“Picture Book Founder”: Lion’s praise for the Trauner start-up “My Esel”

Christoph Fraundorfer and Heinz Mayrhofer, the founders of “My Esel”, stepped in front of the lions on Monday evening on the VOX show to present their innovative bicycle. Founded in 2017, the start-up produces custom-made bicycles in Upper Austria, in which a wooden frame can be precisely tailored to the body dimensions of its future owner. The wish of the two company bosses to the investors: a cash injection of 675,000 euros and the know-how of a lion to gain a foothold in the German market. Fraundorfer and Mayrhofer offered 15 percent of their company for this.

The founders also brought their brand ambassador Joey Kelly to the “cave”, the musician and extreme athlete swears by the wooden bikes from Traun. In his sporting adventures, he has always been able to rely on his “donkey”, they are “incredibly robust and sustainable”, as Kelly said.

Lions were very impressed

The previous balance of “My Esel” made the lions around Carsten Maschmeyer and Judith Williams sit up and take notice: the people from Traun have been able to convert 4.5 million euros with their bikes so far, 2.6 million of them last year. “It rarely happens that something old is improved and the founders are still profitable with it, big compliment,” Williams praised the performance: “I think the product is awesome.”

Maschmeyer called the two Upper Austrians “picture book founders”. Nevertheless, Fraundorfer and Mayrhofer had to accept one rejection after the other with their pitch. “It excites me a lot, but I’m not an expert on bikes,” Williams said. The new “Lion’s Cave” investor Janna Ensthaler also made no offer, although she was very impressed with the bike.

The two from Trauner didn’t have to go home empty-handed: Carsten Maschmeyer gave the two an order for seven e-bikes to take with them. “Of course we are disappointed without a commitment. We presented ourselves in the best possible way,” said Fraundorfer after the pitch. “It was an emotional rollercoaster ride,” said Mayrhofer. “But I believe that we will still be successful – even without lions.”

Read more about “My Esel” here: