It’s no secret that Dragon’s Dens most successful inventions to date actually failed to receive any financial investment in the den; infamous examples include Tangle Teezer, which now boasts an annual turnover of 15m, and Trunki which, despite literally cracking under the weight of retail magnate Theo Paphitis, has since made its way into the households of 20% of British three to six year olds.
Soon to join the ranks is David Robson’s UKick which has been backed by retail toy giant Hamleys as one of their top sellers for Christmas 2015. UKick, which is best described as a fusion of badminton and street football, was spotted by David on his travels around Far East Asia. A fresh, modern update to the traditional Asian game of jianzi, the aim of the game is simple: keep UKick off the ground with either your hands or feet.
Hailed for its wide appeal, the user can adjust UKick’s weighted pro discs to suit their skill level, attracting both adults and children, boys and girls – Everton stars Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas were spotted using UKick as part of their training. What’s more, with an array of brightly coloured feathers to be swapped amongst friends, the Dragons noted the product’s attractive presentation and on-point branding. Den heavy weight Deborah Meaden commented, “It’s got legs, this thing.”
