**Ukrainian Refugee Wins Investment on Dragons’ Den**
Yana Smaglo, a 30-year-old Ukrainian refugee, has secured £80,000 of funding from investors Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett on the BBC show Dragons’ Den.
Smaglo fled her war-torn home country with just a bag of belongings and set up home in Huddersfield. She started Nenya, a fashion business that imports luxury clothing made in Ukraine.
The businesswoman told the panel that she “really wanted to do something” for the country of her birth. Her mission is to help Ukrainian companies increase sales and support the economy by taxes, while creating new workplaces for refugees in the UK.
**A Heart-Wrenching Pitch**
When investor Peter Jones asked Smaglo about her drive, she replied: “Let’s say, when you lose everything that you worked for, your home and everything… this is driving you a lot.”
Her pitch was described as “heart-wrenching” and “inspiring” by the investors. They were impressed with her products, calling them “luxury and lovely”.
**Success Story**
Nenya now has 98 wholesale partners across three continents, products in two department stores, and a yearly turnover of £100,000. Some of the brands she distributes had to relocate their manufacturing from Kharkiv to the western part of Ukraine due to the war.
Smaglo’s business is named after her hometown, with “Nenya” translating as “motherland”. She was nervous about pitching in front of cameras, but felt confident about her business strategy.
**Investment Deal**
Smaglo accepted a joint offer from Meaden and Bartlett, with each investing £40,000 for a 5% share. This will help her take Nenya to the next level.
Read More @ www.bbc.com