"Despite her initial commitment, Tijen Onaran failed to uphold her ambassador role with the learning app creators"
A Glimpse into 'Die Höhle der Löwen'
Step into the den, and you'll find Matthias Geenen and Andrea Goesslinghoff, the dynamic duo who've mastered the art of navigating the education system's turbulent waters. Goesslinghoff, a primary school teacher in a socially challenged area, paints a raw picture - 28 pupils, one with intellectual disabilities, several with behavioral issues, six who barely speak German, and many who can't read or write. Their predicament? 'Impossible' is often the response from fellow educators.
The lions listen empathetically, as the issues of integration, teacher shortage, and technology in education resonate profoundly. Goesslinghoff's solution? A learning app called "Say it in German", co-developed with an IT specialist friend. This digital teaching assistant aids children with learning difficulties, enabling their human teacher to focus on the rest of the class. It's been a hit, already deployed in 1,500 schools, generating over 600,000 euros in revenue last year, and expected to surge beyond a million this year.
Maschmeyer's Golden Ticket
Given such a promising outlook, Geenen and Goesslinghoff's request for 70,000 euros in exchange for 10% equity looks rather modest. Indeed, Carsten Maschmeyer, one of the judges, eagerly pledges his investment and hands over the requested sum on the spot, bypassing any lengthy negotiations. Tijen Onaran, Maschmeyer's co-judge at this stage, supports the investment, citing her own background as a bilingual individual and her extensive network, which includes political connections.
Mixed Collaboration Agreements
Nevertheless, Maschmeyer's solo investment seemed to have been the final decision. Onaran's office later confirmed that the deal did not come to fruition, pointing to differing conceptions of collaboration as the culprit. In response, Onaran wishes the 'Say it in German' team nothing but success.
Compared to her typical investment pattern - two deals per season, with several falling through after the show - Onaran's performance in this instance has raised questions within production circles. However, when pressed, Onaran refrained from discussing her investment strategy or financial resources. Instead, she expressed pride in her successful investments in FreeMom and Logga.
An Evolutionary Path
Onaran has since moved beyond her role as an investor, focusing more on her role as an impetus for politics and the economy. She subsequently invested in wondder.io, signaling her intent to continue backing promising ventures.
Onaran joined the 14th season of 'Die Höhle der Löwen', which aired in fall 2023. The surprising announcement of her departure came in October 2024, as she concluded her tenure after the 17th season. Despite this, tensions between Onaran and her fellow lions had been brewing, as investigations by Gründerszene have uncovered[6].
- Matthias Geenen and Andrea Goesslinghoff, despite facing challenges in their socially challenged primary school, have developed a significant learning app called "Say it in German".
- This digital teaching assistant, designed to aid children with learning difficulties, has already been deployed in 1,500 schools, generating over 600,000 euros in revenue last year.
- Tijen Onaran, a judge on 'Die Höhle der Löwen', has expressed interest in investing in education-and-self-development and online-education ventures.
- Carsten Maschmeyer, another judge, invested 70,000 euros in exchange for 10% equity in the "Say it in German" startup, seeing its potential in the personal-finance and technology industry.
- However, despite Maschmeyer's investment, Onaran's office later confirmed that the deal did not come to fruition due to differing conceptions of collaboration.
- Onaran, known for her investments in FreeMom and Logga, has since moved beyond her role as an investor, focusing more on her role as an impetus for politics and the economy.
- In the finance and startups industry, Onaran's investment strategy and financial resources often remain private, with the number of her investments per season varying.
