“The Lion’s Den”
Youngest founding duo convinces everyone
Wigs provide amusement in “The Lion’s Den”.
© Photo: RTL / Bernd-Michael Maurer
The 11th season begins with the youngest founding duo that the lions have ever had in their den – and whose bicycle innovation convinces everyone.
That’s a good start: In the first episode of the eleventh season of “Die Höhle der Löwen” (Mondays, 8:15 p.m., VOX and RTL+) sets the tone for the youngest founding duo to ever be on the show.
The 17-year-old friends Karl Fischer and Leander Mellies present a bicycle bag that can be converted into a backpack in just a few seconds thanks to a folding system. With their idea and their ambition, they immediately convinced all the lions present: Judith Williams (50), Nils Glagau (46) and Georg Kofler (64) offered the desired 20,000 euros for 10 percent of the company without negotiations. Carsten Maschmeyer (62) and Ralf Dümmel (55) together offer double for double the company share.
The youngest duo has the lions in their hands
The boys are overwhelmed – but they also understand that they are now in charge. So the lions try to outdo each other with their contacts, age and attitudes to get a foot in the door “2 bags” to get in the door. Georg Kofler is the first to feel stupid: “I refuse to put forward any further arguments.” In the end, the guys opt for sympathy instead of money and contacts: Nils Glagau gets the deal because the chemistry was the best.
Four friends have developed a small revolution for the furniture market with LAIK: a table that can be easily extended and pushed together using a lamella functional principle. One lion after the other cannot believe their eyes at how easy it is to extend the table tops by simply pulling them. However, the high company valuation deters even the enthusiastic Kofler – LAIK has to see for itself how it can grow without lions.
The Berlin founders Fabian Frei (32) and Wolfgang Schimpfle (31) make the pitch fun with their props: wigs. Unsurprisingly, Maschmeyer chooses long blonde hair, Kofler wild curls, Rosberg takes the red mane and Dümmel scares Judith Williams with a brunette wig: “You look like me too! That’s spooky!” After the fun with the wigs wears off, it gets less fun. Because it’s actually about a sustainable hair tie made from recycled plastic. For 250,000 euros there is a 10 percent company share “fair hair”. But the idea isn’t enough for the lions: “So it’s still plastic,” says Kofler, disappointed. The boys promise that they are currently working on a plastic-free version – and with that, and for a 25.1 percent share in the company, they still get Dümmel on board.
Beer in the morning, no worries?
The “beer brothers” Clemens (48) and Michael (45) have developed a beer-flavoured breakfast spread: the “beer fruits”. In the eight varieties, the beer sommeliers combine different beers with the right fruit, for example wheat beer and banana. Dagmar Wöhrl (67) raises concerns: “But do I have to have beer in the morning?” The logical answer of the beer brothers: “One has the possibility…” “Extremely adventurous!”, judges Williams. However, no lion really tastes the beer from the fruit jelly. “For me, it’s just delicious jam,” says Nico Rosberg (36). But nobody wants to give the “beer missionaries” 150,000 euros for 20 percent. The men are not intimidated by this: “We feel it, we live it, and we continue to live it.”
The last pitch is a hit – for the lions and the environment. The couple Philip Bondulich (37) and Michelle Reed (36) want to ensure that packages are reused. “SendmePack” is a reusable system for shipping packaging. They strip used parcels from logistics centers from the labels, check them and personalize them with a QR code. Customers can use this to track where the packages have already been. All the lions are finally convinced that the recycled packages are also 50 percent cheaper than “normal” ones.
Williams: “I’m on fire!”
Maschmeyer is enthusiastic: “That’s something really good.” Williams assures: “I am on fire!” Kofler confirms: “Today everyone says they are sustainable. But this is materialized sustainability!” Although the company is not yet on the market, the lions attack in packs: Team Maschmeyer, Wöhrl and Williams and Team Kofler and Rosberg make offers. 200,000 euros for 33 percent. The team of three gets the contract. “Because we are so young and need so much help, three were stronger than two,” explains Michelle of her decision. Kofler sees his defeat positively: “There will be competition, there will be others who see it too. This has triggered a movement for more reusable packages!”
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