“The Lion's Den”
“I'm a fighter! I never give up!”
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A clever storage system for sustainable toilet cleaning and impressive software for people with physical limitations: In the lion's den, clear focus and willpower make the difference.
If you want to stand out in the lion's den and turn your dream of a successful start-up into reality, you need not only a spectacular invention but also a lot of perseverance and a clear goal in mind. The two toilet experts Michael Grundmann, a master craftsman for plumbing and heating technology, and his start-up friend Francesco La Pica from Ulm (“WC Star”) have taken up the latter. With their sustainable, reusable storage for toilet hygiene stones, which fits into all conventional surface-mounted cisterns, the Ulm-based company is, as expected, opening doors for shelf king Ralf Dümmel.
Missed the exciting finale of “The Lions’ Den” on Vox? The show and all other episodes are available on RTL+.
“You have a sensational product and with your fair valuation (25,000 euros for 25 percent of the company shares) you can immediately tell that you are here because you absolutely want a deal,” states Ralf Dümmel. Seconds later, the northern lights with their cute pocket squares clear things up: “I don't want to appear cheeky or disrespectful, but I'm the perfect lion for this topic,” explains Ralf Dümmel.
The rest of the lion pride has no objections to raise, so Ralf Dümmel adds unabashedly: “So you can take action straight away and then we'll have our deal!” grins the lion. The founders don't have to think twice and spread their arms out, beaming with joy. “Yes!” cheers Ralf Dümmel. The deal is dry.
Unbridled will moves mountains
Anton Wachner from Mannheim also has a clear goal in mind. But what sets the 38-year-old native Ukrainian apart even more is his irrepressible will. Anton Wachner has been severely physically impaired since birth and sits in a wheelchair. But surrendering to his fate was never an option for the business information technology graduate. Anton fought against adverse circumstances his whole life. Now he sits in front of the lions and presents his self-developed software that enables people with disabilities to use tablets, computers and smartphones without their hands (“Treye Tech”).
The lions not only listen carefully, but are also emotionally touched: “I'm really speechless when I hear your story,” says family business owner Dagmar Wöhrl. The other investors are also paying the necessary attention to the special situation. Carsten Maschmeyer in particular is very touched by what he hears and sees. “I'm a fighter! I never give up!” says Anton Wachter at the end of the pitch. Shortly afterwards, the remarkable founder and major entrepreneur Carsten Maschmeyer are in each other's arms and celebrate their sealed future together. “We'll rock this thing!” promises Anton Wachter, while Carsten Maschmeyer smiles excitedly.
No business plan, no deal
Other founders cannot fully follow the emotional path to success that evening. While the two bicycle friends Andreas Tscheinig and Josef Bogenschütz from Bisingen (“ROLLERBACK”) and the cosmetics expert Azuka Stekovics from Munich (“LANIN LABS”) fail because the final prices of their products are too high (269 euros for a bicycle Back support and 60 euros for a skin care serum), the lighting engineers Chris Herbold and Patrick Fomferra from Karlsruhe (“lixl”) have a problem with their not yet completely perfect business plan.