‘What started as one of those everyday frustrations on our smallholding has completely changed our lives’
Jason and Belle Richardson on Dragons’ Den(Image: SealStop)
A Yorkshire couple who launched a business with an innovative water-saving device are set to brave the Dragons’ Den in a bid to seal investment. Pocklington-based Jason and Belle Richardson have been making waves in the business world since they invented an ingenious little device.
Called SealStop, the tool automatically shuts off water supply, literally plugging the gap between water usage and water wastage. The device acts as a portable ballcock, allowing you to keep a tap or hose running and walk away, without the risk of overfilling your container.
After five years in the making, the family finally launched SealStop on to the market last year with great success. And they were soon turning down offers from major companies to buy SealStop, insisting their invention is not motivated by profit.
Now, the inventors have announced that they will be appearing on Dragons’ Den, stepping into the limelight on the BBC1 pitching programme in a bid to attract investment and grow the business further. At the moment, SealStop is sold across six countries across the world, and it has already won 12 major awards during the past two years, including recognition for sustainability and innovation.
During the episode, the husband and wife team, who own and run a farm in Pocklington, will pitch to Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett, as well as footballing legend Gary Neville.
Belle said: “We are so thrilled to have been featured in this series. It’s such an honour and a privilege and we cannot wait for the episode to air. What started as one of those everyday frustrations on our smallholding has completely changed our lives.
“We never imagined it would lead us to building an award-winning business together and standing in front of the Dragons. We’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come in such a short space of time, and we hope our journey inspires others to back their ideas and just give it a go.
“Our appearance on national television comes after an exceptional period of growth. Apart from the awards we have won, we have expanded into international markets; we are recognised as one of Yorkshire’s fastest-rising startups; we are proud to be standard bearers for British manufacturing; and our mission to help people waste less water through simple innovation is gaining real traction.
“Saving water has never been so important. It has been predicted that, by 2050, there will be a five billion litre water shortfall daily in the UK. Meanwhile the Government, realising this potential water crisis, has set a 20 per cent reduction target for household water use.”
The episode will air on Thursday August 27 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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