In the 100th episode of “Die Höhle der Löwen”, investors spent money for the first time without receiving shares in a company!
The reason for this was the founders of “talking hands” from Frankfurt, Maria Möller (27) and Laura Mohn (27). The two young women have developed flip books with which all children can learn sign language with ease. Over 100 sign words had already been collected, and the founders had already invested 35,000 euros in their company.
Founder Maria Ernst illustrated how important her invention is: “Around every tenth child in Germany lives with some form of communication impairment.”
In the 100th episode, Carsten Maschmeyer, Georg Kofler, Nico Rosberg, Dagmar Wöhrl and Ralf Dümmel (from left) formed the lion cavePhoto: Bernd-Michael Maurer / RTL
The topic of inclusion was also a very personal one for founder Laura Mohn: “Inclusion is an affair of the heart because my sister has Down syndrome.” Sister Jeanne-Marie “Jami” helped with the presentation of the “talking hands” fluently!
“Talking hands” arose from Laura’s master’s thesis. She devoted herself to trisomy 21 and developed the first sign illustrations: “I got so much great feedback for it after graduating.” Her friend Maria then quit her job and the two founded the company.
The two tested the flip books in a Frankfurt daycare center and have already won over several educational institutions with their product. Now they wanted 100,000 euros in the “Lions’ Den” and offered 15 percent of their company in return.
The lions found: Big (thumb) cinema!
Georg Kofler (64) is enthusiastic: “All children learn through play – that is exactly the subject of inclusion. I find that downright adorable. “
Investor Nico Rosberg (36), on the other hand, was the first lion to say goodbye to an investment.
Carsten Maschmeyer takes a close look at the flip bookPhoto: Bernd-Michael Maurer / RTL
But then family entrepreneur Dagmar Wöhrl (67) started: “It’s not the investment for me now, that’s why I’m out of the subject.” But: “I want to support you so that I like you with my Emanuel Wöhrl Foundation wants to buy such books for 10,000 euros. I really enjoy doing that and I hope that I have helped you a bit with it. “
Wöhrl’s idea immediately found imitators among the remaining lions. Carsten Maschmeyer (62): “As an investor, it is actually not an investment case for me. I join Dagmar’s initiative: I donate or transfer 10,000 euros. “
Georg Kofler was still enthusiastic and joined in: “You are not a classic investment case, but you are definitely worthy of support. I can’t think of anything more meaningful in the context of school and daycare centers that would be as worthy of funding as this initiative. I’m out as an investor, but I’m a sponsor. Thank you Dagmar for the inspiration, of course I’ll be there. “
It really worked: Behind “talking hands” is a flip book with sign languagePhoto: Bernd-Michael Maurer / RTL
And Judith Williams (50)? Of course, she was there too: “I can’t help but join my colleagues. I’ll go with the 10,000, but I’m out as an investor. “
Only Nico Rosberg stuck to his no to the investment and did not want to participate in the donation – after all, the other four lions had raised 40,000 euros and did not want any shares in the company “talking hands”.
Georg Kofler had one more important thing to clarify: “You came here as entrepreneurs to introduce us to an investment in your company, you are not here to collect a donation. I want to be very clear: we see you as entrepreneurs. We feel that we have to support you. In this sense it is the best possible combination of sympathy and business and sensible social benefit. “
Dagmar Wöhrl presents her donation in a nursery school in NurembergPhoto: Dagmar Wöhrl
BILD knows: The donation deal really came about! Initiator Dagmar Wöhrl, for example, presented her “talking hands” boxes, donated for 10,000 euros, in a kindergarten in Nuremberg. The founders Laura and Maria came especially from Frankfurt for the handover in September.
An unusual end to the appearance of the founders, the 10th season and the 100th episode!