Four new businesses have been given an opportunity to pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs for investment.

The Dragons’ Den style event was called Invest in Me.

Inochi, which creates immersive 3D Games, PLANit Global, which has produced an online careers platform, Link2win, an innovative numbers game and Clippbox, which uses simultaneous video of events had only five minutes to make their pitch in front of a packed, live audience.

The event was organised by Manninvest.

Business development director Richard MacNee said: ’It was a fast-paced evening.

’Pitchers had to keep a close eye on the clock and our panel only had 10 minutes to ask questions to each company. It was obvious how experienced the panel was from the quality of the questions they asked. It wasn’t like television’s Dragon’s Den on the television with investors saying "I’m in or I’m out" but we hope the event gave the pitchers valuable experience. The advice the panel willingly gave was immeasurable.’

The panel included Chris Hall, a former managing director of Manx Telecom, who is an ’angel investor’ and adviser to young entrepreneurs on how to grow and develop their businesses.

Jan Tinsley is the managing director of Escape Properties, the company behind the conversion of the old Coutts Bank building in Onchan into luxury flats.

She has considerable experience in the NHS, hospitality and financial services sectors.

Paul Telford is a director and general counsel at Annexio Limited, a lottery betting service operating under the brand Lottogo.

He has a particular interest in the biomedical and ecommerce sectors and has invested in a number of start-ups. The fourth panellist was seasoned entrepreneur and investor Eric Evenson.

At the end of the evening none of the businesses had clinched a deal.

But organisers hope that networking will benefit them in the future.

Manninvest specialises in brokering beneficial relationships between investors and entrepreneurs looking to grow their business through its international contact list.

Manninvest will be sponsoring an exhibition by Chinese artist Li Jianxun at the Sayle Gallery from August 4-26.