On the evening of February 12, 2026, BBC One’s Dragons’ Den returned with its third episode of the season, promising viewers a fresh mix of entrepreneurial ambition, quirky inventions, and a notable new face in the Den. The episode marked the debut of guest Dragon Susie Ma, founder and CEO of Tropic Skincare, who joined the seasoned panel of Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Steven Bartlett, and Touker Suleyman. As the doors of the Den swung open, a new generation of business hopefuls stepped onto the iconic carpet, each hoping to secure the investment that could change their lives.
Susie Ma’s journey to the Den is itself a story of grit and vision. According to the BBC, Ma began by selling handmade body scrubs at London’s Greenwich Market at just 15 to help her mother make ends meet. Her determination and business acumen quickly propelled her forward. In 2011, she reached the final stages of The Apprentice, where Lord Sugar saw her potential and invested £200,000 in her fledgling skincare business. Within three years, Ma had bought out Lord Sugar and became the sole proprietor of Tropic Skincare, which now boasts an annual turnover of £68 million and a network of over 38,000 Ambassadors. Her achievements earned her a spot on The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 in 2024, and with more than two decades of business experience, Ma was eager to bring her expertise to the Den.
Before the episode aired, Ma shared her excitement on social media, writing, “I’m here to back the bold – the next generation of change-makers building businesses with purpose, creativity and courage. I’m so excited to help brilliant founders bring their dreams to life.” This spirit of encouragement set the tone for an evening brimming with innovation and heartfelt pitches.
The night’s lineup featured a diverse array of startups, each with a unique story and product. Among the most compelling was the pitch from sisters Olivia and Tanyka Davson, who presented Cubbi, a UK-based discount platform designed specifically for new and expecting parents. Olivia, nine months pregnant during the pitch, drew upon her own experience of the financial strain and isolation that can come with early parenthood. With a background in engineering and programme management, Olivia teamed up with her sister Tanyka, who brought over a decade of communications experience and, impressively, built the first version of the Cubbi app from scratch despite having no technical background. Their mission was clear: to make parenting more affordable and connected for families across the UK.
Another standout was Craft & Crumb, an independent, female-owned baking kit brand founded in 2016 by friends Kate Horne and Louise Nicholson. Their pitch centered on the company’s monthly Bake & Craft subscription boxes and seasonal kits, which aim to bring families together for hands-on, creative baking experiences. “We want parents and kids to have a genuine ‘we made this!’ moment – not just another mix in a box,” said Nicholson, emphasizing the company’s commitment to creativity and family bonding. The brand has carved out a niche with its plastic-free party bags and themed kits, helping to spark joy and reduce waste in family kitchens.
Perhaps the most technologically intriguing pitch of the night came from Northumberland brothers Martin and Tomas Rosinski, co-founders of OnlyCat. Their invention: an AI-powered cat flap designed to prevent cats from bringing prey into the home. The inspiration? Martin’s own cat, Jinx, who had a notorious habit of waking him up multiple times a night by delivering “gifts” of small animals. Frustrated but resourceful, Martin combined his technical expertise with a bit of humor, saying, “We joke that Jinx is the true founder of OnlyCat now – she’s definitely the reason this exists. If she understands any of it, she’ll be expecting royalties – and extra treats.”
The OnlyCat device uses a camera and artificial intelligence to detect whether a cat is attempting to bring prey through the flap. If prey is detected, the flap locks and sends a video alert to the owner’s phone. Since its prototype installation in June 2021, the system has prevented countless unwanted deliveries. The brothers launched OnlyCat via crowdfunding and now manufacture in the UK, shipping globally. On the show, they sought investment to accelerate manufacturing and expand their reach. “It was surreal standing in front of the Dragons and pitching. It’s the most intense pitch we’ve ever done – you’re balancing nerves and adrenaline, but you’ve got to stay clear, calm and credible,” Martin told reporters. The outcome of their pitch was kept under wraps until the episode aired, adding a layer of suspense for viewers.
Rounding out the evening was CompoCloset, presented by founders Richard Peter and Erica Pugh. Their product, the S1 Dry Flush Sealing toilet, is a portable, waterless, and odorless composting toilet designed for RVs, vans, tiny homes, and boats. The duo argued that flushing drinking water down the toilet, especially when mixed with chemicals, should be a thing of the past. Their eco-friendly, compact, and stylish solution was put to the test by none other than Peter Jones himself, who gamely tried out the product on set.
While the entrepreneurs were the stars of the episode, the Dragons’ own business pedigrees were never far from view. Peter Jones, the only Dragon to have appeared in all 23 series, recently added the high-street retailer American Golf to his portfolio, alongside previous investments in Jessops and Red Letter Days. Jones’s most famous Dragons’ Den success remains his backing of Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Sauce. Touker Suleyman, a panel member since 2015, brought a wealth of retail experience, having owned companies supplying clothing to major high-street names and acquiring brands like Hawes & Curtis and Ghost. Deborah Meaden, renowned for her investments in start-ups, first made her mark in the leisure industry and famously backed Magic Whiteboard on the show. Steven Bartlett, the youngest Dragon, is a digital entrepreneur known for founding podcast giant FlightStory and investing in nutrition brands such as PerfectTed, Zoe, and Huel.
This season of Dragons’ Den has seen a rotating cast of guest Dragons, including Tinie Tempah, Gary Neville, and Jenna Meek (co-founder of the beauty brand REFY), each bringing a distinct perspective and business acumen to the panel. According to the BBC, the decision to feature guest Dragons followed Sara Davies’s announcement that she would step away from the show “for now,” opening the door to new voices like Ma’s.
As the episode wrapped, it was clear that the Den remains a powerful stage for British entrepreneurship, offering a rare blend of high-stakes investment, personal storytelling, and moments of genuine connection between founders and investors. Whether it’s a tech-savvy cat flap, a family-friendly baking kit, or a waterless toilet, the show continues to spotlight the creativity and resilience of the UK’s business community. For Susie Ma and the rest of the panel, the search for the next big thing is as thrilling as ever – and for viewers, Thursday nights on BBC One remain must-see TV.
With each pitch, Dragons’ Den reaffirms its place at the heart of British innovation, reminding audiences that behind every successful business lies a story of determination, ingenuity, and, sometimes, a little help from a Dragon.