Falmouth’s Dragons’ Den: where students compete for a share of £6000

The annual Dragons’ Den competition is an exciting event in the Falmouth University calendar. Held by the employability team, this event brings together an array of hopeful entrepreneurs to showcase their creative and forward-thinking ideas in a bid to impress our esteemed Dragons. It is a fun way to encourage students to create exciting business proposals, refine their pitching skills, and acquire funding to turn their ideas into a reality. 

The 2025 edition of Dragons’ Den event took place last month, with this year’s four Dragons named as Joe Clark, founder and CEO of the Cornwall-based game development studio, Studio 316; Julie Felix, former ballerina of the Dance Theatre of Harlem who became an Honorary Fellow in 2022; Iain Ellwood, Chair UK of Design Bridge and Partners; and Joey Williams, owner of design studio Swanpool Paper, and former Talent Acquisition Partner for companies such as Next, Joules, and Seasalt.  

Each student presented their business proposal to our panel of Dragons, sharing why it should be them to receive the much-needed funding, before a thorough selection process ensued. Three winning proposals were selected out of the six finalists, each with their own uniquely promising business concept.  

Reaching an impressive first place, and securing the top prize of £3000, was Lucy Savery of Studio Dubious, a Game Art BA(Hons) student who presented a brand-new card game, ‘You’re the Kind of Person Who’. The word-centric game can be played in a variety of ways and is designed to capture people’s initial thoughts about one another. After the event, Lucy said: “When I won it was pretty exciting. I had gone over the reality of the numbers, finances and potential profits again just the day before and it was a big reminder of this being real and having an actual, potential future. Having access to this money goes a long way in supporting the project and furthering the reach we could get to guarantee it being a success.” 

Asha Merrington-Pink and Laurie Cox, Popular Music BA(Hons) and Music BA(Hons) students came together to create Hidden Coves, and showcased their eight published tracks and treated the Dragons to a performance that wowed them enough to award the students with an exciting £1500 investment. This prize will help fund industry-level recording equipment. Speaking on the win, Laurie said: “The Dragons gave us some brilliant advice after our pitch, suggesting the ways that we could further invest in ourselves as they really believed in our brand. We have been working on our brand and identity for the last two years, so it's great to have this funding to help us grow and connect with our audience!” 

Entrepreneurship & Innovation MSc student, Harriet Dowling, was also awarded £1500 after showcasing her eco-friendly approach to transforming old furniture. With backing from the Enterprise Enabling Fund already underway, she has begun a startup that breathes new life into discarded pieces of furniture. Harriet now plans to use the prize money to invest in training initiatives.  

When asked about the event, one of this year’s Dragons, Joe Clark, said: “It was a pleasure to award some of these talented students with cash to kickstart their business. The programme itself is one that really showcases the driven and passionate students who come out of Falmouth University.” 

The other three finalists in the competition included: Marine and Natural Photography BA(Hons) student Aryaa Patil’s handcrafted and sustainable jewellery brand Drift and Root; Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management BA(Hons) student Eliot Finch’s Safe AF Company which aims to launch alcohol-free events; and Game Development: Design BA(Hons) student Natálie Michlova whose proposal aimed to reduce material waste and prototype costs through digital software in the fashion industry.  

When asked about the experience, runner-up Eliot said: “What I've learnt is that ‘entrepreneur’ is a verb. It’s about what you do. You have to get out there and just give it a go – get stuck in. Make sure you ask people what they want before finding a solution and creating something, otherwise you run the risk of creating something that nobody wants.” 

The event brought students from a range of different degrees together, with two Musical Theatre BA(Hons) students presenting the competition. Malichi Campbell, one of the student presenters, said: “It was a privilege to take part in the event as I was able to see some brilliant business ideas being developed and the amazing people behind them.” 

The Employability team continues to offer ongoing support sessions for all applicants, ensuring that every student, regardless of the outcome, receives tailored guidance and one-on-one advice to further develop their business ideas. We can’t wait to see what these students achieve next. 

Learn more about the Employability Service at Falmouth University