Frank Thelen returns to ‘Die Höhle der Löwen’ jury

Investor Frank Thelen has returned to the jury of the German startup show ‘Die Höhle der Löwen’ (the German version of Shark Tank). Thelen, a tech entrepreneur and founder of Freigeist Capital, is participating in the 18th and 19th seasons alongside fellow investors such as Carsten Maschmeyer, Ralf Dümmel, and Judith Williams.

During a recent episode, the startup Heiontec pitched a technology designed to generate electricity from ambient heat to power industrial sensors and home technology. The founders sought 250,000 euros for a 2.5 percent stake in the company. The pitch resulted in a rejection from the investors, as Frank Thelen expressed frustration over the founders' inability to provide specific data regarding the system's power output.