The pitch
What walked into the Den
Charles Ejogo brought Umbrolly to Dragons' Den in season 1, which aired in 2005.
In the pitch, Umbrolly asked the Dragons for £150,000 for 40% of the business, valuing the business at about £375,000.
After the show
What happened next
On air, Umbrolly agreed a deal of £150,000 for 40%, backed by Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne. The terms are quoted from the aired episode as public record.
Our read
The Hub verdict
This one carries a bit of history: Umbrolly appeared in the very first episode of the very first series of Dragons' Den, back in 2005. Charles Ejogo pitched an umbrella-vending unit and asked for £150,000 in return for 40%, a £375,000 valuation, and Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne came in together at those terms.
Two of the show's longest-serving Dragons splitting a large equity stake in that debut episode is a neat snapshot of how the format worked from day one, trading serious money for serious ownership. Ejogo parted with a substantial 40% to bring in six figures.
The very first Den pitch, closed at the asking terms.
