- 10 years of "Lions Cave": Judith Williams returns
The investment show "The Lion's Den" on Vox is turning 10 - and is getting a particularly prominent lineup of investors for its anniversary. In the show, company founders and inventors present their ideas and pitch for risk capital and business involvement to prominent investors.
Judith Williams back after a break
Judith Williams, beauty expert and original "lioness", is returning after a one-year break, Vox announced. "The anniversary season's permanent 'lion pride' also includes family entrepreneur Dagmar Woerl, retail expert Ralf Duemmler, corporate CEO Nils Glagau, green tech investor Janna Ensthaler, economic heavyweight Carsten Maschmeyer, opinion maker Tijen Onaran, and food expert Tillman Schulz." The show's moderator has been Amiaz Habtu since its launch.
The anniversary season with eight new episodes begins on September 2 at 8:15 PM on Vox and RTL+. "It will get nostalgic in the anniversary episode on September 23. The two 'original lions', Jochen Schweizer and Frank Thelen, will return to the pride for a one-time appearance and have a lot to share," the channel said.
"The Lion's Den" as a "mirror of society"
"'The Lion's Den' is always a mirror of society," said responsible Vox manager Katja Rieger. "We show products that are currently popular - whether in food or beauty. Over the years, themes like sustainability, climate change, healthy eating, social responsibility, and mental health have become increasingly important."
"The Lion's Den" has been airing on Vox since August 19, 2014. The original was developed in Japan in 2001 and ran for only three seasons there. Sony Pictures International currently distributes the format as the show idea "Dragons' Den" in 31 countries.
Over the past decade, around 18,000 founders have applied, with 772 pitches being broadcast, resulting in 418 deals. The youngest founder was 16-year-old Valeria Weingardt, who presented "Betula Natura" mouth and skin care in season 15. The oldest founder was 88-year-old Albrecht Schnitzer, who presented a senior exercise bike in season 14.
The sauce brought tears
The most unusual foods the lions have tasted over the years include an insect burger (Bug Foundation, season 5), a hot sauce that made investor Vural Oger cry (Mexican Tears, season 1), seaweed lemonade (Helga, season 4), and a laxative green plum (Laxplum, Louie's green plum, season 11).
The most expensive product ever presented in the den cost 32,000 euros: the electric motorcycle from "Novus" (season 10).
Other investors joining the anniversary lineup have diverse backgrounds, such as family entrepreneur Dagmar Woerl and corporate CEO Nils Glagau, offering a wide range of perspectives to the "The Lion's Den" panel. In this diverse cast of investors, the original "lioness" Judith Williams returns after a break, bringing her expertise in beauty to the table.
