Two years ago nobody had heard of Imran Hakim.  Then one day he entered the BBC’s Dragons’ Den with his brother dressed in a bear costume… it seemed like a joke at first, a pitch that would be remembered for all the wrong reasons.  But today, with a business turning over £11million, it’s fair to say that Imran’s the one laughing all the way to the bank.

As a result of the success, Bolton-based Imran has become one of the most successful young entrepreneurs in the country.  His interactive teddy bear, the iTeddy, which cleverly incorporates an MP4 player into a soft toy, has gone global, small thanks to his star turn on the business-based reality TV show. Imran took on the Dragons and managed to win over Peter Jones, and  Theo Paphitis.  Both Dragons jointly offered Imran the £140,000 he needed to take his innovative concept to the next level.

Since his win, Imran’s feet have barely touched the ground.  Last June, Imran signed a deal with Argos and went on to become a best seller.  Next month, he takes his product to Toys ‘R’ Us, Hamley’s, Harrods and Tesco.  The 30-year-old entrepreneur has also agreed a distribution deal which will see the iTeddy available in the U.S.  Nice work for a Lancashire lad.

The eldest of five children, Imran was born and raised in Bolton, and went on to study Optometry at UMIST.  Despite a successful career as an ophthalmologist, it’s Imran’s business acumen that brought him into the public consciousness.

www.iteddy.com