London, 30 January, AZERTAC

Young Azerbaijani startup founder Murad Huseynov has presented his startup on the BBC’s popular show Dragons’ Den, which has an audience of over four million viewers. The programme gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to five well-known investors and secure investment.

Murad Huseynov received a £70,000 investment offer from renowned investor Steven Bartlett for the mobile application he presented on the show. Although he accepted the offer during filming, he later decided to turn it down. In an interview with AZERTAC, Murad explained the reasons behind this decision.

– How long have you been living in London, and what brought you here?

– I was born in Baku, Azerbaijan. Both of my parents are from Baku as well. However, my early childhood was spent in a small town in Germany, where I lived until the age of six. Later, we moved to London, and most of my life has been spent here.

– Could you tell us about the mobile app you created?

– “Mosaic Journal” is a photo journaling app. When users sign up, they receive a journal with 365 blank pages. Through the app, they upload one photo each day representing a meaningful moment in their lives. Once a month, these photos are printed and delivered to the user. By the end of the year, they receive a physical photo album that documents an entire year of their life.

– How did this idea come to you? Was it a spontaneous decision or a gradual process?

– It was completely a gradual process. I would say there were two or three key factors that shaped the idea. The most important one was my personal life journey — living between Azerbaijan, Germany, and London. I’ve always felt that everyone’s life is incredibly rich, but this richness isn’t fully reflected on social media. We all know what it’s like to look through old photo albums at our parents’ homes. I realised that I didn’t want to show my children just my phone or social media 20 years from now. That’s when I understood I wanted to work on the idea of a physical photo album.

– How did you decide to apply for Dragons’ Den?

– I applied about a year ago. One day, I received a call telling me that I had been invited to the selection stage.

– What was your main goal in taking part in the show?

– Honestly, both investment and PR. We wanted investment and a strong “dragon” — that’s what investors are called on the show — but it was also a chance to present our brand to millions of people. Around 4.5 million people watch this show in the UK.

– How did you prepare for the show?

– I worked with actors to improve how I communicated my ideas. I collaborated with stylists on my appearance. Business experts helped identify gaps in my business plan. The preparation process lasted about a month.

– Did you feel like you were representing Azerbaijan on the show?

– Absolutely. I knew I was representing my country, and that came with responsibility. When I first started this journey, many people doubted that I could succeed. But now, Azerbaijanis watching me will see that regardless of who they are, they can achieve this too.

– What was the most difficult question you were asked?

– Investor Peter Jones asked me, “Why are you doing something so difficult?” That question really made me think. I remembered my parents and realised that succeeding is one way of thanking them for all the effort they put into raising me!

– You received a £70,000 investment offer from Steven Bartlett. Why did you decide not to accept it?

– The show was filmed six months ago but aired yesterday (29 January). I accepted Steven’s offer on air, but by the time his team completed the due diligence process, my business had grown significantly. At the time, our monthly revenue was £20,000; now it has increased to £50,000–£60,000. We’ve also recently signed a major new contract. As a result, the value of my company had increased considerably, so I decided not to proceed with the deal.

– What changed after the show aired yesterday?

– Our sales increased dramatically. Many more people became aware of our app.

– How many users do you currently have?

– We don’t officially disclose the numbers, but it’s in the five figures.

– What is the biggest challenge of scaling a business?

– First, the lack of money. Second, people not believing in you. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.

– What has been the most difficult moment you remember?

– The first 500 albums were very expensive to produce and turned out to be faulty. We managed to save only 250 of them, and it took a year to sell them. Now we sell the same number in a single day.

– What are your prices?

– The album itself costs £29.99 and is a lifetime product. The app is free, and for £9.99 per month users receive 31 printed photos with free delivery.

– What has been your highest single-day revenue?

– Around £37,000–£38,000 in one day. I still can’t believe it.

– Do you use TikTok?

– Yes. In October 2024, one of our videos went viral. That was a turning point. Overnight, we gained users in 21 countries.

– Has your Azerbaijani identity influenced where you are today?

– One hundred percent. Azerbaijani culture is built around family and history. I couldn’t have created such a sentimental idea any other way.

– How does it feel to turn digital memories into something physical?

– Honestly, that’s my main motivation. The thank-you messages we receive every day keep me going. People tell us that this journal has helped them look at their lives more mindfully.

– How many people work on your startup?

– Many talented and skilled people have contributed to the project. Different people were involved in building the brand and developing the technology. However, for four years, I have been the only full-time employee. I work 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Still, I believe this business can one day become a unicorn. We just need one million daily active users.

– What advice would you give to young Azerbaijanis?

– Make as many mistakes as you can. Fall down, get back up, and keep going.

– What are your future plans?

– To grow Mosaic. We’re working on a large retail deal to stock our new Mosaic Mini across 100s of stores across the UK and beyond.

– Finally, do you plan to sell this business?

– There’s a quote: “Maybe the goal isn’t to sell the company for a billion, but to build a company so good that you wouldn’t want to sell it for a billion.” That’s exactly what I’m trying to do with Mosaic.

Ayten Abbasli

Special correspondent