9 questions for the founders of “The Lion’s Den”
In this questionnaire we ask the founders and participants of the Vox show “The Lion’s Den” questions about their products and experiences on the show. This time: Jonas Weber and Aaron Rau, the founders of Lockcard.
Lock card is one modular wallet for cards, money and keys. The wallet consists of two outer shells, a cash compartment and a rubber band. Due to its small size, the wallet fits in any trouser pocket and is hardly noticeable.
If Lockcard founders Jonas Weber and Aaron Rau have their way, large and bulky wallets will be a thing of the past. In the VOX start-up show “Die Höhle der Löwen” they were able to decide all investors with their product. Ultimately, however, they decided on a deal with the lion duo Ralf Dümmel and Carsten Maschmeyer.
Contents
Lockcard wallet: The modular purse for your pocket
BASIC thinking: Hello Jonas, hello Aaron, you are in the thirteenth season of “The Lion’s Den”. How does that feel?
Really good! It’s a strange feeling to see yourself on television and then also on the start-up show “Die Höhle der Löwen”, which we follow regularly ourselves. Of course, we are very pleased to be in the first show in particular and to be able to kick off the new season.
What makes your Lockcard product so special?
Clearly the modular structure and the narrow design. Slim wallets are not a new phenomenon, but no matter which of our competitors you use, you have to make compromises. Either the number of cards is limited to six or you can’t take cash with you.
And the possibility of taking keys with you is only possible in very few cases. With our wallet you don’t have to make any of these compromises, because the Lockcard wallet adapts completely to your needs.
The idea and concept behind Lockcard
How did you come up with the idea and concept of Lockcard?
The original idea was actually not in the lockcard wallet at all, but in the keyplate, the module for storing keys. During our studies we only had two keys for our hall of residence.
But since we didn’t see the need to take an extra bunch of keys with us, we looked for a way to stow them in our normal purse. The idea of the keyplate was born, with which two keys can be attached to one card. Taking this space-saving idea further led to the Lockcard wallet.
With minimal dimensions and a simple structure, it offers the possibility of integrating a wide variety of modules. We are already working on many more modules that will come in the future.
“The Lion’s Den”
And how did you end up in The Lion’s Den?
Of course, we know “The Lion’s Den” from television and as founders with their own product, it made sense that we should apply there one day. However, nothing came of it when we applied for the first time. Shortly after founding our startup, we applied to “Die Höhle der Löwen”.
At that time, however, not with the lockcard wallet, but with the keyplate of that time. Unfortunately, we were summarily rejected. When we applied again the following year, we were not only able to present a product, but an entire system.
We also had proof that our product had a market because at that point we had been selling our wallet for a year and had sales figures.
The pitch and the negotiations
What was going through your mind just before your pitch?
Since we had prepared well, we were pretty relaxed in the time leading up to the pitch. But when we realized that it was about to start, we could already feel the excitement. But this quickly gave way to the great anticipation of finally being able to present the lion, which we had been working on for the last two years.
How did the subsequent negotiations go?
The negotiations went well. Both sides were able to make their most important points clear and we have remained true to ourselves and our product.
What has happened to you and your product Lockcard since the shoot and the participation?
a lot! In the meantime our team has grown, we have rented a new office space, many new machines have been added and we have built up an incredible community via our social media channels with which we can share our progress and experiences.
Lockcard wallet: Here’s how to proceed
And how does it continue? What are the next steps?
Next up is the development and production of various new modules. The Lockcard wallet is far from finished and we want to offer our community and customers many more ways to fully customize their wallet. But one thing is certain: the Lockcard Wallet will not remain the only product from Lockcard in the long term!
Looking back, how do you rate your experience at The Lion’s Den?
Our performance at “The Lion’s Den” was a great experience for us! We also learned a lot from working with our lions Ralf and Carsten. We were able to learn a lot, which will help us a lot on our further way with Lockcard. Looking back, we don’t want to miss this experience anymore!
→ The Lockcard wallet exists here to buy.
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