A North East firm which tempted investment from two Dragons’ Den entrepreneurs is now giving the public a chance to be a part of the business.
Innovative South Shields business Ogel takes plastic waste, grinds it into granules and turns it into materials that can than be used to build anything from a building to a flood defence system.
And the founders of Ogel so impressed the panel on BBC’s pitching programme Dragons’ Den that they secured a £50,000 investment from millionaires Sara Davies and Tej Lalvani in exchange for a 10% stake when they appeared on the show earlier this year.
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Mr Giles developed the Ogel system with E3 Design based in Newcastle, and also works with Allen Watts, MD of partner firm Ram Extrusion, with whom he appeared on the BBC Show.
The investment triggered progress at the firm, with the launch of two products: the Taskpod, a home office designed for employees who work from home but who don’t have the space for a dedicated room elsewhere in the home, and Garden Living, flexible garden buildings that can be turned into crafts rooms, music rooms and even garden bars, to help families maximise their outdoor area.
Now Ogel plans to raise even more investment through a crowdfund campaign, set to go public next week, giving people in the North East and beyond a chance to be a part of that goal.
The business plans to raise at least £75,000 through the Crowdcube platform and put expansion plans into practice.
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Mr Giles said: “We’ve all watched Dragons’ Den, seen a pitch and wanted to say ‘I’m in’, and now you can.
“We have patents granted in the US and pending in the 海角视频, Europe and China, so hold the rights to sell the revolutionary Ogel system without competition.
“Since filming with Dragon’s Den we’ve perfected the system, made it ready for market and we’re expanding our operations nationwide, and we’re looking for likeminded people to join us on the journey and invest anything from £10 in the business.
“In exchange you get a share of the profits, a say in how the company is run and shareholder discounts. Our goal is to be the leading pre-fabricated garden building manufacturer in the 海角视频.”
The campaign is currently in the private investor phase and is due to go public in the next week.
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Mr Giles, a former accountant, first got the idea for the Ogel system - which can be dismantled, moved and rebuilt anywhere – after seeing refugees from Syria in Macedonia. He also plans to use his skills for humanitarian purposes.
He said: “I remember thinking, ‘Why are there no temporary buildings?’ We want to sell into all the markets eventually, but what we would really like to do is use the money from this to fund charitable work, for humanitarian shelters that can be erected quickly and also taken down quickly. Yes we’re happy to build you a garden room, but the same principles will be used to make homeless shelters – that’s our ethos.”