UQ-bred entrepreneur to feature on new show Dragons’ Den

University of Queensland (UQ) trained physiotherapist turned business owner Mark Alexander will feature on Channel Seven’s new show Dragons’ Den to be launched on Monday 14 November.

Contestants on the show pitch their ideas to a panel of Australian multi-millionaires looking to invest their own money in return for an equity share.

Mr Alexander has already successfully pitched his self-treatment device for back-pain – BakBalls – to win $100,000 in University of Queensland Business School’s Enterprize competition in October 2004.

“My experience of Enterprize Pitch Day in October last year proved to be good training for Dragon’s Den,” Mr Alexander said.

Mr Alexander said BakBalls had recently been endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association and was the first self-treatment device to be recognised in this way.

“Up to 90 per cent of Australians experience back-pain at some point and it’s a huge cost to the economy in terms of reduced productivity,” he said.

He said a private health insurance fund had also decided to make the product rebateable.

“Health funds only list a product as a rebateable item if they’re confident it will improve people’s health and wellbeing,” he said.

Dragons’ Den screens on Monday nights at 9.30pm on Channel Seven.

Media inquiries: Cathy Stacey at University of Queensland Business School (0434 074 372 or 3365 6179).

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