Ordinarily the threat of dragons roaming the countryside and descending onto unwitting cities is enough to send townsfolk heading for the hills, but an upcoming tour might just be a fantasy opportunity for local entrepreneurs.
Producers for the CBC show Dragons’ Den will be in Ottawa at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel on March 8 as part of a Canada-wide roadshow looking for contestants keen on pitching their businesses in the show’s upcoming fall season. Startups will have five minutes to present their business to producers for a chance to go on to face Canadian business magnates such as Arlene Dickinson and Michele Romanow on the actual show.
CBC’s cheat sheet for auditions suggests aspiring pitchers come with printed applications and all necessary equipment. Act as though you’re pitching in front of the dragons themselves, it advises, and tell a story the audience can connect with – keep the sales figures to a minimum.
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Ottawa entrepreneurs have recently had some success in the Den. Student-founded hydroponics firm The Growcer secured an on-screen deal with two of the show’s fire-breathing financiers. Though co-founders Corey Ellis and Alida Burke ultimately decided not to take the cash after the cameras turned off, they told Techopia at a Bayview Yards viewing party for their episode that they were happy with how the experience turned out.
Interested entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply online first in addition to attending the in-person auditions.
