Hybrid sports bras, lockdown innovations and CBD toothpaste: the highlights of episode 6/4 of "Die Höhle der Löwen Schweiz"

TempRent - the online platform for subletting

Salim Moussa from Brig (VS) presented TempRent, a new Swiss online platform for secure furnished temporary subletting. His aim is to digitize the subletting market and protect it from fraud. With TempRent, he wants to offer a secure and simple solution by using the platform to legally identify all parties involved and digitize the entire rental process. A special feature is the integrated loss of rent and damage insurance. He is offering the lions 15 percent of the company for an investment of 150,000 francs.

The discussion with the lions becomes heated, with real estate expert Anja Graf in particular questioning the model critically. She points out that the legal regulations on subletting vary greatly from canton to canton and that many administrations can be uncooperative. These realities of the rental market are major challenges that could make TempRent's business model more difficult.

Jürg Schwarzenbach also tries to understand the business model better and asks about monetization. Moussa explains that he generates his income through a surcharge of a maximum of 20% on the rent of the furnished apartments. However, there is some confusion here, as Anja Graf believes that this 20% rule is not applicable in all cantons. Felix Bertram points out that landlords who sublet their apartment could have difficulties accepting this surcharge, as they could also expect something in return for the use of their furniture. 

Several lions also expressed doubts about the scalability of the business model and the lack of a customer base. Ultimately, the lions could not be convinced, as the proof of concept is still missing and the company only has twelve apartments on the platform. Anja Graf is the first to drop out, followed by the other lions, as they do not find TempRent's opportunities convincing enough in its current form. "What I'm missing is the proof of content - proof that the business model works and generates profits. And there are simply still too many unanswered questions," says Felix Bertram.

From subletting to underwear

German-American Claudia Glass presents her innovative sports bra, which was developed not only for sporting activities such as running, but also for swimming and dries in no time at all. The bra is made using a special bonding technology, making it seamless and offering a soft, comfortable feel. The highlight: the bra is made from sustainable materials such as bio-based polyamide yarn, which is made from castor beans and is water-repellent.

Swijin has been on the market since May 2023 with a small number of units and has sold around 230 bras, which cost between 80 and 120 francs. Claudia is looking for 200,000 francs for 5% of the company shares. The investors are impressed. The combination of fast drying time, comfort and stability is particularly convincing. Nevertheless, the lions express concerns about the company's valuation and ask critical questions about production, the market and the exclusivity of the material used.

Felix Bertram asks what exactly makes Swijin's innovation so special and why no other manufacturer has come up with this idea before. Claudia explains that the biggest challenge was to combine stability and drying ability in one product. Many sports bras that offer good stability dry more slowly due to thicker fabrics. The Swijin bra solves this problem by using polyamide yarn, which is both stable and quick-drying. He also wants to know what Claudia's long-term vision for Swijin is. Claudia emphasizes that she wants to build a global brand by women for women. She emphasizes that many of the biggest sports brands were founded by men and that it is now time for women to develop innovative products that better understand and serve the female body and its needs.

Finally, the lions submitted their offers and Claudia negotiated skillfully to reach an agreement. Jürg Schwarzenbach offered 200,000 francs for 10%, Lukas Speiser also offered 200,000 francs for 8%. Roland Brack offered 250,000 francs for 10%. Claudia negotiates with Brack about his offer and proposes to reduce the share to 8 %. Roland Brack then offers a compromise of 9 %, which Claudia finally accepts.

A rare sight - lions brushing their teeth

The founder of the next start-up wants to make not only women but also men happy. It's all about giving customers a radiant smile, as dentist Dr. Marina Thomas from Zurich presented her innovative toothpaste "Cannabiss", which contains CBD oil from the cannabis plant. The oil has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect and is also said to strengthen the gums and jawbone. Activated charcoal has also been added to the toothpaste. This turns the toothpaste black and has a slightly whitening effect. The product is manufactured in Switzerland and is registered with Swissmedic. Marina offers the lions 10% company shares for an investment of CHF 100,000.

The lions test the toothpaste and ask Marina various questions. Lukas Speiser notices that the cannabis flavor is barely perceptible. Marina confirms this, because the toothpaste should taste like any other. Jürg Schwarzenbach wants to know whether it is an everyday product, to which Marina replies in the affirmative, but admits that the price is perceived as high. The toothpaste costs CHF 14.90, but can be sold for up to CHF 20. "To get the effect, I recommend using the toothpaste at least in the evening and a cheaper product during the day. That way you still get the effect, as the toothpaste works most intensively overnight," says Marina Thomas.

Tobias Reichmuth questions Marina's commitment, as she also runs her dental practice alongside the toothpaste. He is not convinced by her answer that she could possibly give up the practice. He doubts that she would invest the necessary time and energy in the business and opts out. Lukas Speiser and Roland Brack see the product more as a niche product. Lukas believes that the major manufacturers such as Colgate and Oral-B do not consider the market to be big enough, while Roland has doubts about the brand strategy.

Due to the high production costs and the competition on the market, the lions dropped out, although they generally liked the product. Felix Bertram praised Marina's work, but was of the opinion that the toothpaste was too expensive to be marketed on a large scale. In the end, Marina did not receive any investment from the lions.

Can you tame lions with a sugar whip?

Chris Eckert wants to try his hand at an organic syrup with unusual flavors. The trained chef and founder presents his high-quality organic syrup to the lions, which contains no additives and is available in unusual flavors such as rhubarb tonka bean and kola herb. He is supported by Marc Busch, who has been with him since the start of the project. The sugar syrups can be used in a variety of ways - whether in cocktails, punch or as a refinement in the kitchen.

The idea arose from Eckert's passion for culinary delights, design and nostalgia. The syrup should not only taste good, but also look good. Chris has been working on his product for over 12 years and now sells it through various channels such as restaurants, retailers and major customers. With an investment of CHF 100,000 for his company's 15%, Chris wants to take his business to the next level.

The lions ask Chris various questions about the origin of the raw materials, production and costs. Chris attaches great importance to the quality of his raw materials, which he sources from regional producers. He emphasizes that his syrups are produced naturally and without artificial flavours or colourings. Felix Bertram praises the appearance of the product, but expresses concerns about the brand name Zuckerpeitsche, as sugar has negative connotations in the current trend. Chris explains that the name is deliberately intended to polarize and emphasizes that the syrup is not too sweet, but balanced. The lions are pleasantly surprised that Zuckerpeitsche is not as sweet as the name suggests.

Felix Bertram sees no personal added value as an investor and drops out, as do Lukas Speiser, Tom Zimmermann and Jürg Schwarzenbach. Anja Graf is enthusiastic about Zuckerpeitsche. She sees the natural ingredients and the aesthetic approach as a suitable addition to her own gastronomy products. She offers Chris the requested 100,000 francs, but asks for 30% company shares. After a short negotiation, the two agree on 25% and Chris leaves the cave with a deal.

The lions seem skeptical, can the prototype convince?

A carport that doesn't require a building permit - that's what two friends from Lucerne, Daniel Rudin and Patrick Eberling, want to sell to the lions. But the lions are skeptical. How practical is this invention and does it need planning permission? The car shelter consists of a patented net and pole construction that can be quickly assembled and dismantled. The shelter protects cars from hail, sun, dirt and ice. As the carport is not anchored to the ground, no building permit is required for the carport, according to the two founders. The main target group for the product is private individuals with outdoor parking spaces, as is often the case with detached houses. Daniel and Patrick are offering their company's Löwen 15% for an investment of 80,000 Swiss francs.

Lukas Speiser criticizes the cumbersome assembly and disassembly of the product. He refers to existing automatic solutions that can be retracted and extended at the touch of a button and asks about the advantage of the Oado over these alternatives. Daniel and Patrick argue that they do not know of any automatic systems that work without being anchored to the ground and emphasize once again that the Oado does not require a foundation and does not need a building permit. Jürg Schwarzenbach is critical of the lack of theft protection, as the rack simply remains on the ground when the car is driven away. Daniel and Patrick explain that the shelter can be folded up and stored safely, but concede that the anti-theft protection is a weak point that they still want to improve.

Anja Graf in particular is skeptical of the founders' claim that no planning permission is required. She recounts her own experience in which a simple tent in front of her food truck was considered problematic by the municipality, even though it was not anchored to the ground. Graf points out that this can be a gray area and that it depends heavily on the municipality and the neighborhood whether such structures are tolerated. 

In the end, the founders are unable to convince the lions despite their best efforts. The lions either do not see a sufficient market for the product or have doubts about its feasibility.

The innovative picture frame for children's art

The whole apartment is full of the little ones' works of art and new ones are added every day. Jacqueline Müller and Cengiz Müller have come up with something special. The founding couple introduce the lions to their picture frame, which was specially developed for children's drawings. The Jamu frame offers space for up to 100 pictures, which can be easily exchanged thanks to a clever magnetic and rotating system. The frames are made by hand in a social workshop in Switzerland from high-quality solid wood. Jacqueline and Cengiz have already achieved a turnover of 500,000 francs with their product and would like to scale their company further. They are offering the lions 10% company shares for an investment of 100,000 francs.

The idea was born during the lockdown, when the couple were looking for a practical way to store their children's drawings in an orderly fashion. After a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised 48,000 francs, they were able to produce their first 1,000 frames. They have since sold 5,000 frames, mainly via their online store.

The lions are impressed by the idea and its success so far, but are skeptical about its international scalability and the lack of patent protection. The frames cost between 79 and 109 francs, depending on the type of wood and size. With a margin of around 55%, the production costs are around 38 francs per frame. Jacqueline emphasizes that the high quality, the use of solid wood and the production in a social workshop justify the costs. 

Lukas Speiser warns: "If you can't achieve the same sales price in Germany, your margin will be a lot smaller." These concerns relate in particular to the price and willingness to pay abroad. Cengiz responds that they are currently preparing a second plant in Germany in order to produce there and optimize costs. Felix Bertram sees a lot of potential in production in a social workshop and the sustainable approach, but believes that an investor is not the right path for the founders. No lion gets in, but the founders leave the cave with valuable feedback and the promise of some personal orders from the lions.

You can watch the program here: https://www.oneplus.ch/catalog/1000604