company offering free text and interactive messaging across the internet, prior to the introduction of smart phones. Trutap received three rounds of funding from two investors, Tudor Investments and the Cambridge Angels. The company closed in good order and the remaining investment was returned to Investors after the company was unable to pivot with the introduction and success of the iPhone. In 2008, Richard founded School for Startups Ltd. Dragons' Den In late 2004, Richard was approached by the BBC to join a new reality TV show called Dragons' Den. Richard was joined by Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh and Simon Woodroffe as the first 'Dragons'. Richard appeared on the first two series of the programme. He voluntarily stepped down after the end of the second series after accepting a position as a venture partner with the hedge fund Tudor Investments. Awards and recognition In 2006, he received an honorary Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion. The award was honorary as Richard was a US citizen. In 2009, Richard was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex for his work supporting entrepreneurship. In 2010, he was awarded Enterprise Educator of the Year by National Council on Graduate Entreprise. In 2013, Richard was awarded an honorary doctorate from University of Plymouth for his work with Plymouth in supporting the growth of small business in the south west. Richard was appointed as an ambassador for the British Library's Business and IP Centre. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. Publications and government advisory work In 2008, Richard wrote and published the Richard Report on Small Business, as the Chairman of the Conservative Party Task Force, a policy guideline on support for small business for the Conservative Party while in opposition. In 2010, Richard published the “Entrepreneurs Manifesto”, a call-to-action to drive entrepreneurship in the UK. In 2012, Richard published the Richard Review of Apprenticeships, a government requested review of the apprenticeship system which was supported by all political parties and formed the basis for the reform of the apprenticeship system in the UK. In 2013, Richard published his first Book, “How to Start a Creative Business”, on entrepreneurship in the creative industries. Board memberships and non profits Richard served as a Counsellor at One Young World in 2012, 2013 & 2015. Richard is a former non-executive director of Innovate UK, the UK's Innovation Agency. School for