HPIxHHL Future Builder
Interdisciplinary entrepreneurship challenge powered by HHL DIGITAL SPACE and Hasso Plattner Institute
Let's Innovate Together!
Ideate. Build. Innovate.
With the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management and the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering (HPI), two outstanding institutions are joining forces to build technological solutions to address the world's most pressing sustainability challenges - and you can be a part of it.
Let's Build Together!
Ideate. Create. Innovate.
With the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management and the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering (HPI), two outstanding institutions are joining forces to build technological solutions to address the world's most pressing sustainability challenges - and you can be a part of it.
The Program
In an innovative seminar format in Leipzig and Potsdam approx. 40 students from both institutions will build solutions for tomorrow. Over 13 weeks, students will work on a challenge related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program is divided into 4 sprints: discovery, ideation and prototyping, iteration and validation, and business plan and pitch. Over the course of the program, the students receive support from internal and external coaches to build and develop a prototype of their business idea. As a cooperating partner, you can help shape the aspiring founders' innovative ideas to create a better tomorrow.
The Timeline
On March 25, 2022, we kick-off the challenges. The project results will be presented at Launch Day in Potsdam with representatives from HPI, HHL, and other ecosystem partners of both universities, including an expert jury. Partners are invited to network and mentor the teams throughout the program and the events.
Become a partner!
Provide a challenge or topic the mixed teams from HPI and HHL students will work on. As a topic sponsor you will not only provide the challenge but also support your team with expert knowledge as a mentor.
What can I expect?
Benefits range from topic sponsorships with top talents, event participation, moderated workshops up to media and brand visability through our channels. Let's discuss the possiblities in a sperate call!
New Technologies for our Future
The 2030 agenda of Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations is an agenda for strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth and simoultaniously tackle climate change to create a better tomorow.
FAQ
Find common questions here. Don't hesitate to contact us, if you need addtional help.
I want to become a challenge sponsor, what do I have to provide?
All partners define a sustainable development goal-related challenge that is broad enough for students to create a new venture to solve it. Access to interview partners/market insights should be provided as well as mentorship from an expert. Methodological input and operational guidance will be provided from the teaching team.
How much time do I have to invest to coach my team?
We have three main checkpoints in 2022, where your presence as partner will be expected. Please check the timeline above.
In between, you are free to choose the working mode with your team. A bi-weekly touch point of 60 minutes is recommended. The teaching team has weekly touch points with the participants.
Can I use events for recruiting?
This course is intended to educate entrepreneurs, which could also lead to some of the students searching for future opportunities as intrapreneurs in a corporate. During the final Launch Day, if you book the company booth option, you can also attract further talent from both institutions that will be present during the pitch event.
How many students will participate?
We expect 40 students in total from both institutions, who form mixed teams of 4-5 people.
Will one SDG be available for one partner only?
If the challenges are diverse enough, we can allow multiple partners for the same SDG.
What happens after the future builder?
The teams are free to choose how to proceed with their business ideas.
Has this format been tested before?
HPI and HHL are deepening their partnership this year and had similar formats with other partner Universities. In this constellation, we run this the first time but profound knowledge has been aggregated through similar courses over the last years.
Will students need access to my internal resources?
This strongly depends on your challenge. Have in mind, that pitches will be presented to the public in the end. All information that cannot publicly shared, might not be exchanged without notifying the team.
Will there be competitors of mine in the seminar?
We strive to have a variety of different industries. If two companies from the same industry take part, we will make sure that the challenges are distinct. We prevent that there is direct competition between participants.
Is this course
mandatory for the participating students?
This is an elective course for both student groups; hence they are highly motivated to set up a business and build products throughout the course.
Does my sponsorhsip give me the IP of the developed solution?
The main work will be conducted by the teams to build solutions and products out of your challenge. The final pitch deck will be shared with you.
At what stage are the students in their degree?
All students are enrolled in 2-year master programs. You can expect advanced students with previous work experience who are at least half-way through their study program.