Steven Bartlett co-founded the British company Social Chain before becoming a Dragon on Dragon's Den.
Social Chain was founded by Steven Bartlett and Dominic McGregor as a social-media marketing business. The company built campaigns and online communities for brands, operating in a part of the advertising industry shaped by social platforms and digital creators. Bartlett's experience in that field became central to his later identity as an investor.
Bartlett joined the British Dragon's Den panel in 2022. His investment perspective differs from that of Dragons whose careers were built mainly in retail, manufacturing or traditional finance, because he is especially associated with digital businesses, online audiences and brand growth.
Social Chain is sometimes mistaken for a social-media platform itself. It was a marketing company that worked with brands and digital communities. Bartlett is also known for The Diary of a CEO podcast, but that is a separate venture from Social Chain and from his role on the BBC programme.