Bath Dragons are back for 2026

Bath Dragons 2026 Launches With A New £5,000 Cash Prize As Well As £20,000 Support Package for Growing Businesses Across Bath

After the resounding success of last year’s inaugural competition, 2026 promises to be even bigger, bolder, and packed with opportunity for growing businesses across Bath and the surrounding area.

This year the winner will receive a £5,000 cash prize in addition to an impressive £20,000 business support package, giving access to expert guidance spanning accountancy, tax, corporate finance, legal strategy, and PR.

The programme has been designed to equip growing businesses with the skills, advice, and confidence needed to accelerate growth and scale faster. Entries are open to limited companies, over 2 years old, with turnover of £100K or over, based in BANES or within 10 miles of the centre of Bath.

Last year’s champions, The Copper Crew by the Canned Wine Company, impressed the Dragons with their ambitious plan to roll out an innovative wine-on-tap model across the UK.

The initiative is a collaborative effort led by four of Bath’s top local businesses: accountants and tax advisers Richardson Swift, law firm Mogers Drewett, business finance and funding experts South West Business Finance (SWBF) and business magazine and events platform The Business Exchange (TBE).

Since its launch last year, the city has rallied around the Dragons project. This year the competition is being supported by Bath Building Society, which will host exclusive “Dinner with the Dragons” events in the run-up to the launch, as well as The Royal Crescent Hotel, which will be providing a Champagne reception for prospective entrants. Promotional and community partners include Invest in BANES, the West of England Combined Authority, The Bath BID, as well as Bath Spa University Business School, and the University of Bath School of Management.

Richard Ingle, CEO of Bath Building Society, said: “The Society is delighted to have this opportunity to sponsor the 2026 Bath Dragons competition, after a successful inaugural event in 2025. The Bath Dragons event brilliantly supports local businesses looking to grow, offering financial support and expertise from some of the city’s leading business service companies.

 

We wholeheartedly support Bath Dragons vision to encourage business growth in Bath, which aligns to the Society’s purpose of helping our members live sustainable and financially resilient lives. This support of Bath Dragons is just one of the many local community partnerships we are proud to be part of, in addition to our commitment to donate to 2% of profits back to the local community through charitable organisations each year. We wish all entrants the best of luck!”

The 2026 programme launches officially on 11th February at the DoubleTree by Hilton, in Bath, when entries will open. The finalists will be revealed in late April. The live final will be held on 1 June at The Apex Hotel.

The Dragons line up will remain the same this year, with the contestants having to outline their growth plans via a series of interviews and written submissions to Dan Smith, co-founder of South West Business Finance; Tom Webb, partner at Mogers Drewett; Debbie Boulton, managing director of Richardson Swift and Anita Jaynes, founder of The Business Exchange.

Debbie Boulton said: “This year we hope to get the city buzzing with excitement about Dragons. Our aim is to increase engagement across the business community, media and public sector to celebrate and support the wealth of entrepreneurial talent we have across Bath and the surrounding area.”

Dan Smith added: “Bath Dragons continues to be an outstanding platform for local talent. The expanded programme this year promises even more opportunities for growth, finance and collaboration.”

Tom Webb commented: “With a significant cash prize and high-level strategic support, Bath Dragons 2026 is a major step forward for entrepreneurial growth in the region.”

Anita Jaynes added: “I can’t wait to see who applies this year. I’m hoping the competition uncovers some little-known businesses that we can really help shine a light on and support with their growth plans.”

Local businesses and organisations interested in entering, attending events, or exploring sponsorship opportunities can contact Helen Keating at hk@richardsonswift.co.uk. Full details and entry forms can be found on the Bath Dragons webpage by scanning the QR code.