A 15-year-old football fan from Battersea has become the youngest ever contestant to win investment for his product on BBC’s Dragon’s Den.
Arminder Singh Dhillon was awarded £20,000 in total from dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and Touker Suleyman for a 10 per cent share in his business – Boot Buddy.
The product, which the entrepreneurial teen created at the age of 11, provides an easy way of cleaning football boots with the help of just 300ml of water.
After his initial version of the product – comprised of a water bottle, plastic knife and washing up brush, proved a success, Arminder was able to create a more professional prototype after drawing up a design on the computer.
The manufacturing process followed and most recently, after seeking investment to grow the company, Arminder and Boot Buddy made their television debut in the ‘den’.
Speaking of this experience, Arminder said: “The whole experience is indescribable. I’m still amazed at having seen my idea become an actual product and to now have the support of three such inspirational business people is incredible.
“Stepping in to the Dragons’ Den was definitely daunting but I’d rehearsed my pitch thoroughly and I had my mother and brother by my side for support so I wasn’t too nervous.”
Peter Jones, who was quick to praise the invention, added: “We’re so impressed by Arminder.
“He’s come up with a fantastic product and had the drive and determination to see it through. He’s leading the way for the next generation of great British business people.”
Looking to the future, Arminder said: “A large part of the dragons’ investment will be spent on marketing to take Boot Buddy to a wider audience.
“I plan on attending various trade shows and festivals both in the UK and abroad. I hope Boot Buddy will one day become a household name saving people hours of wasted time by changing the way they clean their muddy footwear forever.”
