The standard entrepreneur pitch in the British television series Dragon's Den lasts three minutes.
That opening pitch gives each entrepreneur a tightly limited opportunity to explain the product or service, identify the investment sought and present the business case. The dragons then question the entrepreneur, often focusing on sales, profit, valuation, manufacturing, competition and ownership.
The three-minute limit is central to the show's format because it creates a clear starting point before the longer negotiation begins. It also requires contestants to prioritise the information most likely to interest investors rather than delivering an unrestricted presentation.
The pitch should not be confused with the entire time an entrepreneur spends in the den. Questioning and negotiation can continue well beyond the initial three minutes, and the edited broadcast may present the interaction differently from the recording process. The canonical opening-pitch duration is three minutes.