Episode 6/6 of "Die Höhle der Löwen Schweiz": From men's health to creative wooden toys

In the sixth episode of the sixth season of Höhle der Löwen Schweiz, six start-ups once again presented their ideas and hoped for an investment. Which ideas impressed the investors and which founders left the show without a deal?

Jon Eisler and Marc Fröhlich, the founders of Everyman Health, address a taboo subject: erectile dysfunction in men. (Image: CH Media)

From Everyman Health, a platform for men with potency problems, to SilkeN dog, a practical bag for dog owners, to 3rd May, sustainable men's fashion - the variety of business ideas was once again huge in this episode of "Die Höhle der Löwen Schweiz". Sauce lovers also got their money's worth with the creations of AchtVier GmbH, while the start-up Moodtalk wants to revolutionize collaboration with team development software. The episode was rounded off by Hüttenheld with creative wooden toys.

The taboo subject: men's health

Everyman Health - Platform for men with potency problems - Jon Eisler and Marc Fröhlich from Zurich, the founders of Everyman Health, have made it their mission to address a taboo subject: Erectile dysfunction in men. For seven months, they have been offering an innovative platform that gives men discreet and convenient access to medical support. During their pitch in the Lion's Den, they asked the question: "Who has an erection problem or knows someone who does?" The reaction of the investors: nervous laughter and lowered eyes - exactly the problem, according to Jon, because the topic is talked about far too little openly.

Jon has experienced these problems himself and hesitated too long to seek a solution. There are proven therapies, but many men resort to unsafe offers on the internet. Two thirds of the products offered online are illegal and, according to Swissmedic, 50% of them are dangerous to health. Everyman Health wants to break down these barriers: Its platform connects men with Swiss doctors and pharmacies and offers a discreet, fully digital solution. The process is simple: an online questionnaire is evaluated by a doctor, a personalized therapy is created and the medication is delivered discreetly in just a few days.

Since the launch seven months ago, they have already helped over 1500 men to a better love life. But this is just the beginning. Jon and Marc see a market worth over 4 billion Swiss francs in Europe and want to expand their services to other areas such as hair loss and testosterone deficiency. Their goal: to build a modern online clinic for men's health in Europe.

The investors asked critical questions on the show. Tom Zimmermann wanted to know how they differentiate themselves from other online pharmacies. Jon emphasized that Everyman Health is not just a pharmacy, but an end-to-end platform that covers the entire process - from diagnosis to therapy. Felix Bertram was interested in the risks, particularly whether erection problems are recognized as an early sign of heart attacks. Jon explains that doctors are trained and patients are informed about possible risks.

In the end, investors Felix Bertram, Lukas Speiser and Jürg Schwarzenbach decided to invest together. They offered the founders 200,000 Swiss francs for 4% of the company - an offer that Jon and Marc accepted. Everyman Health has thus not only secured a deal, but also the support of experienced investors.

A chic idea for dog owners

SilkeN dog - Bag for dog owners - Silke Naumann (hence the name SilkeN) and Heike Helten from Kerzers (FR), the creative sisters behind SilkeN dog, have developed a stylish and practical solution for dog owners: the ultimate dog walking and training bag. As an enthusiastic dog owner, Silke was looking for a bag that could easily store not only her keys and personal belongings, but also treats and poop bags - and look good at the same time. But there was nothing on the market. So she took the project into her own hands and developed the SilkeN dog bag in just nine months.

The bag impresses with its well thought-out layout: three large compartments offer enough space for everything that is important when walking your dog, plus two pockets for treats and an integrated poop bag pocket. The bag can also be worn as a bum bag or crossbody - practical and stylish!

With a price of 69 francs on their website and a production price of 12 dollars in China, sales are going well: 300 units have already been sold. But the sisters have big plans: with an investment of 75,000 francs in exchange for 15% company shares, they want to expand the range, offer the bags in different colors and scale their business.

Although the lions and lionesses were impressed, they did not come to a deal. Felix Bertram praised the product, but did not get on board as an investor. Jürg Schwarzenbach offered valuable contacts, but also pulled out. Tom Zimmermann and Anja Graf also saw potential, but decided against an investment. Lukas Speiser was enthusiastic about the product, but believes that the market is limited.

Nevertheless, Silke and Heike remain optimistic - they have shown that they can not only score points with the lions with their idea, but can also inspire dog owners.

Gits or Gits nöd: sustainable fashion and delicious sauces

3rd May - Sustainable men's fashion - Patrick and Béatrice Röllin from 3rd May in Zurich have really hit the mark with their sustainable menswear. Patrick, the founder, wanted to create timeless classics that not only look chic, but also look as good as new after 50 washes. To achieve this, he developed 100 sample pieces with small family businesses in Bulgaria and Portugal and relies on high-quality fabrics and a transparent value chain - so-called "Quite Luxory" fashion. The mother and son duo are particularly proud of their fair cashmere production in Mongolia.

With a turnover of 600,000 francs last year and 12,000 parts sold, they are on course for growth. Their goal: 1 million sales in the coming year. But to achieve this, they need support, namely 400,000 francs for 10% of their company.

The lions and lionesses were impressed by the quality of the items, from SwissCotton T-shirts to cashmere polo shirts, but most of them didn't want to get involved as investors. Felix Bertram liked the products, but was out as an investor. Tom Zimmermann and Bettina gave similar feedback - no investment, but they would like to be customers.

Only Lukas Speiser sees the potential and offers 400,000 francs - but for 20% of the company. After a brief consultation, Patrick and Béatrice counter with 15%. Lukas agrees, and the deal is done! Full of passion and ready for the next big step, 3rd May (date of foundation and also Patrick's date of birth) continues on the road to success with its sustainable fashion concept and a strong investor at its side.

The mother and son duo are very proud of their fair cashmere production in Mongolia. (Image: CH Media)

AchtVier GmbH - Sauces - Savas Oyun and Ardalan Azari from Winterthur have conquered the street food scene with their AchtVier GmbH and their "Gits" sauces - and now they wanted to win over the lions in the cave. "Gits or Gits nöd" - joked Roland Brack. They have been fully independent since January 2022 and have managed to make their brand famous. Their sauces can not only be found at Volg and Migros Ostschweiz, but they are also out and about at festivals and city festivals, where they spread the street food feeling and promote their product at the same time.

The two founders presented their BBQ and truffle sauces to the lions, and the lions were delighted. Lukas Speiser in particular thought the taste of the truffle sauce was brilliant. But when it came to the investment, things became difficult. The founders offered 10% of the company shares for 150,000 Swiss francs, arguing with their vision and the proof of concept they had already provided. But despite delicious sauces and a successful start, the compliments were all they got.

Felix Bertram praised the taste, but was out as an investor. Roland Brack and Jürg Schwarzenbach also joined in - the fries with the sauces were good, but no deal was struck. Even Anja Graf, who celebrated the samurai sauce, decided against investing.

In the end, Lukas Speiser also dropped out as an investor, although he thought the concept was cool. Competition is tough and scalability is uncertain - so in the end there was unfortunately no deal for Savas and Ardalan. But one thing is certain: their street food feeling lives on, and the lions at least liked their sauces.

Mood conversatione and building

Moodtalk - Team development software - Moodtalk - the digital team development software from Loris Niederberger, Cyrill Inderbitzin and Jonas Purtschert from Attinghausen (UR) aims to turn teams into true super teams. While Bettina Hein initially classified the software as a classic HR solution, it quickly became clear that Moodtalk is more than just that: it is about continuous, needs-oriented and, above all, team-driven development.

Moodtalk enables teams to come together regularly and talk about their collaboration instead of just discussing content-related topics. All employees contribute their concerns and receive inspiration on how to discuss them via the platform. The result is individual team rules that are continuously developed further.

One major advantage: with Moodtalk, the teams take responsibility themselves. Initiatives that arise from the platform are up to ten times more effective than top-down approaches, according to the founding team. Already 5,000 employees from over 60 organizations are using Moodtalk to make their teams more productive - with a proven increase in productivity of 30%.

The lions and lionesses had the chance to acquire 2% of the company shares for 200,000 Swiss francs. Despite initial doubts from investor Nicole Büttner Thiel, who had already invested in a similar project in Finland, Lukas Speiser, Bettina Hein, Tom Zimmermann and Felix Bertram were enthusiastic. After a brief meeting, the founders and investors agreed on a deal - namely 200,000 Swiss francs for 3% of the company shares. Moodtalk has taken its next step in the Lion's Den - now it's "Let's Moodtalk!"

Hüttenheld - Wooden toys - Pascal Frehner from Aarau is the founder of Hüttenheld, a creative "wooden toy" for children that arose from his personal experience: his son was always building huts under the dining table. In order to offer him his own solution, Pascal began putting together the first building blocks and sticks in the workshop. Friends and acquaintances quickly noticed how enthusiastic children were about it, and Pascal received more and more inquiries as to whether and where this toy could be bought.

In November, he decided to launch a web store, and before Christmas the rush was so great that he had to pause the site - demand exceeded his production capacity. He achieved considerable sales with minimal advertising, but production remained a bottleneck.

It was particularly important to Pascal that the wood is sustainable and comes from Switzerland. The children can easily expand the toy by inserting round rods into the prepared wooden building blocks. Production has now had to be paused in order to improve the structure and further improve the product.

Pascal would like to expand Hüttenheld further - throughout Switzerland and, in the long term, throughout Europe. He was looking for an investor who would offer him 100,000 Swiss francs for 10 % company shares. He presented his idea, but despite the interest of the investors, including Roland Brack, Tobias Reichmuth and Felix Bertram, no deal was made. Although the investors praised the product and the idea, they did not see an investment case.

Pascal left the show without an investor, but with the clear goal and more motivation to continue building and expanding Hüttenheld independently.

Source and further information: www.oneplus.ch

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