$1Mfor 10%
Protein Candy
Valued at $10M
The pitch
Caitlyn Ngu from Toronto, ON, pitched HireUp in Season 13, Episode 9, asking the Dragons for $250K for 10% of the company.
- Asked for$250K for 10%
- Valuation$2.5Mimplied by the ask
- OutcomeDealwith Michele Romanow and Lane Merrifield
- Final deal$250K for 25%valued at $1M
Offers in the Den
| Dragon | Offer | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Vincenzo Guzzo | Concerned about the valuation | Out |
| Jim Treliving | Would be a customer but not an investor | Out |
| Manjit Minhas | Sees many challenges building a two-sided marketplace | Out |
| Arlene Dickinson | Encourages Caitlyn but does not invest | Out |
| Michele Romanow and Lane Merrifield | $250,000 for 25% | Accepted |
Caitlyn Ngu, from Toronto, pitched HireUp, a web application designed to streamline the hiring process by using video resumes and blind compatibility algorithms to match job-seekers with employers, asking for $250,000 for 10% equity. The platform is free for job-seekers, while employers pay a $399 monthly subscription, undercutting competitors who charge $500 to $600 per month. Caitlyn Ngu had 20 businesses using the platform in beta testing and had funded the project herself with $50,000, while working full time at Top Hat; she stated she had already been offered $2.5 million valuation from other investors but declined it to seek strategic partners.
Vincenzo Guzzo, Jim Treliving, Manjit Minhas, and Arlene Dickinson all went out, citing valuation concerns and the difficulty of building a two-sided marketplace, though several praised Caitlyn Ngu's sales ability. Michele Romanow and Lane Merrifield jointly offered $250,000 for 25% equity, which Caitlyn Ngu accepted.
Pitch details from CBC’s Dragons’ Den pitch page.
HireUp today
- StatusStatus unknownLast checked September 2026
We haven’t confirmed whether HireUp is still operating.