Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
I think it's reminded me that when it comes to business, it's just business, it's not personal. For example, during my first series when Will from MakTok came in, it was such an emotional pitch and I definitely got caught up in the moment and in my heart I knew I wanted to offer him the money. Afterwards, Deborah told me she thought what I'd done was lovely but that I needed to toughen up! And she was right! It’s never easy and obviously it’s a really tough market at the moment but adversity often leads to innovation and if you can start up and survive now then you will thrive in the future. Deborah Meaden You push the pod into the soil, it will absorb all the moisture and it will direct that to the seed without over watering it because the fibres of the pulp pod can only absorb so much,’ explains Dan. ‘As there’s a maximum level this will prevent it from drowning and it will push the pod open, start to split and the seed will emerge from the middle – this is patented technology so it’s super unique to us and all developed in Newcastle. You’ll then have a nice healthy plant and as the pod breaks down it creates a mulch around the plant which is a micro-fertiliser.’ This, and other lessons about business life, were imparted through interviewing other entrepreneurs and business leaders. Though he imagined they’d be incredibly unique, he says he discovered that most of his guests are actually very similar. In two more days, the seeds should have started to grow. The white stuff around the seeds are roots (not mold).
Dan Robson, who runs the company with his brother Joe, pitched his business on the show last night (19 January) where he secured the investment from fellow North East-based entrepreneur Sara Davies.
The two new guests on Dragons' Den in 2024
It then got to a point during Covid where me and Joe thought we’ve just got to give it a shot and applied. We didn’t hear anything so completely forgot all about it but then when I finally got in the Den I realised why people make these mistakes. It’s so different to watching it in your living room, especially the pressure you’re under. The BBC and everyone there was amazing, but once you’re in that den no matter how many people you’ve got behind you, unfortunately you are on your own and you’ve got nowhere to hide. The dragons gave me a rough ride but we came out well and I was happy with the result.’ POLICY & ENGAGEMENT We’re influencing policy through the National Engineering Policy Centre – providing independent expert support to policymakers on issues of importance. We’re engaging the public by opening their eyes to the wonders of engineering and inspiring young people to become the next generation of engineers. After the show, Ms Davies said: “I liked Dan the moment I met him and I really resonated with his commitment to giving all people, from all walks of life, the chance to grow their own vegetables. This level of passion, along with a strong concept, is critical for business success so I’m looking forward to seeing him developing and growing his fantastic brand.”
It helps to have something or someone to keep you going when you go through a tough patch. “It had to be my Rastafarianism,” Roots said, “But it could be your dog, cat or friend.”
Credits
For other forms of disinformation – beyond obvious hate speech and encouragement to suicide – automated identification is likely to be more problematic. This will doubtless lead to even greater foot-dragging from the social-media companies. Much of the problem is that judging harm is not just way beyond the power of algorithms, it's not all that easy for humans. Text, video and images are often difficult to classify. As US Supreme Court judge Potter Stewart remarked in a landmark case over a Louis Malle movie in 1964: "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["hard-core pornography"] and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it and the motion picture involved in this case is not that."
Great Deal 
New Comment