The aim of applied research is to create concrete added value for society and economy. Innovation methods can provide a helpful framework for transferring research results from research into society.
This is precisely where the Innovation Challenge begins. The format supports researchers in making their research transferable and usable. The Innovation Challenge was initiated by M4_LAB and consists of a full-day boot camp workshop followed by individual support.
On November 12th, the heart of the Innovation Challenge, the Bootcamp, took place with six teams and a total of 13 participants. The thematic variance could not have been greater:
The all-day workshop was a mixture of short presentations and work periods, so that each team could focus on their own project. They also had the opportunity to exchange ideas with internal and external experts and users, supported by three mentors who used their innovation expertise to show new perspectives: Ezgi Gögdemir (i-city), Andreas Otte (i-city) and Matthias Schöttler (Plan G).
The Bootcamp was a lot of fun and really helped us a lot!
The pitch event in the late afternoon was the big finale of the Bootcamp. Each team presented its project and the results of the Bootcamp to a large virtual audience in a three-minute pitch. The feedback from the four instigators, Prof. Dr. Katja Rade (Rector of the HFT), Prof. Dr. Markus Schmidt (Faculty Director of Infrastructure Management at the HFT), Holger Haas (Wirtschatsförderung Region Stuttgart) and Marcel Welcher (Entrepreneurship University Stuttgart) was very positive and invited to further discussion. The audience praised the "great format and the exciting contributions". In the evening, the teams also looked back on the day with great satisfaction: "It was a lot of fun and really helped us a lot". The next Bootcamp is expected to take place in spring 2021.