From an AI-supported healthcare app to an innovative use of X-rays in aircraft safety testing, the prototypes and pitches developed during the “Co-Creating Innovation” event in Hamburg from 9 to 13 September were just as diverse as the study backgrounds of the 32 students and early career researchers in attendance.
During the course of the week, the participants worked in groups to address real-world challenges faced by non-university partners, such as Siemens Healthineers AG and Helmholtz Centers, and had the opportunity to work directly with representatives from the partners themselves at the University of Hamburg’s Knowledge Exchange Agency. This direct collaboration gave them the opportunity to receive feedback in real time on their proposals and facilitated the exchange of knowledge between academia and partners in society and industry.
The event also included complementary workshops – on design thinking methods, co-creation and the perfect pitch – that guided participants as they worked on their proposals during the course of the week and prepared their final presentations.
At the end of the week, each group presented a proposal in the form of a ten-minute pitch. In addition to the healthcare app and the use of X-rays in aviation, the pitches included the development of a tool to streamline communication among international agencies during global health emergencies, the mobile application of atmospheric monitoring systems on the vehicles of ride-sharing services in order to measure air quality, and software that could support those facing unemployment by offering both AI and human guidance during the job search. The wide range of health-related topics reflected the wide variety of real-world challenges – and thereby potential real-world applications for the participants’ knowledge and experience.
Following the event, participants indicated that they found the content of the “Co-Creating Innovation” week to have been useful and highlighted the opportunities for networking and collaboration.
“It gave us the opportunity to work directly with a company in a real-life challenge on a real business problem,” said Nicolas Linero, student of agricultural engineering at the University of Szeged. Filipa Silva, student of neurobiology and psychology at the University of Porto, also reflected on the knowledge transfer experience gained through EUGLOH. “These courses make you think about what you are doing and what impact your ideas will have on people,” she said.