Kippo: Dümmel Deal Collapses After Die Höhle der Löwen Pitch

Patrick Waligorski's deal with Ralf Dümmel for the wheelbarrow handle Kippo never went through. He had accepted Dümmel's offer on "Die Höhle der Löwen" (DHDL), but about three months after filming he was told the investor was pulling out, Waligorski said.

A rotating handle for wheelbarrows

Waligorski runs a scrapyard with his cousin. His invention, Kippo, is a rotating handle for wheelbarrows meant to relieve the wrists, for example during gardening. The idea came when he suffered wrist pain himself and spotted a solution on his brother's cable-cross machine, whose handles rotate while the cable stays stable. He built the first prototype from parts from his scrapyard.

On the show he asked for 50,000 euros for 30 percent of the company. Andreas Herb tested the handles and said he clearly noticed the difference. Frank Thelen praised the idea but opted out because he had never used a wheelbarrow. Judith Williams and Dagmar Wöhrl also declined. The lease on the scrapyard ends next year, and Waligorski said a new site would be hard to find, which is why Kippo matters to him as a new career path.

Herb and Dümmel both offered the requested sum, even though Waligorski had no sales figures yet: 250 units made in China had arrived only days before the pitch. Dümmel praised the modest valuation as proof that he wanted a deal and support. Waligorski chose Dümmel.

Reason for the withdrawal and next steps

According to Waligorski, the reason given was that the DIY stores approached had not shown enough interest in the handles. A press inquiry to Dümmel went unanswered.

Waligorski is carrying on regardless. He has had 1,000 handles produced and now sells them through Amazon. After that, he says, he will see whether a large-volume buyer, an interested company, a sponsor or perhaps still an investor comes along.