“The Lions’ Den”
Cocky motor startup fails because of skeptical lions
Carsten Maschmeyer checks the “Novus” bike.
© RTL / Bernd-Michael Maurer
Self-confident founders fail with their supposedly revolutionary mix of e-bikes and motorbikes because of skeptical lions.
The third edition of the tenth season of “Die Höhle der Löwen” begins with a spectacular kickstart. The inventors of a motorcycle are asking for 1.6 million. However, more modest founders have more luck with investors.
“Driving the future today”. The start-up “Novus” introduces itself with this claim, which is not exactly oozing with understatement. Car designer Rene Renger (36) and mechanic Marcus Weidig (33) have been working on their product, the “first premium electric light motorcycle”, for over ten years. For the vehicle, which is supposed to dissolve the “boundaries between e-bike and motorcycle”, they would like a modest 1.6 million euros for 10 percent company shares. After all, they have already canceled Elon Musk (50), the “greatest inventor of our time” (Renger). But the Lions are not as enthusiastic about Novus as its founders. Ex-racing driver Nico Rosberg cannot remember the two of them and their product, even though they dragged him to their stand at a trade fair. Carsten Maschmeyer (62) lacks the unique selling point, what is really new: “This is not an invention, you have nothing there”. When Renger describes the “USP” with an attitude towards life, Maschmeyer is too vague. No lion takes hold of it.
Green thumb and green founder
The next founders appear more modest. Valentin Muckle (29) and Jeffrey Javelona (29) present “Botanyia”: “Stones as flower vessels”, as Maschmeyer astutely recognizes. The natural stone planter should better protect flowers from drying out. Sandpit friends from Swabia would like to have 100,000 euros for a 20 percent share, even if, according to Muckle, the company “is not yet worth it”. This modesty is well received, but the Lions hesitate. For Maschmeyer, the “pain”, the needs of the customer, is not great enough. Ralf Dümmel (54) is interested: “I’ll take you to furniture stores and hardware stores”. However, he would like to have 30 percent for it. The friends don’t think twice about: “We’ll be there”.
Karsten Kossatz (29) appears in front of the investors in a bright green suit and a funny hat. For his “Independesk” app, which arranges free desks for freelancers, he would like 150,000 euros for 15 percent. So far Kossatz has only rented workplaces in Berlin, but he dreams of conquering the whole world. Despite (or this time because of) his brisk demeanor, the lions are thrilled this time. Nils Glagau (45) wants to pay the required amount, Dagmar Wöhrl even 200,000 for 18 percent. Maschmeyer and Georg Kofler (64) scrape together 251,000 euros for 25.1 percent. But Kossatz goes with Glagau, which increases to 250,000 for 15 percent, plus a right of first refusal in the app’s next investment round. “He really ripped you off,” Dümmel teases his fellow lion.
Shiny seams and functional beer
In addition to studying law, Lina Bouhmidi (20) built a chemistry laboratory in her father’s garage. Here she developed “Glossy Seams”. The detergent cleans the seams of sneakers and lets future dirt roll off. Sneakers have long been an investment object, blunt seams reduce the value. Not only the student knows that, but also Ralf Dümmel. Instead of the offered 12 percent for 75,000 euros, he would like to have 30 percent company shares. Bouhmidi skips the almost mandatory consultation time on the smartphone: “That would be just a show”. She hits.
Combine the taste of beer with the muscle building function of protein shakes. That is what “Joybräu” promises. Tristan Brümmer (26) and his partner Eric would like 300,000 euros for 10 percent for their “world first”. Not all lions convince when tasting each of the three varieties. But tastes are different. The previous sales do not really convince Carsten “I like Steigerungswinkel” Maschmeyer. In 2020 there was a change in sales because the fitness studios, an important market, collapsed due to the pandemic. The employees did not want to fire the founders for personal reasons. That, in turn, pleases the lions. Glagau, convinced of “functional beer”, fears “corpses in the basement” would like 20 percent plus another 5 percentage points if certain targets are achieved. The brewers even offer 27 percent. The deal is being poured.