Year 9s Impress at This Year’s Annual Dragon’s Den Event
Doha College Year 9 students showcased their creativity, business acumen, and collaborative spirit at this year’s highly anticipated Dragon’s Den event. Organized by the Geography and Business departments, this cross-curricular challenge continues to be a highlight of the school year, combining innovation, sustainability, and real-world business skills.
This year’s brief tasked students with creating an innovative juice drink brand that highlights clear health benefits, sustainability, and strong commercial appeal. The drinks were to be sold at select Qatar Museums locations, engaging visitors with fresh and culturally inspired concepts. Each team designed a 500ml package, developed a unique brand name, logo, and slogan, and incorporated a creative on-pack promotion that connects to Qatar Museums’ mission of celebrating cultural heritage and contemporary art. Sustainability remained a key focus, with students exploring eco-friendly packaging and minimizing air miles.
Adding an extra layer of collaboration, Sixth Form Geography and Business Studies students served as mentors, sharing their expertise and guiding Year 9 students in refining their concepts.
This mentorship brought together students across age groups, fostering a unique learning experience that emphasized teamwork and peer-led growth.
The event culminated in dynamic presentations to an esteemed panel of judges, including:
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David Kane, Assistant Headteacher - Key Stage 3
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David Lish, Chief Operating Officer at DC
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Jerome Scafe, Senior Vice Principal - Head of Secondary
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Ondrea McSwiggan, Entrepreneur and DC Teacher
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Dana El-Tawil, Doha College Alumna and a branding, marketing, and communications expert, who served as our special VIP guest judge.
The judges were thoroughly impressed with the creativity, thoughtfulness, and professionalism displayed by all teams. After much deliberation, we are thrilled to announce the winners:
Emma A, Ana-Patricia S, Olivia G, Kaira J, and Alexandra C from 9XV, claimed first place with their innovative juice drink 'Qaroberry'.
Their product stood out for its health benefits, sustainable design, and creative integration with Qatar’s cultural heritage.
Runners-up were Bella Tongue, Daniyal Swatton, Anvika Manu, Tudor Cocan, and Alexander Cameron from 9YOV, who wowed the judges with their strong collaboration and thoughtful product design.
We’re incredibly proud of all the students for their hard work, ingenuity, and teamwork. Congratulations to the winning teams, whose ideas exemplified the potential of sustainable and culturally inspired innovation!
A huge thank you to our judges, mentors, teachers, and everyone involved in making this event a resounding success. Events like Dragon’s Den highlight the importance of collaboration, creativity, and embedding sustainability into every aspect of learning.