Building and expanding resilience and entrepreneurship in university start-up programs - Student Innovation Lab at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Heidelberg University

The development and promotion of entrepreneurial thinking, as well as the enhancement of resilience in STEM programs, are the focus of the project "Building and Expanding Resilience and Entrepreneurship in University Startup Programs – Student Innovation Lab at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Heidelberg University." The SIL, a successful teaching format at KIT, is expanded in collaboration with KIT Innovation gGmbH, the institutes IRS and EnTechnon of KIT, and Heidelberg University's transfer agency hei_INNOVATION and is implemented and piloted for the first time at Heidelberg University.

The one-year (two-semester) interdisciplinary course provides master's students with the opportunity to practically go through the entire process of a startup. Through laboratories, prototypes can be developed, while a network of practical partners allows students to discuss issues and technical challenges from a user-oriented market perspective. The program is integrated into the modules of several degree programs, allowing the content to be assessed as a teaching performance and credited to the students as part of their master's degree.

With the support of HEiKA, the potential of SIL is expanded to a national network level. Synergies in topics, qualifications, business partners, and teams are expected. The project aims to create a collaborative environment where students not only acquire theoretical knowledge but also gain practical experience and develop their entrepreneurial skills. This contributes to strengthening entrepreneurial thinking in STEM programs and promoting the transfer between university and industry to secure the innovation capability of the German economic location.