FUNDINGAugust 26, 2026

Selkie lands £40,000 in Dragons' Den deal

The refillable haircare brand gave away 20% equity after its founder turned competing offers into a four-way investment.

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Selkie lands £40,000 in Dragons' Den deal

Selkie, the refillable haircare brand, has secured backing from four investors on Dragons' Den, with founder Cicely Coops walking away with £40,000 for a combined 20% stake. Coops had gone in seeking the same sum for 12.5%, but after multiple Dragons made offers, she proposed they invest together, with Peter Jones, Steven Bartlett, Deborah Meaden and guest Dragon Jenna Meek each taking 5%.

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The business sells powder-to-liquid shampoo and conditioner: customers mix the powders with warm water at home, with each refill making 300ml. By stripping water out before shipping, Selkie cuts transport weight and swaps single-use bottles for a refill system, delivered every eight to 10 weeks into reusable bottles from a starter kit.

Founded in 2021, the brand's formulas are vegan, cruelty-free and at least 98% naturally derived, packaged in plastic-free cardboard tubes. It had built a community of more than 11,000 ahead of the broadcast, and is among a growing run of beauty brands, from Tangle Teezer to Hair Syrup, to court investment on the show.

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