Every Million-Pound Ask in Dragons’ Den History

Most founders walk into the Den asking for somewhere between £100,000 and £300,000. The entrepreneurs on this list did something bolder. They asked the dragons for a million pounds or more. A seven-figure ask is a statement. It says the business is already substantial, the founder is not there for a confidence boost, and the valuation behind it is large.

Those asks have a brutal hit rate. The dragons hate writing big cheques at founder-friendly valuations, and a million-pound request hands them an easy place to start poking holes. Where is the revenue to justify it? Why so worried about dilution? What happens if growth stalls? More often than not, the big ask becomes the reason a deal falls apart rather than the reason it happens.

That is exactly why the ones that close stand out. A founder who walks in asking for seven figures and actually leaves with it has cleared the show's highest bar. They convinced a room full of professional skeptics that the business could absorb that much money and put it to work. Those deals tend to come with real, audited revenue and a clear plan for the cash, not just ambition.

The list below ranks every million-pound-plus ask in Dragons’ Den history by the size of the request, and notes which ones landed a deal and which went home empty-handed. It is a study in the gap between what founders think their companies are worth and what the dragons are willing to pay. Figures reflect the pitch as aired.

The full list

4 pitches match. Figures reflect the deal as aired.

1. 1
   Bee Automobiles

   Season 7

   asked £2,500,000 · no deal

2. 2
   Old London Underground Company

   Season 13

   asked £2,000,000 · no deal

3. 3
   Subeo

   Season 8

   asked £1,450,000 · no deal

4. 4
   Housecrowd

   Season 13

   asked £1,000,000 · no deal