SmartChartz is one of those Dragons Den pitches that people still talk about years later, and not for the right reasons. An entrepreneur who refused to listen to the Dragons, projected £1 million in sales with fewer than 900 units sold, and compared her product to the Mr Men franchise. Here is what happened to SmartChartz after Dragons Den.
What Is SmartChartz?
SmartChartz was a behavioural management system designed for parents and teachers. The product used picture-based charts to encourage good behaviour in children and discourage bad behaviour. Positive conduct was linked with rewards that children would understand, such as extra bedtime stories or trips to the park. Each box contained three months’ worth of editable chart layouts.
Founder Abiola Ajayi-Obe came up with the idea after leaving her job as a hospital risk manager for the NHS to become a stay-at-home mother. She struggled to encourage her children to behave properly and complete their tasks, and the SmartChartz system was her solution. When friends and family showed interest, she decided to turn it into a business, founding the company in 2003.
The Dragons Den Pitch
Abiola appeared on Series 3 of Dragons Den seeking £180,000 for 18% equity, valuing the company at £1 million. Each product cost £7.50 to produce and was wholesaled for £19.99.
The pitch went badly from the start. By the time she appeared on the show, Abiola had only sold between 800 and 900 units. Yet she projected £1 million in sales within the next 18 months. The Dragons were baffled by the disconnect between actual sales and projected revenue.
Things got worse when Abiola compared SmartChartz to the Mr Men children’s books, a franchise worth hundreds of millions of pounds. The Dragons felt this comparison was completely unrealistic for a product that had barely sold a thousand units.
The biggest issue was Abiola’s approach to the Dragons’ feedback. Every Dragon commented that she was not listening to their advice and was attempting to correct seasoned investors without any evidence to back up her claims. The atmosphere in the Den became increasingly uncomfortable as the pitch progressed.
Every Dragon passed. Abiola left without a deal.
What Happened After Dragons Den?
Without investment from the Dragons, Abiola attempted to continue building SmartChartz on her own. However, the business never gained the traction needed to become viable. Sales remained low and the product failed to break through into mainstream retail.
In 2016, SmartChartz Republic Limited was formally dissolved. Abiola returned to her previous career in risk management at East London NHS Foundation Trust, where she works as a risk manager today.
SmartChartz Net Worth 2026
As of 2026, SmartChartz has a net worth of £0. The company was dissolved in 2016 and the product is no longer available.
The SmartChartz pitch remains a cautionary tale for entrepreneurs. Having a product you believe in is important, but refusing to listen to experienced investors, projecting wildly unrealistic sales figures, and overvaluing your company relative to actual performance is a recipe for failure. The Dragons were not being harsh for the sake of it. They were giving honest feedback that, if taken on board, might have saved the business. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can take from the Den is not money but advice.