"The Den of Lions": A Tale of Coolness, Heats, and Intimacy Mishaps
Emergency evacuation due to fire alarm alongside reports of sexual conduct involving a flute.
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In the Den of Lions, a place where speed, height, and audacity often lead directly to success, three up-and-coming startups seem destined to create a stir - only to end up empty-handed despite their grandest efforts.
Elisha Benner and Andreas Haering, two Berliners, burst on the scene with their interactive math game, "TukToro." Confident and often coolly arrogant, they manage to create some buzz with their potential revenue of €1.3 million and a valuation that leaves the lions almost speechless (€400,000 for 8% of the company shares). But the coolness goes beyond the lions' comfort threshold. Carsten Maschmeyer is the first to speak, and quickly the founders are brought back down to reality. "Your bait won't work on me, I'm out!", Maschmeyer barks.
An Inferno in the Den
After a brief pause, the colleagues join forces and follow suit. "You're cool, but perhaps a bit too cool for me!", Nils Glagau shares with the "TukToro" founders. The lights then go out, leaving the two surprised founders empty-handed. But this isn't the end of the inferno - Leonard Mergel, the founder of the emergency response system "HomeResQ," also rouses the ire of the lions. The passionate firefighter barely makes it through the door when the lights ignite - literally. Following the controlled demonstration fire, the Elmshorner presents his information system for firefighters. However, the investors express doubts about the scalability of the system. Despite Mergel's best efforts, they remain unconvinced. The fire at the beginning of the pitch is the only thing that burns brightly.
Stefan Arens and Nathalie Sorondo-Gooden, the founders of "Kokomoon," make their grand entrance in the Den with lofty aspirations of sharing their joy. Traveling all the way from Palma de Mallorca, they present their coconut oil-based lubricant, which is so "pure and natural" that it can even be eaten. They aim to quickly enrapture the lions under their passionate embrace, but their pitch lacks vitality in the Den. Citing only 250 lubricant boxes sold over eight months, the investors show no signs of swooning. The eager anticipation gives way to a chilly disappointment, and the pitch concludes without festive founders or triumphant lions.
A Fascination with Finance
Some say that in the Den, it's the deal that truly matters, and on this particular night, two successful startups grace the Den: Sung-Hee Kim from Hamburg with "Arang" and Hans-Peter Nägele, Andreas Tutschner, and Christoph Tutschner from Leutkirch with "Akku LiebGuard."
Sources: ntv.de
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- Despite the captivating stories and unique ideas presented by various startups in the Den of Lions, such as "TukToro", "HomeResQ", and "Kokomoon", the investors showcased on social media are more interested in the financial aspect, as seen with the investment discussion around Sung-Hee Kim's "Arang" and the Leutkirch trio's "Akku LiebGuard".
- As part of their branding and promotional strategies, Elisha Benner, Andreas Haering, Stefan Arens, and Nathalie Sorondo-Gooden might consider leveraging movies and television, like creating engaging trailers or collaborating with entertainment influencers, to attract more potential investors who might find their businesses more appealing through this medium, in addition to the traditional methods used in the Den of Lions.
