Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Viral Window-Shelf Startup Wins €199,000 From Ralf Dümmel on Die Höhle der Löwen

Instagram buzz turned a simple student fix into a funded consumer product.

Overview

  • Founders Lukas and Benedikt accepted Ralf Dümmel’s offer of €199,000 for 15% after proposing the oddly precise counter to close the deal.
  • Investor Carsten Maschmeyer also pursued the startup and dropped a request for first rights to the team’s next idea during negotiations.
  • The product is an inside-mounted board that swings with the window so plants and decor stay put when you open or tilt it, aided by a holding rail.
  • Short clips of the installation from the founders’ student flat drew up to 42 million views on Instagram, and they said they spent nothing on marketing.
  • Several panelists mocked the look and branding, with tech investor Frank Thelen calling the effort a poor use of talent, highlighting the split between high-tech bias and practical, viral-ready consumer gear.