The entrepreneurial team of Lina Tejoprayitno and Daniel Barnes, founders of Pop Specs, have successfully garnered investment on the popular TV show Dragons’ Den. The duo established Pop Specs in 2020 with a mission to transform the eyewear shopping experience into something affordable, quick, and accessible for everyone.
Across the UK, Pop Specs kiosks are emerging in shopping malls, showcasing a diverse range of eyewear styles including modern, quirky, and classic designs, starting at an affordable price of £75. A unique selling point is their ability to make lenses for customers in a mere 20 minutes.
The Dragons, Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman, and Sara Davies, were convinced by the business model, each agreeing to invest £25,000 for a 4% stake. This investment will support the founders in their continued pursuit of growth and innovation.
Lina Tejoprayitno highlighted the advantages of Pop Specs: “Buying glasses can be expensive and time consuming, with the average pair of glasses costing £150 and it can take up to two weeks for lenses to be developed. Today’s customers are looking for quality, affordability and speed which is what Pop Specs can provide.”
This new investment of £75,000 is set to help Pop Specs expand its online presence, increase its footprint across the UK, and establish new kiosks in both supermarkets and shopping malls.
Peter Jones lauded Lina and Daniel as ‘a breath of fresh air’, mentioning his long-standing desire to encounter entrepreneurs like them. Sara Davies also expressed her enthusiasm, stating she found ‘not a single reason not to make an offer to invest in this business’.
Reflecting on their Dragons’ Den experience, Daniel Barnes said: “I’d like to say it was easy to secure the investment, but it wasn’t – it’s brutal! We’re delighted to be leaving the Den with three Dragons on board which is just incredible, and we’re excited about what’s coming next for us.”
To discover more about Pop Specs, visit their website at pop-specs.com.
