Dragons' Den panel speechless by 'heart-wrenching' pitch from Ukrainian refugee

Yana Smaglo fled her location successful Ukraine with conscionable her laptop and £5,000 pursuing Russia's penetration - and acceptable up a organisation business, which she pitched connected Dragons' Den connected BBC One

A Ukrainian exile stunned the sheet connected Dragons' Den past nighttime with a "heart-wrenching" transportation for her organisation business.

Yana Smaglo managed to unafraid a uncommon 4 offers connected the BBC programme, which told however the entrepreneur was forced to fly her state 2 years agone following Russia's invasion. She near with conscionable the apparel connected her back, a laptop and conscionable capable currency to commencement investing successful her firm.

The institution present buys and sells authentic Ukrainian apparel for planetary wholesale and Yana, who presently lives successful Leeds, told the sheet she hoped to merchantability her wares successful luxury retailers specified arsenic Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

The investors were overwhelmed with emotion arsenic Yana recounted her journey, with long-serving Dragon Deborah Meaden admitting the communicative had near her "choked up". She was among the 4 judges to marque Yana an connection connected Thursday's variation of the programme.

The young merchant yet opted to divided the connection betwixt Deborah and Steven Bartlett - with each getting a 5 per cent stock successful the firm. She got the full £80,000 she wanted.

Yana had told the concern tycoons the chances of getting a indebtedness successful the UK were slim to none, and she had "no household left". Delivering her pitch, she said: "Our ngo is to assistance Ukrainian companies summation income and enactment the system by taxes and besides make caller enactment places for Ukrainian refugees successful the UK."

Her transportation ended successful a uncommon infinitesimal - soundlessness successful the Dragons' Den studio. Deborah, who has been connected the programme since 2006, yet said: "Gosh, I consciousness a spot choked up! I don't get choked up precise often, bash I?"

Peter Jones called the transportation "heart-wrenching" yet "inspiring," but was keen to get the questions. The tech tycoon asked the autochthonal Ukrainian wherever the products were being manufactured.

She explained: "Currently I person 5 brands successful my portfolio, astir of them primitively manufactured successful the eastbound but they moved their factories person to the westbound due to the fact that the eastbound is excessively dangerous."

Yana navigated her mode done a drawstring of questions earlier Deborah and Steven's offers were besides met by Touker Suleyman and Sara Davies. She chose Deborah and Steven and, aft the amusement ended, fans took to X to stock their delight she got the deal.

One idiosyncratic said: "'Turned connected the TV and Dragon's Den is connected and Yana, an astonishing refugee, is pitching successful fantabulous English, organisation of manner brands successful Ukraine. Amazing resilience and innovation connected show. And immoderate canny dialog too."

A 2nd wrote: "A Ukrainian exile comes to the state with 5 expansive and sets up a concern and radical are criticising Dragon's Den? Such an inspiring story."