#FIRSTLOOK: DRAGON’S DEN CELEBRATES 20th SEASON

Dragons’ Den alumni return – first they pitched, now they’ll invest: Tara Bosch (SmartSweets), Joanna Griffiths (Knix), Jay Klein (The PUR Company), Marc Lafleur (truLOCAL/DB8 Labs) and Barb Stegemann (The 7 Virtues).

CBC’s hit series Dragons’ Den will mark its milestone 20th season with a two-episode, Full Circle finale event on Thursday, February 26 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) and Thursday, March 5 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service.

Dragons’ Den Full Circle is the ultimate celebration of success. Five standout alumni return to the Den after building some of Canada’s most recognizable consumer brands over the past two decades. This time, they’re not seeking capital – they’re investing their own in the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurs.

Guest Dragons featured in the two-episode special include:

Tara Bosch (SmartSweets), Vancouver BC – Appeared in Season 12 before growing SmartSweets into the #1 low-sugar candy brand in North America, ultimately selling the company for $360M CAD in 2020. Bosch now invests in and mentors founders through Bold Beginnings, the initiative she launched to inject early-stage capital into female-led ideas.

Joanna Griffiths (Knix), Toronto ON – First pitched in Season 9 and went on to scale Knix into one of the world’s fastest-growing intimate apparel brands, pioneering the leakproof category and body-inclusive marketing. In 2022, she sold 80% of Knix at a $524M CAD valuation, marking the largest disclosed sale of a private direct-to-consumer brand by a Canadian female founder.

Jay Klein (The PUR Company), Toronto ON – After pitching in Season 9 and securing a deal, Klein has turned PÜR into the #1-selling aspartame-free gum in the world. Today, the brand is distributed in over 50 countries across the globe, recently launching breath mints and its newest Jumbo Gum line – a better-for-you take on the classic gumball.

Marc Lafleur (truLOCAL/DB8 Labs), Cornwall ON – Secured a deal in Season 12 and went on to scale truLOCAL into a national subscription service specializing in locally farmed meats before selling the company for $16.7M CAD. Lafleur later authored the Amazon bestseller True Founder and is the Founder of AI venture studio, DB8 Labs.

Barb Stegemann (The 7 Virtues), Halifax NS – Pitched in Season 5 and became the first woman from Atlantic Canada to secure a deal on Dragons’ Den. Since then, The 7 Virtues has grown into the only Canadian perfume brand sold at Sephora, now in over 2,100 stores across 19 countries, recently attracting investment from Unilever Ventures, and continues to expand globally within Sephora and has plans to open more perfume ateliers in North America.

For twenty seasons, Dragons’ Den has helped shape Canada’s entrepreneurial landscape, offering early capital, national visibility and mentorship at formative stages for many brands. Building on that legacy, Dragons’ Den Full Circle marks the first time that alumni will return to the Den, where their journeys began, to pay it forward.

The final episode of Dragons’ Den’s regular season broadcasts Thursday, January 29 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC TV. Viewers can also stream the entire 20th season – along with past seasons – for free on CBC Gem.

About CBC/Radio-Canada:

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages: Dehcho Dene Yati, Dënesųłıné (Chipewyan), Eastern Cree, Gwich’in, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Sahtu Got’ine Godi, and Tłı̨chǫ (Tlicho). We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.