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What Happened to Mark Mate After Dragons’ Den?

Mark Mate appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2018, Series 16 Episode 7. The business was a app platform designed to aid teachers mark and assess students' work. They secured investment from Touker Suleyman on the show. The business is still active today.

The Pitch

James Holmes walked into the Den in 2018 with a app platform designed to aid teachers mark and assess students' work. They were asking for £20,000 in exchange for 35% of the business.

The pitch landed well enough in the Den that at least one Dragon decided to back it.

The Deal

A deal was struck on the show. Touker Suleyman offered £20,000 for 35% (30% once investment is repaid.), and James Holmes accepted.

It’s worth noting that Dragons’ Den deals agreed on camera often go through further negotiation off-screen. Some complete as shown; others are renegotiated or never finalise at all. The company’s subsequent trading history is the clearest indicator of what actually happened.

What Happened After the Show

Mark Mate is one of those Den stories that actually lasted. Having appeared on the show in 2018, the business has now been trading for over a decade — an outcome that puts it ahead of the vast majority of startup ventures, let alone television pitches.

Is Mark Mate Still Available?

Yes. Marking Solutions Ltd appears to still be trading. Companies House records confirm the business is currently active.

Related Companies

If you’re curious about other businesses from the same episode, you might also want to look at Brighter Bikes, Noveltea, Jollof Box. Each has its own story of what happened after the Den.

Watch the Pitch

Companies House Data

Status
active
Company Number
10453100
Registered Name
MARKING SOLUTIONS LTD
Incorporated
2016-10-31
Company Type
ltd
SIC Codes
62012
Registered Address
Acacia Cottage, New Road, Bourton, Dorset, SP8 5BJ, England
Accounts
total-exemption-full (period ending 2024-10-31)
Latest Financials
Total Assets Less Liabilities
-8132
Employees
1
Period
1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024
Officers
  • HOLMES, James Robert — secretary
    Acacia Cottage, New Road, Bourton, Dorset, SP8 5BJ, England
  • HOLMES, James Robert — director
    Acacia Cottage, New Road, Bourton, Dorset, SP8 5BJ, England