Today sees the culmination of a project we've been running with schools across the North of England called 'Dragons' Den Goes Back to School'. Inspired by some work the team at Waterloo Road and BBC Outreach did last year where schools wrote and filmed their own episodes of the drama, we have spent the last few months working in our own way with students from Sunderland, Bolton, Lincoln and Bradford. By using the power of the Dragons' Den brand we've been trying to encourage the next generation of British entrepreneurs by giving Year 10 pupils a unique opportunity to pitch a business idea to the fearsome Dragons.
Each of the schools were personally set a business challenge by the Dragons - a particular market or sector that they wanted the students to tap into and work out a way of exploiting financially. The aspiring young entrepreneurs then spent a couple of months developing their idea, under the mentorship of some of my wonderful (and hard-working!) Dragons' Den team.
On the day of filming, I have to say I was worried. Having seen around 400 entrepreneurs walk up those few but intimidating Den stairs, and seen dozens of those go to pieces (a totally understandable reaction by the way, I dread to think what I'd be like!), the parent in me was desperately trying to think of ways to protect them. In the end, the best way was to ensure my team gave them as much information and training as possible about what it might be like, trust that their fantastic teachers would do the same, and then find a sofa to put in the gallery and hide behind!
To their absolute credit, the students who pitched to the Dragons did a spectacular job. Each of the four pitches were either educative, informative or entertaining (recognise those values from anywhere?), and in most cases, were all three. And although one school did falter slightly during their pitch (I did have to calm our director down who instinctively was going in for the big close-up at that point!), those students had such a good business proposition and were so clued up on what it was about, that the Dragons instantly forgave them their stuttering start.
In a change to the usual format, the young entrepreneurs didn't find out which of the Dragons may have been 'in' or 'out' on the day, because that is what tonight is about. All the pupils and the teachers who have committed so much time to the project, will come to the BBC's new home in the north - MediaCityUK in Salford - to see an edited version of their pitches, and find out what our five influential business leaders thought of their ideas.
There's also the small matter of having two awards up for grabs. The Dragons will be presenting one for best pitch and one for best idea. But really what is important is that as well as producing what will hopefully be a hugely successful 9th series of Dragons' Den, we are able to take advantage of those assets that we have here in BBC North, in order to give potential entrepreneurs of tomorrow an opportunity that will hopefully shape their perspective on what it takes to succeed. How many students can boast on their CV that they have pitched to five of Britain's most successful business leaders, and lived to tell the tale?
Aside from this project, it's been a big year for us on Dragons' Den. Not only were we successful in getting a three series deal, (thanks both to Janice Hadlow - Controller, BBC TWO and Mark Linsey - Controller, Entertainment Commissioning), but we also have a new Dragon for this series - Bolton-born Hilary Devey. She has certainly put her individual stamp on the Den, as this year's entrepreneurs will no doubt attest, and I'm certain our viewers will welcome her addition.
Finally then, back to tonight. Working on one of BBC Entertainment North's longest running shows is a privilege in itself, but having the opportunity to experience at first hand, the impact that the show has, in this instance on some of our younger audience, is a real treat. I just hope they think that we've given them a bit of a treat in return.
Sam Lewens is Executive Producer of Dragons' Den
- Dragons' Den Goes Back to School is a collaboration between Dragons' Den and BBC North. The project aims to help develop entrepreneurial skills from initial idea, through planning, budgeting and marketing all the way to pitching for investment. The schools' pitches were for educational purposes, not for actual investment and will not be shown on network television.
- The picture shows Lincoln Castle Academy in the Dragons' Den with Dragons (L-R) Duncan Bannatyne, Hilary Devey, Theo Paphitis, Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones.
- There's always more news and information on the BBC North web site and on the BBC Outreach web site.