Overview
- The first episode of Die Millionenidee premiered on Sunday, November 8, 2026, and ended with one product meeting the series’ retail threshold and another failing to reach it.
- The format has Ralf Dümmel and his team develop rough ideas into prototypes, then display a live order graphic tied to Lidl that requires a set minimum number of orders before a product is stocked.
- A scented hot‑water bottle pitched by 19‑year‑old Jerimo passed the threshold with 100,282 orders and resulted in an initial payout of €40,297.53 to the inventor.
- A customized insole from 60‑year‑old shoemaker Matthias fell short, receiving 15,150 orders against a 50,000 minimum, showing how the retail test can abruptly end a project despite development work.
- The show, produced by Endemol Shine Germany with more than 6,000 applicants, foregrounds emotional backstories and positions a single high‑profile investor as a fast pipeline from idea to supermarket placement.