Dragons’ Den (Shark Tank in the US)

The success of Smarthomes led to an invitation to become an investor on the popular TV show Dragons’ Den where promising entrepreneurs pitch their idea to a panel of seasoned entrepreneurs who invest their own money in exchange for equity in these new business ventures. Apart from the success of the show in entertainment terms, for me what really mattered was that it encouraged a whole generation to look at entrepreneurship as a viable option for themselves. I took particular delight in being invited to schools and colleges across the country to judge school versions of Dragon’s Den as part of their junior entrepreneur programmes and to help committed teachers sow the seeds of entrepreneurship in the minds of a new generation of future business leaders.