Mein Haus Digital lands Maschmeyer and Ensthaler in big DHDL deal

Mein Haus Digital has closed one of the larger deals in the history of the German TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen" (DHDL). Carsten Maschmeyer and Janna Ensthaler are now shareholders in the startup, both the founders and Maschmeyer's team have confirmed. The agreement was reached roughly six months before the episode aired.

A price that shocked the investors

Consultant Leonie Dowling and architect Carolin Krebber have built a kind of digital architect for people who want to renovate a house. The tool assesses the condition of a building, determines the necessary measures and estimates the costs. Users can also get help applying for construction financing, obtain permits and generate a complete brief for tradespeople. According to the founders, this is ten times faster and ten times cheaper than hiring an architect.

The investors were enthusiastic until the founders named their price: €425,000 for only five percent. "You are not expensive, you are very expensive," Ensthaler said. The founders defended the valuation with revenue forecasts, a path to profitability next year and a market in which fewer people can afford to build and instead buy old houses. They also said banks and building societies are interested, and that no comparable company exists internationally.

Ensthaler offered €425,000 for ten percent. Maschmeyer and Wöhrl each raised to €500,000 for ten percent, and Maschmeyer and Ensthaler then joined forces. The two ended up offering €500,000 for ten percent, and the founders accepted, leaving Dagmar Wöhrl empty-handed.

What has happened since

The deal did go through, which is far from guaranteed for larger DHDL agreements. According to the two new investors, they have already helped with social media and B2C marketing and with contacts for future funding rounds. Dowling described the collaboration as uncomplicated. Maschmeyer was their preferred investor, the founders said, but because a TV funding is hard to plan, they had already approached other investors beforehand.

The company says it has secured partnerships with Europace, a construction financing platform, and with Obi. It is expanding its B2C business, which typically gains many new customers after a DHDL appearance, and is examining the US market. The founders see their concept as international.