An entrepreneur from Buckingham has secured a £50k investment for his money-saving app during an appearance on BBC One's Dragons' Den.
Ben Barter from Leckhampsted secured a large investment sum for his tech start-up, an app called SKIN, from ‘dragon’ Sara Davies on an episode that aired last night (March 21).
Ben thought up the app with his friend and co-founder Flinty Bane during lockdown to help shoppers compare the prices of skincare and beauty products across the globe.
SKIN compiles and compares deals from thousands of brands including some of the UK’s biggest retailers and narrows down the best deals to an individualised user ‘shelf’.
It was a pitch that resonated with Sara Davies, who first appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2019, inspiring her to offer the friends £50,000 for a 10 per cent share of the fledgling company.
Ben said: “When Sara made us an offer, we were absolutely elated. It was clear that she understood our business and mission. As a target user, she could instantly recognise the joy and benefits our app will bring to beauty consumers.”
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Flinty Bane added: “Entering the Den was unbelievably exciting and nerve-wracking. We do have plenty of experience pitching for investment – but presenting to a row of high-profile investors on TV is a totally different ballgame.
“I’ve watched Dragon’s Den since the early days and was delighted when Sara joined the show, bringing a refreshing professional slant.
“I’m over the moon that we’re going to be working alongside Sara to grow our business. I believe SKIN is going to revolutionise the way we shop for beauty.”
Sara Davies said the “loved the simplicity” of Ben and Flinty’s concept, which has already seen impressive growth over the last four years.
Adding: “Comparison sites and apps are the norm in so many other retail sectors, so why not beauty? I can’t wait to work with Ben and Flinty to support and mentor them through the next exciting step – taking SKIN to consumers around the world.”
SKIN is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play.
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