# 057: From Invention Idea to $100,000 on Dragon's Den

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2020-11-18
- Length: 39m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Jonathan Schloo, founder of Car Generator, explains how he transformed a camping necessity into a home backup power solution, leveraging an MVP strategy and small-batch sales to validate demand before scaling. He details his journey from a $10,000 Indiegogo campaign to securing a $100,000 investment on Dragon's Den, emphasizing the importance of real-world sales data in attracting big-box retailers. Schloo highlights the value of using early customer feedback and negative press to refine his pitch and product, ultimately achieving distribution on Amazon and in specialty stores while maintaining a focus on grit and persistence.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den#t=6) Introduction: Jonathan Schloo and the Car Generator
- [2:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den#t=169) The Origin Story: Camping, Power Outages, and the Aha Moment
- [6:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den#t=383) From Idea to MVP: Prototyping and Initial Validation
- [11:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den#t=716) The Power of Starting Small: 40 Units and Dragon's Den
- [17:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den#t=1050) Handling Criticism: Armchair Critics and Polarization
- [21:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den#t=1307) Scaling Strategy: Crowdfunding, Amazon, and PR
- [28:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den#t=1726) Real-World Use Cases: Customer Stories and Product Validation
- [32:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den#t=1979) The Emotional Side: Grit, Tenacity, and Overcoming Doubt

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Car Generator (product)
- MAKO Design + Invent (company)
- Dragon's Den (other)
- Indiegogo (other)
- Amazon (other)
- CTV (company)
- Bell Media (company)
- Toyota Highlander (product)
- Subaru Outback (product)
- Airstream (product)
- Guy Kawasaki (other)
- The Art of the Start (other)
- Vincenzo Guzzo (other)
- Jim Treliving (other)
- Arlene (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Against All Odds: Overcoming Huge Setbacks to Sell 5 Million Worldwide](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-05-15-against-all-odds-overcoming-huge-setbacks-to-sell-5-million-worldwide) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [Scrub Daddy: Aaron Krause. How a Failed Experiment Became a Billion-Dollar Sponge](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-03-16-scrub-daddy-aaron-krause-how-a-failed-experiment-became-a-billion-dollar-sponge) (How I Built This)
- [Bootstrapped to 800,000 Units Sold Worldwide: The Story Behind Rockit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-04-17-bootstrapped-to-800-000-units-sold-worldwide-the-story-behind-rockit) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [How to Validate the Market for Your New Product with Ivo Kalburdzhiev of CreatorClub](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-04-14-how-to-validate-the-market-for-your-new-product-with-ivo-kalburdzhiev-of-creator) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [#80 From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-21-80-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2020-11-18-057-from-invention-idea-to-100-000-on-dragons-den. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.