Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?
Sebastian Oelighoff, Co-Founder: Hydro Lion is the drink for regeneration wherever body and mind need support. Our goal: to motivate people to approach their own recovery more consciously in their everyday lives. While other drinks rely on caffeine for activation, Hydro Lion provides fluid and electrolyte balance – after sports, during a night out, or the morning after. When celebrating, Hydro Lion is the smart alternative to “water between drinks,” a light soft drink, or the perfect mixer for long drinks. We offer a modern and functional alternative to classics like vodka soda.
Munich Startup: But that already exists!
Sebastian Oelighoff: Electrolytes have so far been available mainly in powder form, but rarely as a ready-to-drink beverage that tastes good and actually works. Classic sports drinks often contain a lot of sugar but little real function. And functional drinks have hardly arrived in bars and clubs. Our answer: a balanced electrolyte formula with sodium, chloride, magnesium, and potassium – and only as much sugar as necessary for optimal absorption in the small intestine. No overload, no gimmicks: simply effective.
Hydro Lion as a practical lifestyle product
Munich Startup: What’s your founding story?
Sebastian Oelighoff: For us, Sebastian and Lars, health plays an important role. We love sports and eat mostly healthy. Still, we make exceptions when it comes to food, drinks, and celebrating. Our jobs can often be stressful, which is why lifestyle products need to be practical and simple for us. So we built the drink we’ve always been looking for: the perfect companion for a sports session, but also for a party night on the weekend. That’s how Hydro Lion was born.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Sebastian Oelighoff: Product development was exciting, but the biggest hurdle was the bureaucracy around the deposit system. In particular, registration with the Deutsche Pfandgesellschaft is a complex and often underestimated process. Another major moment: convincing our first customers. But in the meantime, many Munich restaurateurs such as P1, Lenbachs, or Milchbar are using Hydro Lion, and we’ve also already secured our first listing in local retail at Galeria on Marienplatz.
Vision: European brand for smart regeneration
Munich Startup: Where do you want to be in one year, and where in five years?
Sebastian Oelighoff: In one year, we want to be a permanent fixture in the gastro and retail scene in several German cities. In five years, we see Hydro Lion as a European brand for smart regeneration, beyond national borders. Additionally, we want to build a strong brand presence on social media and entertain people.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Sebastian Oelighoff: Munich offers a vibrant startup scene with strong networks that create a lot of exchange, support, and inspiration. The gastro scene is fiercely competitive due to major brands, but if it were easy, everyone would do it.
Munich Startup: Outsource or do it yourself?
Sebastian Oelighoff: In the beverage industry, it’s normal to work with external contract manufacturers – that’s what we do too. We deliberately hand over production and logistics to strong partners. However, we keep strategic topics, sales, and marketing in-house because that’s where our DNA, our spirit, and our vision have the strongest impact.
