A smart mattress offering a cosy and comfy night’s sleep to caravanners was the star of last night’s episode of Dragons’ Den, as the newest investor Hilary Devey ploughed £80,000 into the invention.
Husband and wife team Liz and Alan Colleran delivered a slick and confident pitch, which demonstrated the Duvalay – a zip-up memory foam mattress and duvet combo.
This patent-pending product ensures a warm night’s sleep, as the side of the bed that rests against the caravan wall can be zipped up, meaning your back doesn’t get cold.
Furthermore, the inventors claim that the memory foam base results in a more comfortable night’s sleep for caravan and motorhome owners, and can even help people with back problems.
After some fierce questioning from Deborah Meaden, which exposed some gaps in Liz and Alan’s financial knowledge, four of the five dragons said the fatal words: “I’m out”.
Nonetheless, the husband and wife duo claimed that this was a great investment opportunity as they couldn’t make the product fast enough to satisfy demand and they have plans to expand into the Dutch and German markets.
This potential was enough to attract an offer from Hilary in only her second episode on the show, although she insisted on a 26 per cent share, to ensure she had enough control of how the company is run. Despite this being much more equity than Liz and Alan had planned on parting with, they eventually accepted.
The couple had long toyed with the idea of going on Dragons’ Den and have since said that it was even scarier than they had imagined. “It was absolutely terrifying. If you think it’s scary, you need to times it by 100,” Liz said.
“You don’t notice the cameras, you’ve just got five people staring at you and bombarding you with questions,” Alan added.
The Raskelf Duvalay is available now in a range of thicknesses and prices start at £99.95 each. To watch Liz and Alan’s pitch to the dragons, click here.
