Clear the ring for the hungry predators: The founder's show "Die Höhle der Löwen" (also seen on TVNow) started its seventh season on March 10th. In six new episodes, Judith Williams (48), Carsten Maschmeyer (60), Dagmar Wöhrl (65), Frank Thelen (44), Georg Kofler (62), Ralf Dümmel (53) and Nils Glagau (44) return to the Search for worthwhile startups. It will be the last season of Frank Thelen, who previously announced his exit.
Many languages in one app
The spring premiere begins with an app that is to revolutionize the language market. Ehsan Allahyar Parsa, who speaks ten languages himself, has developed a new method to learn languages with "Rootify". However – and this has never been seen before in "Die Höhle der Löwen" – the 23-year-old only pitches one vision, his app does not yet exist. He wants 175,000 euros for 18 percent of the shares in his company. His reasoning: All languages have common roots, languages are learned based on the roots that you know. Registration should cost just under ten euros a month.
The lions are skeptical, Nils Glagau pulls the ripcord: "It's a good idea, you're a great person, but I'm not an app specialist." Georg Kofler doesn't bite either. There is an offer from Carsten Maschmeyer, but not what was expected: "If you don't succeed with the app, you can contact me for a job, I'll take it."
The young founder would rather stay independent and can still hope for Frank Thelen, who actually wants to invest. "I give you 175,000 euros for 20 percent, but I want to invest in teams. You pay the technician we still need from your percentages." He agrees. For the first time, Frank Thelen is investing in an app that does not yet exist.
Dagmar Wöhrl is annoyed
The next founders, Michael Schunke and Mathias Dögel, have set themselves the goal of modernizing the grill – and taking the grill experience to the next level. The founders of "Wilhelm Grill" need 600,000 euros for 20 percent of their company shares.
"Everything has become smart, why not a charcoal grill?" They explain their idea and demonstrate the product. Prepare the grill with charcoal, light it and connect an app to the grill. Appropriate menu items can be used to control things like fans or target temperature. Frank Thelen announces himself as grill master and prepares a medium rare steak for the lions.
The lions like it – but only the meat. Georg Kofler gets out first: "Inventiveness in all honors, but I'm not interested in automating grilling." Carsten Maschmeyer sees it similarly, in addition, valuation and price are too high for him. "I wouldn't buy this grill for € 5,000. Your rating is too high, I'm out."
"Grilling is time out," says Frank Thelen and withdraws. Nils Glagau doesn't get on either. That leaves Dagmar Wöhrl. She asks: "You have a successful software company, why do you need an investor? Why do you have such a high rating? For me there is only one conclusion: you don't want an investor at all. You are here because you want advertising time." Therefore, she was out. "We have finished the presentation here," summarizes Kofler and sends the investors home without a deal.
"It belongs in all households"
Robert Lehmkuhl and his son Frank bring "ROSTdelete", a gentle agent against rust, to "The Lion's Den". Father Robert developed the paste himself and tried it out on his own classic car. He wants 100,000 euros for 20 percent of the company's shares. "ROSTdelete" removes rust from everything, from cars to bicycle rims. Son Frank shows how to do it: apply, leave to soak, wipe, done. The metal appears bare. A kilo of the absolute natural product should cost just under 20 euros.
Frank Thelen is shocked by the sales figures so far: "If it is such a great product, it would have to be bought, but the curve stays flat with you, your numbers are cruel for me, that's why I'm out."
Nils Glagau also withdraws: "I believe that rust is not the issue for the future, it no longer fits with cars." Judith Williams and Carsten Maschmyer don't bite either: "I have the feeling that your product has rusted itself, you don't come out of the curd, that's why I'm out."
However, Ralf Dümmel is of a completely different opinion: "I think you have developed something really big, it belongs in all households. I would make something big out of it, but there is a lot of work involved." The department store king wants 100,000 euros for 30 percent and the inventors hit it.
Product too easy to copy
Patrick Kessel and Maja Bach have been working on their idea for three years. "Pakama" is the name of the baby and connects sport with the virtual world. The two founders want 150,000 euros for 15 percent. "Pakama" is a backpack that hides ten sports equipment for optimal training, from fascia ball to yoga mat to jump rope. For perfect training, customers can create their own program using a fitness app that explains all exercises.
Bach shows the lions a four-minute "Quick and Dirty" workout. Carsten Maschmeyer is allowed to train. Frank Thelen is a backpack fetishist and owns over 100 backpacks. He tries "Pakama", thinks he's good. The invention is said to cost 199 euros, plus the app is free for a month, after which you have to pay.
Nils Glagau is not convinced by the overall package and gets out, Carsten Maschmeyer follows: "There are so many apps and you have nothing in your pocket that doesn't already exist, you can patent little, so I'm out." Ralf Dümmel also finds the product too easy to copy. Judith Williams also does not want to invest. "I love sports, I have all the devices at home, and when I'm in the hotel, I help myself with apps. The one I have is enough for me."
There remains Frank Thelen: "It is a difficult decision for me, I like to do sports, but at the end of the day I am not for functional training matters. I would not do it myself, so I get out." Without being able to put a deal in their pockets, the two founders pull out again disappointed.
A case for beauty specialist Williams
Max Winkler and his father Andreas invented "Mimik Skincare". Via a website you can develop your own personal facial care: choose cream, add the desired booster and fragrance. After two days everything comes home packaged separately and can be mixed together. They would like 125,000 euros, they would give up 25.1 percent of their shares. The founders have been running an online shop for three months and are looking for a lion to bring them to retail. A case for beauty specialist Judith Williams. She is allowed to get involved and is satisfied with the result.
Carsten Maschmeyer gets out right away: "I don't like creaming myself up. I cried and screamed, if my mother wanted to apply cream to me earlier, I can't help." Dagmar Wöhrl would prefer personal advice, Ralf Dümmel thinks that there is already too much competition in retail. Meanwhile, Frank Thelen sees a problem in the fact that the producer holds 30 percent of the company shares. "You made mistakes right from the start. It is really catastrophic what you do, that annoys me, so I'm out."
But Judith Williams has not yet, on the contrary: "Now everyone is out and we can talk about cosmetics. I love individualized cosmetics." However, the specialist is also a thorn in the side of the company constellation. "Can you start a new company?" She wants to know from the founders. The founders say yes, Judith Williams too. But with a stomach ache: "It is not reasonable what I do, but I have a cosmetic heart and make an offer." It offers 125,000 euros for 30 percent. The founders hit it. Judith Williams is happy, but: "I have to tone my hair first, I got gray hair from the deal."