Student Entrepreneurs Tackle Real Estate’s Biggest Challenges in Dragons’ Den 2026

The Event – Dragons’ Den 2026

Under the guidance of Dr Matteo Borghi, students enrolled in RE2ENT engaged in an authentic entrepreneurial assessment focused on applying innovation methodologies to real-world challenges in the property sector. Their brief: devise a unique value proposition and leverage technology to transform conventional practices within real estate. Over three months, 22 teams developed their business concepts from initial idea to investor-ready pitch, culminating in presentations to a panel of expert Dragons drawn from across the real estate and entrepreneurship industries.

The Dragons

This year’s competition featured ten outstanding Dragons, whose expertise, challenge, and encouragement elevated the quality of student pitches throughout the day:

Alan Pontin, Amy Mobley (Infabode), Gemma Malaperiman (Savills), Helena Hughes (Savills), Kerry Johnston (Henley Business School, RREF), Lottie Watts (Construction & Real Estate), Richard Croft (Martley Capital Group), Samantha Jinks (TSK Group), Sarah Katherine Thorley (Savills), Jurek Sikorski (Henley Enterprise Lab).

We are delighted to welcome Savills back for the 2026 edition. Their continued support enriches the Dragons’ Den experience and underscores their genuine commitment to shaping the next generation of real estate professionals. As in previous years, the Grand Champion will be rewarded with an exclusive visit to Savills headquarters in London.

DealSeal - Ali Abbas, Selihom Abraham, Olivia Adamson-Wielgus, Edward Bowers, Mateusz Cieslukowski, and Mahdi Kalouti

A platform for assessing buyer reliability and transaction risk in UK residential property. DealSeal addresses one of the sector’s most persistent pain points - fall-throughs and unreliable buyers - by providing agents and vendors with data-driven risk intelligence at the point of offer.

AthleteStay - Chris Clinton, Jacob D’Cunha, Lucas Defise, Ted Naughton, Mikaella Philokyprou, and Mikayla Saw

A digital platform that helps athletes find accommodation near training and recovery facilities through sport-specific and proximity-based filters. AthleteStay bridges a gap that mainstream property portals have long overlooked, serving a growing community of professional and semi-professional athletes seeking specialist housing solutions.

MycoShield - Grand Champion - Nathan Aryitey, Carine Chai, Isabella Harvey, Fergus Lindley, Louie Preston, and Charlie Slocombe

An on-site bio-fabricated insulation solution, grown where it’s needed. MycoShield delivers retrofitted shipping containers to building sites that can grow mycelium-based insulation in just 5–10 days, replacing carbon-heavy materials such as mineral wool, PIR, and EPS at the moment of use. A compelling blend of sustainability, innovation, and commercial viability that convinced the Dragons to award them the highest honour.

Following the main competition, the three winning teams - DealSeal, AthleteStay, and MycoShield - returned to pitch to the entire class in the Grand Final, competing for the title of Grand Champion. The atmosphere was electric, with the full cohort of 125 students gathered to witness their peers make the case one final time. After deliberation, the Dragons crowned MycoShield as the 2026 Grand Champion, recognising the strength of their concept, the rigour of their business model, and the quality of their presentation. The team will be invited to visit Savills headquarters in London as their prize.

MycoShield (Grand Champion) - Louie Preston, on behalf of the team:

“As a group we have really enjoyed the entire Entrepreneurship module. From the initial group meetings to the final presentation, we have been challenged and forced out of our comfort zone and have ultimately learnt lots as a result. With Matteo’s support throughout the module, we felt we were given the right tools to create a unique and viable business to help solve real issues in the Real Estate world. The final presentation day was nerve-wracking, to say the least, but a great day for everyone to showcase their ideas and be proud of what they have achieved over the last three months. The support from Savills also cannot be overstated. The insight from working professionals across the industry was massively encouraging, and the connections made invaluable.”

- Louie Preston, MycoShield

AthleteStay - Mikaella Philokyprou, on behalf of the team:

“We really enjoyed taking part in the Dragons’ Den event and presenting AthleteStay to both the judges and our colleagues. As a team, the experience allowed us to apply the entrepreneurial and real estate knowledge we developed throughout the module in a practical and engaging way. We especially enjoyed working together to develop our idea from an initial concept into a realistic business proposal. Presenting in front of the panel was both exciting and challenging, but it was also very rewarding to receive feedback and see all the hard work come together during the final presentations and prize-giving ceremony.”

- Mikaella Philokyprou, AthleteStay

Kerry Johnston, Director of Engagement, Employability & Entrepreneurship, Henley Business School, and Executive Director, RREF:

“This was my first year acting as a Dragon and I was really impressed with the creativity, professionalism and teamwork shown by all the groups. The students brought passion to their presentations, demonstrating that they were truly invested in the outcome, and the grand final where the three winning groups pitched to the whole class was buzzing with excitement. A massive well done to Matteo for being the architect of the activity, pulling it all together and energising the whole cohort.”

- Kerry Johnston, Director of Engagement, Employability & Entrepreneurship, Henley Business School & Executive Director, Reading Real Estate Foundation (RREF)

Jurek Sikorski:

“An enormous thank you, Matteo, for hosting Dragons’ Den. You are to be congratulated for such an engrossing and inspiring programme. I heard the students speak highly and with great excitement about the grand final. What a joy and a memory for all those who attended. The students are to be congratulated for their contribution, and of course the winners and Grand Champion should delight in their achievement. I very much enjoyed the grand final and playing a part in selecting the Grand Champion.”

- Jurek Sikorski, Director of the Henley Enterprise Lab & Founder of Henley Business Angels

Hebe Ballard, Savills:

“We were delighted to support the University of Reading on this module, to share insight into our business and the industry and to highlight the value of entrepreneurship. The team thoroughly enjoyed engaging with the next generation of future talent within the Real Estate industry.”

- Hebe Ballard, Associate Director, Graduate Recruitment Manager, Future Talent Team, Savills

Dr Matteo Borghi:

“Working with our students on RE2ENT is genuinely one of the most rewarding parts of my role. Watching an idea evolve from a first group conversation into a fully developed business pitch — presented with confidence, rigour, and creativity — is something that never gets old. The quality of thinking on display this year was exceptional, and MycoShield thoroughly deserved the Grand Champion title. I am also deeply grateful to our Dragons for their time and expertise, and to Savills for their continued support, which gives this competition a real-world dimension that no classroom exercise can replicate. And remember — always be entrepreneurial!”

         - Dr Matteo Borghi, Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Henley             Business School

Special thanks to our photographer, Keira Smith, for beautifully capturing the energy and spirit of this year's event.

For further information, please contact Dr Matteo Borghi at [email protected]