Former professional footballer impresses on DHDL with toilet product – was there a deal after the show?

When people think of startups and major innovations, industries like artificial intelligence, mobility, or deep tech come to mind first. Giuseppe Leo thinks of toilets. More specifically, their smell.

Vivien Konca, the founder's girlfriend, describes it this way: "He has a doctorate in toilets. Even on our first date, Giuseppe talked about his affinity for toilets."

Leo must have a certain fascination with the subject. The former professional soccer player developed the Air Cube, which neutralizes the odor from a toilet visit, himself: from the first prototype to market readiness. He only sought support with the technical implementation.

In an interview with Gründerszene, he talks about what happened after the recording for Air Cube, what his football friends think of the idea, and whether a deal was made after the recording.

Leo used to be a professional soccer player, playing for Bayern Munich, Ingolstadt, and Karlsruhe, among others. After tearing a cruciate ligament, he was forced to end his career. He then channeled all his energy into the startup Air Cube: an odor neutralizer that can be attached to toilet bowls.

The product works in two phases: First, a quiet fan extracts odors directly from the toilet bowl and filters them through a specially designed system. Then, the ambient air is enriched with positively charged ions. According to Leo, this cleans the toilet area down to the molecular level and neutralizes the odors.

What's special about it: Unlike air fresheners, which only mask the odor, the user doesn't smell anything. And the whole thing happens without chemicals.

Leo has been working on his startup since the Covid lockdowns of 2020 and has now invested a six-figure sum of his own money.

He begins his pitch to the Lions with the words: "Today, it's all about big business." And that in a double sense. The idea came to him as a football player. Having only one toilet available for a football team could be quite problematic at times.

At first, Leo tells Gründerszene, his teammates didn't really take the idea seriously. "You just make fun of each other, among guys," he says. Now, he's taken more seriously. "Many are interested because they're also nearing the end of their careers. They then ask me: 'How did you do that?'"

How he did it, even the lions wonder. Leo did everything on his own, from accounting to marketing to product development. Janna Ensthaler has only one thing to say: "You're truly a role model founder," she says.

At the same time, Leo doesn't recommend this strenuous path for everyone. "It's really hard, and the days and nights have been long," says the Munich native. His team has since grown. When asked which task he was most pleased to be able to delegate, he replies: "Customer support is important, but at the same time incredibly time-consuming. I've now hired a person for that and for accounting." Nevertheless, his team has grown from one to two.

But it's not just the smell that's big business. The lions quickly realize: Something with a lot of potential has just been pitched here.

The RRP is €139.99, and production costs (in China) are currently around €26. However, there's room for improvement. The Air Cube is triggered in automatic mode by a motion detector. The battery lasts a long time and can withstand up to 3,500 charging cycles.

Another detail that Leos like: Leo is the sole owner. There are no other shareholders or stakeholders. Therefore, there are no other parties or interests involved.

RTL / Bernd-Michael Maurer

Leo is demanding €200,000 for 10 percent of the company's shares. Ralf Dümmel and Frank Thelen are joining forces. They are demanding 20 percent of the requested sum. Williams, who boasts that she, like the founder, also lives in Munich, is offering €200,000 for 15 percent. Carsten Maschmeyer is also offering the same. Only Ensthaler is withdrawing.

What follows rarely happens in a cave. It's not the founder who woos the lions, but the lions who pitch themselves to the founder. Ultimately, Maschmeyer wins him over. Leo had been looking for a mentor, and Maschmeyer embodies that for him.

In a conversation with Gründerszene, Leo later said that he had previously only known "Carsten" from television, but he still felt that the two had a lot in common. Competitive sports and "the topic of fathers," for example. By this, Leo means that he, too, grew up without a father. While Maschmeyer never knew his father , Leo's father died early . He subsequently grew up with his mother as an only child with Italian roots.

In addition to a mentor, he was also looking for a Leo with whom he could discuss things and make decisions on an equal footing. "Starting a company on your own was sometimes really lonely, because it's difficult to talk to someone about these topics." He wouldn't change anything about his founding process, though. "I did everything on my own, from accounting to development, but that's exactly what helps me now. I can talk to any expert on an equal footing," says Leo.

That's why he's particularly pleased to announce that the deal with Maschmeyer has been finalized after the show. Since then, marketing in particular has changed. "There simply wasn't enough budget and knowledge for that before," Leo says. Advertising, social media, and reach have progressed significantly since the collaboration. But also the "purely business-technical" aspect: "The topics are simply much more well thought out," he explains.

His current biggest goal is to internationalize his startup. After Dubai and the Emirates, the American market is now a close possibility. It's a good thing that Air Cube has just been selected as one of the most innovative startups for CES in Las Vegas , one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics (CES), which takes place in January 2026.

"We'll be allowed to exhibit there in the innovation section. That will probably help us break into the new market," Leo says. He also wants to enter into partnerships with major retail chains, which are currently being planned.

He's very excited about Air Cube's broadcast on "Die Höhle der Löwen," but at the same time, the stress is immense. "We're already out of stock. We didn't expect such a huge response," he says. "We have to make sure we get back to production and stock as quickly as possible, so we have enough in the coming weeks." However, Leo says there's still enough stock available for orders shortly after the broadcast.