When Olivia Davson faced rising costs during her maternity leave, she and her sister, Tanyka, created a discount platform that now helps tens of thousands of UK families – an idea that saw them secure £50,000 on Dragons’ Den just last month.
While searching late at night for money-saving discount codes, Olivia discovered that while key workers and corporate employees had access to perks and savings, there was one group facing significant financial pressure that was being largely overlooked – new parents.
Determined to change that, the sisters launched Cubbi, the UK’s first parental discount platform, to help families save on monthly living expenses.
In just two years, the once kitchen-table idea has since evolved into a scalable tech app connecting families with hundreds of major brands such as Boots, EDF and Nike, helping thousands save on everyday essentials.
Speaking to money.co.uk business savings accounts experts, Olivia Davson, co-founder of Cubbi, said:
“When I went on maternity leave in 2023, I realised how quickly the costs of baby essentials add up and how much mental energy goes into trying to be savvy about it all.
“I spent a lot of time during late-night feeds hunting for discount codes just to stretch things a bit further, not just for baby items but for basics like a coffee or a pair of jeans that actually fit my changing body.
“What really surprised me was feeling overlooked by brands I’d been loyal to for years. That sense of being unsupported, combined with the guilt around spending on yourself at all, was a huge part of what sparked the idea for Cubbi.”
The entrepreneurs found that working as a sister duo helped them on their journey to building a business, citing trust as a key factor in their success.
Olivia said: “The biggest benefit is trust. I was so passionate about the idea because I had lived it myself. Tanyka saw me on that journey and understood what I was trying to achieve.
“We share a core ‘why’ that goes beyond profit, and we’ve taken real risks together, like leaving jobs and expanding our families, all while building a business. And sisterhood allows us to be brutally honest without the fear of damaging a professional relationship.”
Their shared trust and determination to further grow their business led to a recent appearance on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, where the duo were successful in an investment from guest Dragon, Susie Ma, and they shook on a deal of £50,000 for 10% equity.
Olivia said: “Standing in the Den at nine months pregnant and successfully explaining why Cubbi exists to the Dragons was an incredibly personal and proud moment for me. It felt like a rare full-circle moment, where both my personal life and the business reached a defining point together.
“It was physically and emotionally demanding, but it felt right to bring that reality into the room. We are building a business for parents, so appearing as a parent-to-be felt like the most authentic way to represent Cubbi’s mission.”
They said the experience marked a defining moment, not just for the business, but for their journey as sisters building it together.
Tanyka added: “Pitching in the Den really tested us as a team. It forced us to step back and look at every decision we’d made.
“Walking into that room together, knowing we had each other’s backs regardless of the outcome, was a powerful moment for both our relationship and our business journey.”
Looking ahead to the future, the sister duo are focused on scaling the platform and deepening its impact for families across the UK.
Olivia said: “We want Cubbi to become the go-to platform for parents across the UK. Alongside securing great savings, we’re focused on building strong partnerships with brands so we can unlock more meaningful discounts for our community. We’re also looking at how Cubbi can help parents discover and better use local brick-and-mortar high street businesses.
“We’re building a trusted ecosystem that helps parents feel supported and confident, so they can spend less time worrying about money and more time enjoying those early years.”
Behind the scenes, the sisters say building strong financial foundations has been key to scaling sustainably.
From integrating business banking to automated onboarding and invoicing processes, they focused early on maintaining clear visibility over cash flow as the company grew.
Olivia said: “On the financial side, using business banking integrated with accounting has been a game-changer.
“It removes a huge amount of mental load when it comes to managing detailed financials, with everything linking together seamlessly, from tracking spend and cash flow to generating and processing invoices.”
Joe Phelan, money.co.uk business savings expert, said:
“Cubbi’s story shows how powerful it can be when founders spot a real gap, in this case the rising cost of parenting, and build a practical solution around it.
“Tanyka and Olivia’s journey from kitchen-table idea to pitching on Dragons’ Den also shows how staying lean and organised financially can help founders stay in control as a business grows.
“Simple steps like separating personal and business finances, tracking cash flow weekly, and using dedicated business accounts may sound basic, but they’re often what give founders the confidence to scale or attract investment later.”
