Standing in the Dragons’ Den can leave even the bravest businessmen trembling.
But entrepreneur Neil Westwood, who hails from Kingswinford, was up to the challenge and walked away with £100,000 for his Magic Whiteboard venture.
The 35-year-old and wife Laura, 29, came face to face with dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Theo Paphitis, Duncan Bannatyne and James Caan on last night’s show.
The hit BBC2 programme gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to make their pitch for some of the multi-millionaires’ cash – but not many persuade the dragons to part with their money.
And the couple suffered an early setback after Peter Jones decided to use their invention to declare himself ‘out’, writing his decision on their whiteboard.
However they recovered and received offers from all four remaining dragons before opting to link up with Theo and Deborah, sacrificing 40 per cent of their company. They now hope their creation – re-usable, portable sheets which can be stuck to any hard surface to form a whiteboard – will render the flip-chart obsolete.
Mr Westwood went to Kingswinford School in Water Street and lived in Dudley for 20 years.
Since filming the show in April Theo and Deborah have helped line up a lucrative contract with stationers Ryman, which will stock the magic whiteboard at its UK stores.
However the Westwoods, who now live in Worcester, have still not packed in their day jobs at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Worcestershire County Council.
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