We are searching for a motivated student assistant to support our Startup Factory initiative!

On January 30, we had the pleasure of welcoming Jan Köster as a guest speaker at our institute for the first time. Jan (he explained to us that using first names is part of his organizational culture) was a guest in our “Intercultural Management and Communication” lecture as an expert on organizational transformation. As Vice President of Transformation at Gruner+Jahr he is leading the strategic and cultural realignment to prepare G+J for the future and develop it into a learning organization as part of RTL.  Jan took our students through his daily tasks, processes, and challenges and introduced them to the model of the learning organization using practical exercises and examples. The students were encouraged to try out some of Jan's agile methods right in the classroom and discuss their effects afterwards. He complemented our lecture wonderfully and enriched it with new knowledge and exciting anecdotes about challenges and projects from his everyday working life at Gruner+Jahr and RTL. It was an inspiring afternoon, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming him back next year as a guest speaker again. Thank you very much, Jan!

The Future Founder Demo Day, the final event of the novel Future Founder program, brought together an audience of over 200 guests from the Hamburg Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. Startup founders, students, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and industry leaders joined for an evening of innovation, inspiration, and networking. Held at Factory Hammerbrooklyn, the event showcased groundbreaking ideas developed by the Future Founder top talents over the past three months. As a highlight, TUHH-Alumni Dr. Hendrik Susemihl presented a fascinating keynote on the success of his robotics deep tech startup Googbytz. Future Founder: A Launchpad for Ambitious Talents & Startups The Future Founder program is the new elite entrepreneurship program offered by five universities in Hamburg, including TU Hamburg, the University of Hamburg, Leuphana University, FH Wedel, and HAW Hamburg. As part of the upcoming Startup Factory Initiative and in collaboration with the talent platform ChefTreff, the novel program fosters entrepreneurial excellence among highly ambitious students, guiding them through an intense three-month entrepreneurial journey of ideation, prototyping, business model development, and fundraising. The program aims to provide hands-on expertise from Hamburg’s most experienced entrepreneurs and investors and to help the M.Sc. students build real startups. Recognizing Outstanding Startups At Demo Day, selected teams pitched in front of a top-notch jury, showcasing their disruptive ideas on stage. The ideas spanned the domains of biotech, AI-driven deep tech, health tech, sustainability, and software. At the end, the jury selected two winners: the best technology pitch and the best business pitch. The best technology team was the TUHH spin-off GaitXpert, founded by Victor Lange (M.Sc. Mechatronics, TUHH), Carlos Chillon Geck (Ph.D. Candidate at the Institute of Digital and Autonomous Construction, TUHH), and Sarah Abels (Business & Economics, Uni Bayreuth). The team developed a novel, wearable gait analysis solution based on Victor’s Master’s thesis at the Institute for Mechatronics, which he turned into a patented technology. The startup was awarded six months of free laboratory space at the DESY Startup Labs Bahrenfeld as well as mentorship from PwC for Startups. The award for the best business pitch went to PickzAI, led by Yash Luthra, Stefano Markovic, and TUHH student Sukhmani Singh (M.Sc. Environmental Engineering, TUHH), for their AI retail tech solution for opticians. The team secured six months of free office space at Factory Hammerbrooklyn and legal support from the leading VC law firm YPOG. Additionally, Synqio, a biotech startup for cell-culture monitoring solutions, co-founded by TUHH M.Sc. Mechatronics student Nico Grümmert and Dr. Julia Rocha (Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf), received special recognition as Julia was awarded an EXIST WOMEN Stipend worth over €10,000 to develop Synqio. Future Founder as part of the Startup Factory Initiative: Bridging Academia and Industry The program was led by Dr. Max Vellguth, who is part of the Startup Factory Initiative Hamburg team and who emphasizes that the Future Founder program will continue to shape Hamburg’s entrepreneurial landscape. The success of the Future Founder was only possible with the collaborative engagement of an entrepreneurship-dedicated professor team around Prof. Christian Lüthje (TUHH), Prof. Michel Clement and Prof. Jana Timm (UHH), Prof. Dennis Proppe and Prof. Jan-Paul Lüdtke (FH Wedel), Prof. Paul Drews (Leuphana), and Prof. Jutta Abulawi (HAW Hamburg). In the future, the Startup Factory plans to offer a diverse portfolio of support programs such as Future Founder, to foster entrepreneurship in Hamburg and help the next generation of deep tech entrepreneurs to succeed. As applications for the next cohort open soon, aspiring founders are encouraged to apply and gain access to this unique program. For more information, please stay tuned via www.future-founder.com.

The Future Founder Program officially launched past week with an energetic kickoff event, marking the beginning of an inspiring journey. A cohort of 30 talented participants has embarked on a path to bring their innovative ideas to life. Throughout the program, students will collaborate with experienced entrepreneurs and investors who share their insights as keynote speakers. The course also includes hands-on workshops designed to teach the fundamentals of entrepreneurship while allowing student teams to develop and refine their own ideas. As part of the Startup Factories initiative, supported by EXIST, the Future Founder Program combines practical experience with expert mentorship to empower the next generation of innovators. Organizers have expressed appreciation for the widespread support that made the program possible, from planning and promotion to execution.

Learn from Hamburg's top founders and investors how to turn your idea into a successful business.

Last week, we wrapped up an exciting event on July 4th, showcasing a year of effort by our startup teams. Over the past year, participants received extensive support from Startup Port, partners, and experts, including resources, mentorship, and a collaborative environment to turn their visions into reality.On July 4th, our teams presented their refined ideas to a panel of judges. Each team had worked tirelessly, and it was their moment to shine. We enjoyed music, delicious food from Chickpeace, and post-pitch discussions. Some teams were already planning to implement their ideas and seek investment. The top three teams received prizes, including pre-selection for the Next. Gen Incubator (Körber Start-Hub) and invitations to the Hamburg Innovation Summit in late 2024. The winning team got the chance to attend the Summit, offering a platform to elevate their startup. We also provided access to exclusive networking and lunch events to support and expose our promising startups.In recognition of their hard work and commitment, all participants received certificates from our Jury Members, we had an amazing photo session, and it was really fun to see everyone pitching in. Also, our partners' backing helps us organise such great events. The final pitches were evaluated by a diverse panel of judges, which included professors Paul Drews from the Leuphana University of Lüneburg, a program manager Thorben Koop from IFB, Community Innoimpact, Laura Savoca from Otto Krahn Group, Anika Hamester, Nono Weinzierl from Orbit - orbitdigital.de and other established professionals.The best part about such a panel is the feedback from five different perspectives, finance, and industry-ensuring a well-rounded assessment of each startup.The skills, knowledge, and networks these students have built over the past year are invaluable. We celebrate their achievements and look forward to seeing how they will innovate and impact the world. We might see the next big company emerge from one of these pitches.Startup Port is committed to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs. If you have an entrepreneurial mindset and a great idea, watch for the next INTIE applications and apply! We look forward to your application!

We are currently seeking a student assistant for the cross-university certificate program INTIE – Interdisciplinary Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

We are looking for a new Research Associate (PHD or Postdoc) to work full-time at our institute. For more information press the link below.

We are looking for a new Research Associate (PHD or Postdoc) to work full-time at our institute. For more information press the link below.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ After Sales division takes care of customers from the moment they purchase a vehicle. The aim is to achieve an optimal balance between the company’s performance and customer satisfaction. With more than 1 billion euros in revenue per year, After Sales significantly contributes to the success of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand. The After Sales Revenue and Performance Planning department is responsible for planning After Sales revenue and performance, as well as analyzing all relevant key figures for managing the global After Sales business. In this exciting environment, we are currently looking for a suitable candidate to join our team. If you’re interested, please apply using the following link: Link to the job opening