And finally…”No hard feelings” as BBC ‘Dragons’ pull out of Scots’ investment deal

Two young Scots entrepreneurs who were offered £65,000 funding on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den programme only to see it withdrawn on a technicality, say they have no regrets.

New Dragon Touker Suleyman’s offer had to be withdrawn as it inadvertently contravened the rules of the programme.

Speaking the day after the show aired, Glasgow-based Trtl (pronounced “turtle”) commercial director Michael Corrigan said: “We were completely gutted at the time and would have benefitted from the sales doors Touker would have opened for our revolutionary travel pillow.

“But we don’t regret it for a minute.

“The interest since the show aired last night has been phenomenal. The phone’s been going off the hook and our website’s lit up like a Christmas tree. Thanks Dragons’ Den!”

The two co-founders – Michael Corrigan and David Kellock (both 28) – invented their Trtl Pillow in October 2013 after meeting while studying engineering at Glasgow’s Strathclyde University.

They were seeking £65,000 investment from the Dragons for a 10 per cent stake.

Suleyman offered a £65,000 convertible loan in exchange for 30 per cent equity. Once the duo had paid off the loan, the clothing tycoon would have dropped his share to 10 per cent.

The rules of the Den are that any offers from Dragons must be straight cash for equity. So the pair were unable to accept the offer.

Corrigan added: “Appearing on the Den was the most intense experience of our lives and the interest from the Dragons confirmed to us that we were really on to something.

“In fact it’s only since Dragons’ Den was filmed that the Trtl Pillow has taken off.

“Our patented product is like nothing else out there. It looks good. The price is right. And the market is huge.”

Since their appearance, the two entrepreneurs have made the Trtl Pillow available to buy from Amazon in the US, UK, Germany, Spain, and France.

The duo have also signed a deal with the Excess Baggage Co which has seen their product on sale in Heathrow, Gatwick, Madrid and Barcelona airports.

And next month the Glasgow-based company’s travel pillow will be available in a major UK retailer’s stores throughout Great Britain, while the firm has just signed deals with US and Australian retailers to sell their product.

Corrigan added: “We want to make our best buy travel pillow the Dyson of the travel industry.