Simon Woodroffe was one of the five original Dragons when the British show Dragon's Den began.
Woodroffe is a British entrepreneur best known as the founder of the Yo! brand, including Yo! Sushi. He joined the inaugural Dragon's Den panel alongside Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, and Doug Richard. Those five investors formed the original British lineup shown in the first series.
His business background made him a natural fit for the programme’s format. The pitches require investors to assess not only a product but also its market, financial projections, intellectual-property position, and the entrepreneur’s ability to execute the plan. Woodroffe’s experience came from creating and developing hospitality and leisure businesses.
Simon Woodroffe is sometimes omitted from lists of familiar long-term Dragons because he did not remain on the panel for many later series. That does not change his status as an original investor. Richard Branson, Alan Sugar, and James Dyson were not members of the original Dragon's Den panel.