Kibu defends Peter Jones investment in Dragons’ Den with adjustable children’s headphones
Circular technology start-up Kibu has received an investment offer from entrepreneurs Peter Jones and Jenna Meek following a Dragons’ Den TV talk, which puts customizable children’s electronics into the national spotlight.
The award-winning brand, which produces modular, adjustable headphones for children, appeared on a long-running BBC program represented by founder and chief executive Sam Beaney. Kibu’s pitch focused on its campaign to redesign children’s electronics in line with circular principles, prioritizing disassembly, repair and customization over disposal.
Created in collaboration between London-based design studio Morrama, advanced manufacturing partner Batch.Works and Beaney, Kibu was launched through a successful Kickstarter campaign. Since then, the company has evolved from a prototype to a wild commercial product, positioning itself as a contender in a field dominated by low-cost, disposable materials.
Kibu headphones are built with modular components that can be taken apart and reassembled by children. Individual components can be replaced in minutes, extending product life and reducing electronic waste. The design also allows for aesthetic customization, allowing users to change colors and update components as preferences change.
The brand has already gained worldwide recognition for its innovation and sustainability, tapping into parents’ growing demand for long-lasting, repairable products in an age of environmental awareness.
Speaking during the broadcast, Jones praised the concept and offered support, citing his early experience building and selling computers as a child. Meek also expressed interest in supporting the program.
Beaney told the Dragons that empowering children to build and modify their own technology changes their relationship with identity and value. “When a child creates something for himself, the way he feels changes, if he learns to correct what he has done, it changes the way he sees everything he owns,” he said.
Jo Barnard, founder and creative director of Morrama, described the brand as an electronic blueprint that will not exist in the future. By combining offshore manufacturing with aging supply chains, he argued, Kibu could open up wider opportunities for all consumer technologies for children.
Julien Vaissieres, CEO of Batch.Works, said the project shows how production can be organized to reduce waste while maintaining commercial viability. As a founder and parent, he said, the appeal is in giving kids the opportunity to use the products they use every day.
Now in its 23rd series, Dragons’ Den remains one of the UK’s most watched business shows, attracting around three million viewers per episode on BBC One. For Kibu, visibility provides both revenue and brand recognition in an important growth phase.
With investor backing now on the table, Kibu plans to scale distribution while continuing to develop its circular design ethos. The company believes that its innovative approach can extend beyond headphones to a wide range of children’s electronics, an industry segment that is increasingly being scrutinized for its environmental footprint.
As sustainability pressures become stronger and regulatory compliance gains momentum in all global markets, Kibu’s model may offer a glimpse of how the future consumer electronics for children may be designed, produced and owned.
