“The Lion’s Den” continues with new episodes. There is movement in the pack: new lioness Tijen Onaran is fighting for the best deals.
New lioness Tijen Onaran, 38, describes herself as a sex and intimate expert and is pleased that the first deal of the new “The Lion’s Den” season on VOX (also on RTL+) suits your taste. dr Vivien Karl and Julia Huhnholz present the “Dr. Vivien Karl” brand, a range of care products for women’s intimate areas.
“We take care of the intimate area, the vulva,” the two introduce themselves in the lion’s cage. The range includes an intimate cream and an intimate wash lotion. The production costs are 4.10 euros, the selling price is 40 euros. So far they have achieved a turnover of 85,000 euros in five months. In order to establish their product on the market, the founders need the support of the lions. They offer ten percent of the company shares for 200,000 euros.
“Woman power”, says Tijen Onaran immediately. “Hats off that you took up the topic, I find that exciting.” She immediately grabs Dagmar Wöhrl, 69, who is also interested. “Most of them don’t even dare to put the word intimate dryness in their mouths,” confirm the founders and call on all lions to say “intimate dryness” in unison, which the lions do well. The third woman in the group, Janna Ensthaler, 39, who is now heavily pregnant, gets out. Carsten Maschmeyer, 64, does not want to invest either. Stays Nils Glagau, 47: “I want to build a brand, I have a lot of experience, I’m your man, I’ll give you 200,000 for 15 percent.”
“That was nice, Nils, but be careful,” Tijen Onaran extends his claws. And turning to the founders, she continues: “I speak the language of women. I stand for female empowerment, Nils doesn’t do that.” Together with Dagmar Wöhrl, she offers women’s power, 15 percent and even 300,000 euros.
The deal seems to be dry, but then the surprise: the founders consult and decide on Nils Glagau, “15 percent come [aber] out of the question”. Glagau goes down to 12.5 percent. Deal – and the first big but lost fight for the new lioness Onaran.
Lots of praise but no deal for Brizza
The siblings Jennifer and Sascha Zeller developed Brizza, a frozen pizza made from pretzel dough. Unlike a regular pizza, the Brizza has a bulbous crust that’s crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside – like a pretzel. There are currently three variants: “Der Franke” with bratwurst and snack pretzels, “Der Gemüsegarten” with all kinds of vegetables and “Der Rohling”.
The Zeller siblings are already selling their Brizza to various restaurateurs. Now they also want to get into retail and need a strategic partner for this. For 300,000 euros they offer 10 percent. A Brizza costs 2.89 euros, occupied 3.19 euros. The siblings are not yet in the profit zone, they have borrowed 720,000 euros.
The lions get a taste and are enthusiastic about the crispy base. But Carsten Maschmeyer doesn’t bite. “I’m missing something healthier, more sustainable, with fewer calories.” Nils Glagau also gets out: “It’s really tasty, but the numbers don’t convince me. With the investor’s perspective, that wouldn’t be enough for me.” Department store king Ralf Dümmel, 56, has already burned his fingers with frozen food and is therefore also getting out.
Four lions, lots of praise, no offer. Remains Tillman Schulz, 33: “The problem is that I have to sell a lot to break even. And you can’t protect dough, so I’m out.” No deal for Brizza.
“If Maschmeyer says no, we can no longer sleep”
Max Schlensag and Eric Böger founded “Futurised” and bring a software robot to the cave to read documents. With the help of AI, the software robot automatically reads PDFs and images and processes them further. This should simplify work processes. Now the founders want to get started with their idea. You need 250,000 euros and offer 15 percent. So far, they have looked after 30 customers with their products and have turned over 125,000 euros. A small process costs 20,000 to 30,000 euros, a large one up to 200,000 euros.
“What do you say when someone accuses you of taking away jobs?” Tijen Onaran wants to know right at the beginning. “It’s about having more fun at work, about eliminating monotonous work,” the founders counter. And then it happens very quickly, because the two really only want one thing: “We put everything on one card and that’s you, Mr. Maschmeyer. If Maschmeyer said no, we couldn’t sleep anymore.” Clear Edge and the other lions retreat abruptly.
The founders are lucky, Carsten Maschmeyer bites: “I would like to write your success story. But I want 25.1 percent, I want a say.” You can’t do less with him. “I have to take care of you.” Max and Eric consult, call Max’s father and propose: “Mr. Maschmeyer, we’ll do it.”
No lion takes part in “Mitmalfilm”.
“We are Alice and Uli and we bring creativity and magic into the children’s room”, the next founders introduce themselves. The screenwriter as well as the director and illustrator invented the “paint along film”. The idea behind this is that pictures drawn by children can be converted into an animated film. “In the books there are templates to color in.” And this is how it works: “When the picture is ready, you open the app, take a picture of the picture, and the app turns it into an animated film.” 400,000 euros have already flowed into the company. The founders want 200,000 and offer 20 percent of their company.
All lions get a coloring book and are allowed to paint. “Very cute,” they say. Janna Ensthaler gets out anyway: “You’re really great, but the cost of a film is too high, so I’m out.” Ralf Dümmel does not invest either: “I think it’s great, but it needs too much explanation, I see difficulties in marketing it, so I’m out.” Tillman Schulz and Dagmar Wöhrl wave away, as does Nils Glagau. No deal for the “Mitmalfilm”.
Dagmar Wöhrl: “These are the moments I hate”
Simon Debade from Ratingen is the inventor of “Akoua”, a juice made from cashew nuts. The vitamin bomb can be drunk as a spritzer or cocktail. The founder himself comes from Benin, West Africa. “One day, when I was again happily nibbling on the crunchy nuts, an idea suddenly came to me. Why not make more of the delicious cashew fruit instead of just enjoying the nuts?”
With his idea, he not only wants to do something against food waste, but also to help in his home country. “The women’s communities who harvest the fruit and make the juice benefit. They are already earning 30 percent more through Akoua.” So far, Simon Debade has been running the company alone, but he now needs the support of the lions in the amount of 90,000 euros for marketing and sales. He offers 20 percent for this.
All lions are allowed to taste “the sun of Africa”. “The color is like apple juice,” says Janna Ensthaler. “Doesn’t taste that sweet,” says Tijen Onaran. Carsten Maschmeyer wants to know numbers. “A bottle costs 2.99 euros. 1.65 euros are the production costs.” So far, Debade has made a turnover of 5,600 euros. “I find you giga”, Maschmeyer is enthusiastic about the commitment of the founder. “But I can’t help you, unfortunately I’m out.”
The founder comes out as a DHDL fan. He has watched all seasons of the show since 2014. “I told myself that one day I will be in the ‘den of the lions’. For two years I did everything on my own, now I need help.” Tears glisten in his eyes. The lions are touched. Nils Glagau takes heart: “I want to help you, but I’m also an investor. I think that needs explanation. I’m out, even if it hurts my heart.”
Ensthaler also gets out: “I don’t think you can make it that big, that’s why I’m out.” Wöhrl also does not invest: “These are moments that I hate. Because I don’t know how I can help you. As an investor, I’m not the right person for you.” Tijen Onaran remains: “I think you’re a great guy, but I also believe that you need a partner who comes from the industry. I want to help you with that. No deal, I’m out of it, but commitment, I’m in .”