Charles Ejogo
Charles Ejogo | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976 Chelsea, London, England |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Creator of the Umbrolly vending machine; appearance on Dragons' Den |
Charles Ejogo (born 1976) is a British-Nigerian entrepreneur and the creator behind the Umbrolly vending machine for umbrellas.[1] Ejogo gained recognition when he appeared on the debut episode of the UK television series Dragons' Den, where he secured a £150,000 investment (£ today) for his Umbrolly vending machine concept.[2]
Early life and career
Ejogo was born in Chelsea, London to Charles (Snr), a Nigerian businessman, and Elizabeth Douglas, a Scottish tour guide.[3] He completed his secondary education at the London Oratory School before pursuing higher education in Law at Staffordshire University and later studying History and Politics at Goldsmiths, University of London.[4]
Prior to launching Umbrolly, Ejogo gained experience working in private banking with Merrill Lynch in both New York City and London, followed by a brief tenure at Deutsche Bank.[5]
Dragons' Den
In 2005, Ejogo appeared on the inaugural UK episode of Dragons' Den, where he presented his umbrella vending machine venture. On 5 January, he successfully negotiated an investment offer totaling £150,000 from Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones, which he agreed to accept. Despite this initial success, the agreement fell through seven months later.[6][7] Acting on Peter Jones's recommendation, Ejogo went on to form a new company independently, allowing him to restart his business efforts.[8]
Umbrolly
Following the unsuccessful negotiation on Dragons' Den, Ejogo collaborated with Seymour Powell to develop and introduce a more compact umbrella vending machine. In October 2007, he obtained a substantial equity stake from Burlington Investment Partners to revive the company. From 2008 through 2010, Ejogo broadened Umbrolly's reach both domestically and internationally, expanding into markets such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United States. In March 2010, the UK division discontinued operations after losing its UK operational partner, Photo-Me International, subsequent to the CEO's departure. The company continues to provide consultancy services and distribute products internationally to both new and existing clients.
Awards
In 2006, Ejogo was honored with the "Innovator of the Year" accolade by the Department of Trade and Industry, as well as the BT Vending "Innovation of the Year" award. The following year, Umbrolly's vending machines were recognized as runners-up for "Product of the Year" by Vending Magazine.
Public speaking
Ejogo has delivered presentations at prominent business forums including "Winners – The Rise and Rise of Black British Entrepreneurs" hosted at the British Library and "Coffee, Croissants, and £2,000,000 Investment" in collaboration with Grant Thornton. In 2008, he appeared alongside Peter Jones at The Guardian Graduate Fair. Dedicated to encouraging entrepreneurship among youth, he has spoken at institutions such as the London School of Economics, Bristol University, and multiple schools across the UK.
- ↑ "The Rise and Rise of British Black Entrepreneurs". Bytestart.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
- ↑ [1] Archived 16 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Benitte (2016-04-08). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Charles Ejogo Jr". Youth Village Nigeria. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
- ↑ "Charles Ejogo | F6S Member Profile". F6S. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ↑ Laura Smith (13 July 2006). "Black entrepreneurs break through the red line | Money". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
- ↑ "Dragons Den 'winner' takes to the streets". Retrieved 16 December 2010.
- ↑ "Dragons' Den". Director.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
- ↑ "Dragon's den charles ejogo of umbrolly shares his experience with YHP | YHP". Your Hidden Potential. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
