Campus Startup Day: Experience entrepreneurial spirit from the Silicon Valley in Schweinfurt
This time, night is turned into day: During the first "Campus Startup Day" at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), student startup enthusiasts met at the Ledward Campus to work on their startup ideas. The team of the startup lab Werk:Raum organised the event in the same way as the traditional "Campus Startup Night", which fully takes place during one single night.
35 startup enthusiasts followed the invitation – among them international students at THWS as well as students of THWS' partner university, the Us-based Auburn University, who were visiting Schweinfurt. The students of the master's programme Transformation (MBA) also paid a spontaneous visit from an adjacent lecture room at the Ledward Campus to witness the start of the event.
Professor Dr. Marcus Schulz from the Faculty of Business and Engineering welcomed all participants and explained that he – also quite spontaneously – had passed on the keynote: Without further ado, Christoph Burkhardt, lecturer in the master’s programme Transformation and startup expert from the Californian Silicon Valley, had agreed and talked about the transformative power of artificial intelligence.
Innovative ideas at three-minute intervals
The student idea givers then presented their startup ideas: The topics were diverse, ranging from a student sports league to virtual yacht design to social conditions for international students. Dhairya Shah, THWS alumnus and successful founder of the networking app CAARD, moderated the event and made sure the tight schedule was kept.
After the participants had formed teams, it was time for the so-called spaghetti challenge so the team members could get to know each other. The goal was to build the tallest possible structure crowned with a marshmallow using 20 spaghetti and tape within 18 minutes - and coming up with a team name as well.
After the lunch break, it was time for the business game "SDG Startup Challenge", which was developed by Werk:RAUM. In this game, the participants first deal with the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations and develop their business idea according to the design thinking innovation process. Through the game, the existing ideas were expanded to include sustainability aspects and were supplemented by the teams with fresh ideas. "With the 'SDG Startup Challenge', we aim to provide gamified access to the innovation process and inspire students to develop their own ideas for a more sustainable world," explains Katharina Pfeuffer, member of the Werk:Raum team, initiator and co-developer of the game.
Pitch training rounds off the programme
In the subsequent so-called "double diamond process", the teams scrutinised the issue at hand before starting the creative phase of idea generation. The interactive workshop moderated by the Werk:Raum team took place in the lecture room and in the courtyard of the Ledward Campus. After the creative phase and prototype development, the workshop was completed by pitch training.
The six teams then pitched their ideas to the jury, consisting of Dr. Dan O'Leary from Auburn University, Professor Dr. Marcus Schulz from the Faculty of Business and Engineering, and Lisa Lehmann, Katharina Pfeuffer, and Stefan Kuhn of the startup lab Werk:Raum.
Team "Voltshare" took first place with the startup idea based on a rent-and-return system for chargers and powerbanks. They argued that for example charging devices for smartphones and other digital devices could be easily borrowed at specially set up stations at events and then returned. This idea would ensure that mobile technology was used in a resource-saving and sustainable way and that electronic waste was reduced. "Campus Kreis" took second place: The team presented a meeting platform promoting real interactive exchange. Third place went to the idea "Mentorium", a mental wellness app, that uses artificial intelligence to provide patients with the opportunity for precise self-diagnostics.
After the prize-giving, all startup enthusiasts met in the courtyard to celebrate the successful day with a barbecue, DJ, and games. An opening speech by Vice President Professor Dr. Achim Förster and the second mayor of Schweinfurt Sorya Lippert marked the start of the evening programme.
The Campus Startup Day was organised by the startup lab Werk:Raum of THWS , with the assistance of the student convention (STV), the technical student association Moeno Ripuaria, GRIBS Betriebs GmbH, and the Zentrum für digitale Innovationen Mainfranken (ZDI).
Business game "SDG Startup Challenge"
The business game was developed by the team of the startup lab Werk:Raum in cooperation with the learning game company BeSu.Solutions and funded by the (then) Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The game was integrated into teaching by different degree programmes and successfully carried out during events with international partner universities. Interested persons and lecturers may contact Katharina Pfeuffer, who also offers business game workshops. For more information on this game, please see the website of Werk:Raum.
About THWS
The Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS) is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Bavaria and has driven teaching and applied research since it was founded in 1971. With about 9,000 students and a wide range of more than 60 degree programmes, we cover a broad spectrum ranging from technology to economics and social sciences, language and design. THWS is not only rooted in the region, but also has a strong international focus, which is reflected in numerous collaborations and exchange programmes worldwide and not least in a versatile English-taught degree programmes.
Contact:
Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt
Institute of Digital Engineering (IDEE)
Startup Lab Werk:Raum
Katharina Pfeuffer
Ignaz-Schön-Str. 11
97421 Schweinfurt
Press contact:
Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt
Angela Kreipl
Münzstr. 12
97070 Würzburg
+49 931 3511-8354
