The textile industry remains one of the sectors with the highest CO2 emissions, which is why the circular economy harbours great potential in this industry. But what is the best way to combine fashion and sustainability? Innovative solutions were presented on 2 July 2024 in the Beuth Halle at Berliner Hochschule für Technik (BHT) at our event “Circular Fashion: Embracing Sustainable Design and Couture”, as part of the A-B-Circular project to promote the climate-neutral manufacture of products “Made in Berlin” in the design/fashion and architecture/construction sectors. The A-B-Circular project is funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Economic Affaitd, Energy and Public Enterprises as part of the call for a circular economy in the Masterplan Industriestadt Berlin 2022-2026. The event not only highlighted the importance of circular economy principles, but also inspired participants to integrate these practices into their own designs and businesses.

 

The programme opened with inspiring keynotes from industry and academic leaders, including Prof. Dr Florian Schindler from BHT, Anke Pfau from the Association of the North-East German Textile and Clothing Industry (vti), Jens Heitland, former Global Head of Innovation at IKEA Centres, and Catalina Panoiu from HYUNDAI CRADLE. Their insights into the challenges and opportunities of the textile circular economy provided the framework for a discussion full of insights and practical strategies for implementing the circular economy.

 

A panel discussion moderated by Janna Schlender from IMPACT HUB Berlin with experts such as Prof. Marte Hentschel from VORN – The Berlin Fashion Hub and Aleksandar Kovacevic from Re-Fresh Global further enriched the dialogue. They explored sustainable innovation, partnerships in the circular economy and the transformative potential of eco-friendly practices in the fashion industry.

 

The programme also included pitches from start-ups and a fashion show where the founding teams and designers presented their creations that incorporate upcycling elements and redefine eco-friendly aesthetics. Among others, Reverse Supply, The Loop Look, Re-Fresh Global, La Moda Me, Peralta Clothing, Kristin Verita Katze, Emma Lafoz and Canussa were there with their remarkable contributions.

 

The BHT GLASBOX team, part of the project “Zukunft findet Stadt – Hochschulnetzwerk für ein resilientes Berlin” also demonstrated how sustainable projects can be realised. Organised as a makerspace, the GLASBOX is intended to promote creative exchange and is open to BHT students and employees as well as external visitors. The space is equipped with 3D printers, sewing and stitching machines.

Business information, support and creative projects by and for female entrepreneurs. The Female Founders Day on 29 May 2024, organised by the BHT Startup Hub (Berliner Hochschule für Technik), was packed with useful insights and offered female founders inspiration and valuable input for their start-up journey. Our partners Startup Incubator Berlin (Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht) with Sandra Thumm, HTW Startup (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft) with Lena Scholp and Claudia Dünckmann and Berlin Partner for Business and Technology were also on board.

The programme included exciting keynote speeches, interesting and diverse pitches from female founders with their innovative and creative projects as well as reverse pitches from women’s networks and organisations.

A particularly motivating and inspiring speech was given by Victory Magazine’s ‘Most Influential Woman of the Year 2023’, Denise Schuster, CEO of Park Your Truck. Her refreshing talk vividly demonstrated ambition, hard work and a positive attitude help you overcome a number of challenges on the way to becoming a successful business in the (male-dominated) transport and logistics industry. And always keep a good portion of flexibility as well as adapt and expand your business idea to the given circumstances.

 

#femalefoundersday #BHTStartuphub #femalefounders #BHT

THE UNIVERSITY MAKEATHON

Together with Cradle to Cradle NGO, HWR Berlin – in cooperation with BHT and other universities of applied sciences is organizing a cross-university Makeathon.

As part of an ideas competition, interdisciplinary student teams develop sustainable and innovative solutions for the cultural and event industry. Participation in the Makeathon is open to students and startups from all disciplines.

THE CHALLENGES
The student teams work on challenges relating to the ecological sustainability of companies, start-ups and organizations in the event and cultural sector – from the development of new products and processes to cross-sector innovations and systemic solutions.

To address these challenges, the Cradle to Cradle NGO is sharing its knowledge from the project “Labor Tempelhof” to the students. With the help of cradle to cradle and circular design principles for the event industry, climate-and resource-positive products, processes and innovations were developed and tested at major concerts with over 180,000 visitors. In the Makeathon, these findings are to be used, further developed and transferred to related areas together with the students.

The following challenges are planned together with partners from the event and culture industry:
1. Circular and sustainable solutions for large concerts
2. Circular and sustainable solutions for museums
3. Circular and sustainable solutions for theaters
4. Circular and sustainable solutions for trade fairs

When does it start?
It starts with the kick-off on 30.05.2024, followed by the idea generation phase and the preparation of pitches until 03.06.2024.
On 4 June 2024, the jury will evaluate the best ideas and the selected teams will have until 1 July 2024 to further develop their prototypes and concepts and finally present them on 2 July 2024.

The Makeathon is part of the A-B-Circular project to promote climate-neutral manufacturing of products ‘Made in Berlin’ in the design, fashion & fashion and architecture & construction industries.
The project is being realised as part of the Masterplan Industriestadt Berlin from the thematic funding call CIRCULAR ECONOMY and financed by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises.

Further information and registration options can be found HERE.

We look forward to your participation and wish you lots of fun and success with real challenges from the world of business!

 

🚀 HTW Berlin and Berliner Sparkasse honour female founders and innovative start-ups at the HTW Startup Challenge 2024 🚀

We’re thrilled to share our remarkable experience from yesterday at the HTW Startup Challenge 2024, where innovation and entrepreneurship collided in the most exhilarating way possible!

Our participation was not just about showcasing our startups’ potential but also about championing diversity and empowering women in entrepreneurship- together with Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin and The Berlin School of Economics and Law we’ve started a very exciting program for female founders – EXIST – Existenzgründungen aus der Wissenschaft Women!

At the heart of the HTW Startup Challenge, our startups applied their creative minds across different categories, aiming for the coveted prize pool totaling €15,000. Moreover, we were honored to bring along 10 extraordinary women from our Exist Women program, fostering meaningful connections and empowering conversations within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The highlight of the event was witnessing our teams shine on stage. Team Hale made us proud by reaching the finals of the Female Founder category, showcasing their passion and dedication alongside the best female-founded ventures. And a special round of applause goes to team #Maluma Micha Orth for clinching the 1st place in the Startup Rally, a testament to their hard work and innovative spirit.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to HTW Startup, Berliner Sparkasse, Startup Incubator Berlin, and Die Autobahn GmbH des Bundes for their generous sponsorship, making these awards possible and fueling the dreams of aspiring entrepreneurs.

#HTWStartupChallenge #StartupInnovation #WomenEntrepreneurs #BHTStartupHub #DiversityInTech #EntrepreneurshipJourney

🌟 We are thrilled to share some exciting news from our growing community of female entrepreneurs!

🚀 After an intensive selection process, we are delighted to announce the successful onboarding of 10 remarkable women for the EXIST Women Programme. 🎉 This initiative, generously supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), is dedicated to encouraging women at universities and research institutions to venture into self-employment.

💼 Our aim? To cultivate a future where more women stand as managing directors and shareholders of innovative startups. 🌱

The EXIST – Existenzgründungen aus der Wissenschaft Women Programme isn’t just about launching businesses; it’s about fostering a supportive environment where women can connect, share ideas, and collaborate without constraints. 💡 It’s a space where female graduates, scientists, students, and professionals associated with the university can come together to envision business ideas, with inspiring female coaches guiding them every step of the way. 🌟

What makes our newest cohort truly special? Well, they come from diverse backgrounds, representing 7 different nationalities and collectively speaking fluently14 different languages. 🌍 From the film industry to marketing, social media to architecture, each member brings a unique perspective and skill set to the table. 🎬📊 We’re beyond excited to witness the magic that unfolds as these talented women embark on their journey to entrepreneurship. 🌟

Join us in celebrating this incredible milestone and in championing diversity, innovation, and female leadership in the startup ecosystem! 💼👩‍💼 #EXISTWomen #Empowerment #FemaleFounders 🚺✨

Unsere angesehenen Partner von Wolves Summit freuen sich, ihr lang erwartetes Event “Scale Up with Wolves und European CVC Awards” anzukündigen! Vor der beeindruckenden Kulisse Berlins wird dieses außergewöhnliche Festival am 26. März 2024 stattfinden. Aber hier kommt das Besondere – es findet auch ONLINE statt und zwar schneller als gedacht!

Scale Up with Wolves ist nicht Ihr durchschnittlicher Gipfel – es ist ein dynamisches Treffen, das europäische Scaleups, Investoren, Unternehmen und Technik-Talente in einer elektrisierenden Veranstaltung vereint. Ob Sie Ihr Unternehmen skalieren, sich mit erstklassigen Investoren vernetzen oder die neuesten technologischen Innovationen erkunden möchten, dies ist eine Gelegenheit, die Sie nicht verpassen sollten.

Und wissen Sie was? Im Rahmen unseres Engagements für unsere Community freuen wir uns, einen exklusiven Rabatt von 20% auf Tickets anzubieten! Verwenden Sie einfach den Code “WolvesInBerlin20”, wenn Sie Ihr Ticket kaufen, um von diesem speziellen Angebot zu profitieren.

Bereit, Ihren Platz beim Scale Up with Wolves zu sichern? Besuchen Sie https://berlin.wolvessummit.com/scaleups-tickets, um Ihr ermäßigtes Ticket zu erhalten oder sich KOSTENLOS als Scaleup zu bewerben.

Verpassen Sie nicht diese unglaubliche Gelegenheit, Teil eines der aufregendsten Events der europäischen Technologieszene zu sein. Begleiten Sie uns beim Scale Up with Wolves und lassen Sie uns gemeinsam Ihr Unternehmen auf neue Höhen bringen!

Innovation is the driving force behind the most successful startups, and now is the time to put your ingenuity to the test at the HTW Startup Challenge on 16 April 2024! The HTW Startup Challenge is the event for founders who want to take their startup to the next level and pitch for prize money totalling €15,000. We also award the EXIST Women Prize. Sounds exciting?

Application

Then apply from 29 February to 14 March with your pitch deck and a video (max. 1 minute) in which you present your innovative business model. Ideally, you should have a connection to HTW Berlin or want to be part of the HTW community. The HTW Startup Team will then select the best startups from all submissions.

Prizes

The highlight of the HTW Startup Challenge is the pitch event on 16 April 2024, where the three best Female Founder Teams pitch for €10,000 in front of a top-class jury.

All startups can apply for the HTW Startup Prize. The audience will decide who wins the HTW Startup Prize worth €5,000. There will also be a startup rally in which the teams have to convince as many guests as possible of their idea within 45 minutes.

In addition, we would like to support budding female founders, i.e. the innovators of the future, with one-off sponsorships totalling €3,000 per female founder. The EXIST Women programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection provides the framework for this. Please note: You cannot apply for the EXIST Women Award; instead, the participating universities nominate scholarship holders and the sponsors select a female founder. We are currently still looking for sponsors! Become a sponsor and support female founders with € 3,000. CLICK HERE!

Price categories

• Female Founder Prize of the Berliner Sparkasse – € 10,000
• HTW Startup Preis – 5.000 €
• EXIST Women – 3.000 € per scholarship holder

Female Founder Startups apply for the Female Founder Prize worth €10,000.
All others have a chance to win the HTW Startup Prize worth €5,000.
It is not possible to apply for the EXIST Women Prize. The participating universities nominate female scholarship holders and the mentors select a female founder.

The cooperation partner of the competition is the Berliner Sparkasse. Berliner Sparkasse supports founders in all phases of setting up a business. Whether it’s an account, a loan, public subsidies or modern financing instruments – the founding experts at Berliner Sparkasse are on hand to advise you and determine which offers are suitable. You can find more information on the Berliner Sparkasse website.

Award ceremony

Whether you want to pitch for the attractive prizes, get to know innovative startups and their business models or network with exciting minds from the startup scene – the HTW Startup Challenge is the perfect opportunity. Celebrate after the pitches. At the after-pitch party, you will have the opportunity to network and get to know the HTW start-up projects and the start-up community.

Take part in the HTW Startup Challenge on 16 April 2024 from 5 p.m. at the Treskowallee campus and take the first step towards realising your startup vision!

If you want to be part of the Startup Challenge final, please send an email to claudia.duenckmann@htw-berlin.de.

🌟 Calling all aspiring women entrepreneurs! 🌟

Are you ready to turn your innovative ideas into successful startups? The EXIST Women program, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK), is your gateway to a vibrant community that empowers and encourages women to embark on the exciting journey of entrepreneurship.

🚀 What is EXIST Women?
As part of the German Federal Government’s startup strategy, EXIST Women focuses on strengthening the presence of female founders in the startup ecosystem. This program is specifically designed for women at universities and research institutions, providing a supportive environment to venture into self-employment and thrive as managing directors and shareholders of groundbreaking startups.

💡 Why Join EXIST Women?
Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded female graduates, scientists, students, and professionals associated with universities.
Collaboration: Share ideas and collaborate in a pressure-free environment.
Inspiring Coaches: Envision your business ideas with experienced female coaches who will guide you towards success.

🔍 Application Process:
Your journey starts with a thorough evaluation of your qualifications, ecological relevance, market understanding, and economic prospects. The most promising applicants will be invited to pitch their projects in a three-minute presentation to experts from the Berliner Hochschule für Technik.

🌐 How to Apply:
Ready to take the plunge? Visit the BHT Startup Hub and complete the online application form. Answer key questions about your startup project, and let us help you turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

👉 Apply Now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1u3Xx6IWtDQTBh6slole0QjT-BZSIp2ygVCeFxowRPIk/edit#responses
Got questions? We’re here to help! Feel free to reach out at any time. Let’s break barriers and build a future where women entrepreneurs thrive! 💪🚀 #EXISTWomen #WomenEntrepreneurs #StartupJourney #EmpowerHerEntrepreneurship

🚀 Exciting news from the BHT Startup Hub: To kick off the year, we welcome the newest cohort of the Berlin Startup Scholarship!

🌐 We’re excited to introduce four dynamic teams, all with a unique vision! From holistic health platforms to cutting-edge digital marketing automation and content creation to innovative sustainability certification classification tools for online stores, our new cohort promises a diverse range of entrepreneurial ventures.

🤹 Inclusivity at its best: We are proud to host 4 brilliant female founders and 5 dynamic male founders, who together represent 5 different nationalities. At BHT Startup Hub, we believe in the power of diverse perspectives and shared innovation.

🚀 Get to know the new members: We welcome the newest members of the BHT Startup Hub family:

dialetics.de: the first holistic platform for type 1 diabetes patients
GreenDB: groundbreaking classification of sustainability certificates and seals for online stores through innovative data analysis
Wavess: revolutionizes digital marketing automation and predicts the outcome of marketing campaigns before they go live
Scripe: redefines content creation in the digital age

🎉 Here’s to a year of innovation and growth: we look forward to the potential, creativity and impact these teams will have on our vibrant community as we embark on this journey together. Let’s make 2024 a year full of breakthroughs and shared successes for the existing and new teams!

🙌 Welcome on board: Dialetics, Green DB, Wavess and Scripe! 🚀