´óÏó´«Ã½

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ has announced a brand new opportunity for entrepreneurs seeking investment with the introduction of two online Dragons. Entrepreneurs will face two of Britain's business high-flyers in an online-only version of Dragons' Den with the chance of securing up to £50,000 of investment.

As in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two programme, the online Dragons are highly successful business people ready to commit serious financial resources. Their identities will be revealed in the coming months.

Anyone with a must-have product or top-notch business idea can visit bbc.co.uk/dragonsden to apply.

The most innovative and entertaining ideas will be selected by the ´óÏó´«Ã½ to be pitched to the online Dragons. These encounters, capturing all the drama and tension that is the hallmark of the show, will be available exclusively online.

Mario Dubois, Executive Producer, Online Dragons, said: "Dragons' Den is a fantastic brand and the online opportunity will add real value for the audience.

"The show feeds off creativity and innovation and shows that the UK, even in the current economic climate, is still a hotbed for new ideas and inventions. It's a significant step forward for the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s multiplatform offering."

Dominic Bird, Executive Producer, Dragons' Den, said: "As financial backing for businesses becomes more difficult to come by, this is a timely alternative opportunity for entrepreneurs to bid for investment.

"The online Dragons' Den will complement the television programme and we are confident it will breed its own entrepreneurial successes like those of previous investment winners such as Levi Roots and his Reggae Reggae Sauce and Imran Hakim's internationally successful iTeddy."

Helen Bullough, Head of Entertainment Production, Manchester, said: "This is a hugely exciting step forward for Dragons' Den. We know how engaged and knowledgeable the audience is already and we're all sure they will enjoy the new levels of interactivity the online Dragons will create."

The online Dragons is a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Multiplatform Production.

Notes to Editors

For the first time, visitors to the Dragons' Den website will be able to debate and rate the ideas prior to them being put before the Dragons. The ratings and comments around ideas will not affect the choice the ´óÏó´«Ã½ makes in those ideas selected for the Dragons to hear.

NC