Participating in the Startup Festival 2023 at Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences was an amazing and wonderful experience that I will always cherish. It all started with the nomination email that I received, informing me that I had been selected as a participant in this prestigious event. I was excited and honored to be given the opportunity to attend such an important event, and I eagerly began to prepare for my journey to Neu-Ulm, Germany.
Upon arrival, I was warmly welcomed by the organizers and fellow participants. The event was organized in a workshop format, which allowed me to learn about various aspects of entrepreneurship from experts in the field. The workshops were engaging and interactive, and I was able to connect with like-minded individuals who were passionate about entrepreneurship. The open lectures were also very informative, and I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurs in today’s business environment. We got insightful some information on entrepreneurship ecosystem in Israel, Germany, Greece, Belgium, and Canada.
Here I would like to put emphasis on the workshop on circular economy and leadership and team management.
The workshop on the circular economy, led by a team of lecturers from EPHEC at the Université catholique de Louvain, was an eye-opening experience. Throughout the workshop, we gained a deeper understanding of the circular economy and its importance in achieving a sustainable future. What made the workshop even more impactful was the opportunity to apply our learning in a practical setting. The hands-on approach allowed us to see the tangible benefits of circular economy practices and encouraged us to explore new ways of thinking about resource use and waste reduction. We had a case study, but we were also introduced to the Circulab Canvas. The workshop left a lasting impression and equipped me (and I hope all the participants as well) with valuable insights for our future endeavors.
During the festival, there was also a workshop on Leadership and Team Management, which was led by Hatzl-Schönbacher Tanja a lecturer from FH Joanneum. This workshop was designed to provide participants with insights into effective leadership and team management skills. The lecturer used various techniques and examples to highlight the key principles of leadership, such as communication, delegation, motivation, and conflict resolution. Through this workshop, participants learned about the importance of building strong relationships with team members, setting clear goals and objectives, and fostering a positive and productive work environment. This workshop was very instructive and gave participants valuable insights into effective leadership and team management.
The city tour was an exciting excursion that allowed me to explore the rich history and culture of Neu-Ulm. Student at the Institute for Entrepreneurship from Neu-Ulm, took on the role of a guide and led three different groups on different routes. It was amazing to see how much we the international guests enjoyed learning about the city, and it was a great opportunity for us to connect with them.
The highlight of the event was the International Hackathon on Sustainable Entrepreneurship led by PineBerry. Our team was made up of students from three different universities – Hochschule Neu-Ulm from Germany, Shenkar of Tel-hail from Israel, and FH Joanneum from Austria. We chose to tackle Challenge #2, which involved investigating the use of Artificial Intelligence such as ChatGPT to support and partially automate time-consuming after-sales processes.
After a thorough investigation, we proposed an after-sales service that collaborates with AI to enhance after-sales support and benefit from increased efficiency and customer satisfaction. Our solution allows customers to interact with AI to get answers to their inquiries, which leads to a better customer experience and reduced wait times. See presentation below.
Our team’s hard work and dedication paid off, and we were thrilled to be named the winners of the hackathon.
I am grateful to all the participants, the organizers, my home university, and the Erasmus+ BIP program for making this experience possible. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with like-minded individuals from around the world. I have gained valuable insights and skills that will benefit me in my future endeavors.
I look forward to staying in touch with the friends and colleagues I have made during this event, and I hope to have the opportunity to participate in similar events in the future.