Alan Sugar founded the British electronics company Amstrad before appearing on Dragon's Den.
Sugar established Amstrad in 1968; the name was formed from his initials and the words “Trading.” The company became well known for affordable consumer electronics, including hi-fi equipment, satellite receivers, and personal computers. Amstrad's success made Sugar one of Britain's best-known entrepreneurs.
He joined the Dragon's Den panel in the first UK series and served as the programme's central investor for its initial run. His business background differed from that of several other Dragons because Amstrad had grown into a major public company before his television career.
A common mix-up is identifying Sugar with Peter Jones, who is also associated with technology and electronics businesses. Jones was an original Dragon, but Amstrad was Sugar's company. Sugar later became the host of The Apprentice in the UK, a separate BBC business programme.