The inventors of SealStop, the multi-award-winning Yorkshire water-saving device, have appeared on the hit BBC One programme Dragons’ Den. Although the brand didn’t win an investment from a Dragon, it has since secured a ‘game-changing’ grant of £60,000 from a Great Ideas innovation programme.
Pocklington-based Jason and Belle Richardson, who created SealStop in 2024, pitched for investment in the Dragons’ Den for their pioneering SealStop, the ground-breaking automatic shut-off valve designed to eliminate water waste and save gardeners’ time.
SealStop, which is now sold across six countries across the world, has won 12 major awards during the past two years, including recognition for sustainability and innovation.
The episode aired on Thursday August 27 at 8pm on BBC One and is available to view on BBC iPlayer. Click here to view.
During the episode, Jason and Belle pitched to Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett, as well as footballing legend Gary Neville.
Belle Richardson commented: “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,” added Belle.
However, SealStop has now won a grant of £60,000 as part of Great Ideas innovation programme under the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire's Business Innovation Fund Business Innovation Fund.
Eligible local businesses pitched investment-ready projects to secure up to £60,000 to implement their ideas – and SealStop triumphed.
Belle commented: “This is game-changing for us. I’m still processing the fact we’ve won. It seems unreal, pitching our ideas against some of the brightest young businesses in Yorkshire and being filmed by the BBC’s One Show.”
