Product Update

Is Buddies Still in Business? (2026 Update)

Is Buddies from Dragons’ Den still around in 2026? The deal it made, the dragons who invested, and where to buy Buddies today.

Dragons' Den IndexUpdated 26 May 20266 min read

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Buddies pitched an electric toothbrush built to solve a genuinely universal parenting problem, getting the right amount of toothpaste onto a small child's brush without a fight or a mess. The investment that followed did not go entirely to plan, but the brand behind it is still on shelves today.

The Short Answer

Buddies is still in business. The brand continues to sell its range of oral health products for children, including toothbrushes and toothpaste, directly through its own website, and maintains an active presence on social media promoting the range.

There is no Amazon listing to check here, this is a brand sold direct to consumers through its own site and through work with dentists and charities, rather than through general marketplace retail.

The Pitch

Founder Sian Ellingworth brought Buddies into the Den in Series 16, Episode 14, pitching an electric toothbrush that automatically dispenses the correct amount of toothpaste onto the bristles using replaceable cartridges, solving the classic problem of children squeezing out far too much paste, or refusing to brush at all.

She asked for £60,000 in exchange for 44 percent of the business, a substantial equity stake, and secured serious interest from multiple Dragons on the strength of the idea and the pitch itself.

The Deal and What Happened After

Buddies received backing interest from two Dragons during filming. As has happened with a number of pitches from this stretch of the show, the enthusiasm on camera did not carry through cleanly into a completed investment, Ellingworth has said the Dragons pulled back from the deal during the follow-up process without a clear explanation being given.

Rather than folding, Ellingworth kept building the brand independently, working with dentists and children's oral health charities to develop and expand the product range beyond the original toothbrush.

Why the Product Found Its Own Audience

Children's oral health is a category with a built-in, renewing customer base, parents are always looking for ways to make brushing easier, and a product that removes one specific point of friction, the toothpaste mess, has an obvious and repeatable appeal.

Working directly with dental professionals and charities also gave Buddies a credibility boost that a straightforward retail listing would not have provided on its own, positioning the brand as something recommended by experts rather than just another gadget on a shelf.

Founders in Ellingworth's position, left without the funding they thought they had secured on television, either fold quietly or find another way to keep the business alive. Continuing to develop the product range and lean into professional partnerships instead of a Dragon's cheque is the harder route, and the one that tends to build a more durable brand in the long run.

Where Things Stand Now

Buddies pitched in Series 16, Episode 14, asked for £60,000 for 44 percent, and drew interest from multiple Dragons during filming, interest that does not appear to have converted into a completed investment afterward.

The brand is still active today, selling its oral health range for children directly through its own website and continuing to work with dental professionals. If you were checking whether Buddies survived its Dragons' Den moment without the deal it seemed to have on the night, it did.

Common Questions

Can you still buy Buddies toothbrushes and toothpaste? Yes, the brand sells its children's oral health range directly through its own website, there is no Amazon listing to check for this one.

Did the Dragons' investment in Buddies actually go through? By founder Sian Ellingworth's own account, the Dragons withdrew their offer during the follow-up process without a clear reason given, so the on-air interest did not convert into a completed deal.

What does Buddies actually sell? An electric toothbrush that dispenses the correct amount of toothpaste automatically using replaceable cartridges, alongside a wider range of children's oral health products developed since the show.

Does Buddies work with any health professionals? Yes, the brand has developed and expanded its range in partnership with dentists and children's oral health charities since its Dragons' Den appearance.

How common is it for a Dragon to pull out after filming? More common than viewers often assume. What airs on screen is an agreement in principle, not a signed and funded contract, and either the founder or the Dragon can walk away once proper financial and legal scrutiny begins in the weeks that follow.

Where to buy Buddies

Still selling as of 26 May 2026. Check today's price and availability.

Check price on Amazon

Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

See the full Buddies deal breakdown and term sheet →