers once filming had wrapped.
Passing up interest from two Dragons at once takes real conviction from a founder who had never launched a consumer product before, and it only looks like the obvious right move once you know how the story ended.
Growing Through Gifting
By previous accounts, Roupell went on to build a company reportedly worth several million pounds without ever bringing in an outside investor, leaning on supermarkets, gift shops and marketplaces alongside the brand's own site.
A cuddly, practical travel product like this tends to spread through parents buying a duplicate as a gift for another family's child, a low-cost growth channel that a lot of paid advertising struggles to match.