Innovation Insights

2005: A student venture built on courage and actionThe music is loud, the party venue R.i.f.f. is filling up, and as guests arrive, they are handed small, carefully designed patches - green if you’re single, red if you’re taken.Behind this event idea is not a company of seasoned entrepreneurs, but a group of 18-year-old students experimenting with creativity, communication and business. One of the

For nearly two decades, Professor Alba Demneri Kruja a has been a driving force at Epoka University in Tirana, Albania. Since the university’s establishment in 2007, she has taught entrepreneurship and strategic management across bachelor, master and PhD levels - always with a strong focus on how education can contribute to a more sustainable future.Around ten years ago, Alba experienced a turning

Bettina Maisch’s journey into entrepreneurship did not start with founding a company, but with a long-standing curiosity about how new ideas emerge and how people turn them into meaningful action.Early in her career, she worked in innovation marketing and later in innovation management and intrapreneurship within a multinational corporation’s pre-development unit, gaining first-hand insight into t

Businesses for Societal Impact: The Social-Startup-Hub BayernHow can entrepreneurship help solve societal and environmental challenges? In Bavaria, one answer is the Social-Startup-Hub Bayern (SSHB). As a central support hub for impact-driven founders and founders-to-be, the SSHB helps turn early ideas into sustainable and financially viable business models.Supported by the Bavarian State Governme

From Purpose to Practice: Steen Skriver on Modern EntrepreneurshipSteen Skriver’s path into entrepreneurship is shaped by a rare mix of corporate leadership, board expertise, and a lifelong commitment to sustainability. With an MBA from the triple-accredited program at Aarhus BSS and advanced certifications in climate governance and ESG, Steen bridges the worlds of business development, impact, an

🌍 2025 was once again a year of global collaboration and impact!Across three editions of our Global Entrepreneurship Summer School (GESS) – Munich, Querétaro, and Shanghai – 84 participants from 16 nationalities in total came together to co-create innovative solutions for global challenges over a week each. The energy, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit were unstoppable.The year culminated wi

From First Steps to Startup Success: Lessons from David Hofacker, Hochschule EsslingenDavid Hofacker’s journey shows how early exposure to entrepreneurship can shape a passion for innovation. His first contact with the field came during his Master’s in Management, where he took several entrepreneurship-related courses. An internship at a foundation with a startup character further sparked his inte

Beyond Entrepreneurship: The Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship at Hochschule MünchenThis week, we’re excited to highlight one of Germany’s most innovative university-affiliated startup hubs: the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship (SCE) at Hochschule München.💡 Founded in 2002 by Falk Strascheg and continuously supported by the Falk und Renate Strascheg Stiftung, SCE has established itself a

From Research to Real Impact: Lessons from PetterAhlström’s Entrepreneurial JourneyPetter Ahlström’s story shows what happens when academic insight meets entrepreneurialdrive. With a Master’s degree in Real Estate Economics and Construction Management fromKTH in Stockholm and a PhD in Economic Information Systems from Linköping University,he could have stayed in the comfort zone of research or con

From Accidental Entrepreneur to Ecosystem Builder: Lessons from Stratos BaloutsosStratos Baloutsos’ journey demonstrates that entrepreneurship can find you even when you least expect it. Fresh out of university, he became an entrepreneur almost by accident. Together with colleagues, he started a company dedicated to promoting open dialogue and debate in the Balkans, driven purely by a passion for

1. Could you please introduce yourself and your organization in a few short sentences.I have dedicated the past 18 years to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship at VIAUniversity College, located in Aarhus - Central Region Denmark. VIA has 19.000 studentsand offer 41 distinct study programs, ranging from engineering and design to healthcareand social studies. VIAs has been arwarded as the entr

Munich, May 2025 — What does it take to redefine entrepreneurship education for a world in flux? The 3E Conference 2025, held in Munich under the theme "Responsible, Systemic, Democratic – New Trajectories in Entrepreneurship Education", offered refreshing answers to this question.Hosted by SCE and Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences, this year's conference brought together a vibrant

On March 11, 2025, Brussels hosted an important gathering at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU. Organized within the framework of the SFF-driven project SYSTEMEU, the event brought together more than 80 experts from academia, industry, and policymaking in person, and an additional 50 participants joining online. The focus was on how strengthening connections between Europe’

In the rapidly evolving landscape of urban mobility, collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship are more critical than ever. To explore how ecosystems of innovation can drive sustainable transformation, Martin Vendel, Academy Director at EIT Urban Mobility, sits down with Pavlina Vujovic, Executive Manager of SFF and the Head of Internationalisation at Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship, t

PISA, ITALY – The CoCreate2Innovate project kicked off with its first official meeting on February 12 and 13 in Pisa, marking the start of an exciting journey to build a dynamic co-creation ecosystem for startups, incubators, and corporate innovation managers in Italy, Bulgaria, and Germany.Led by the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship (SCE) at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, the Uni

🚀 Start for Future Success Corner – MIND VACATIONS 🚀We’re thrilled to feature MIND VACATIONS, a creative solution that transforms mindfulness into a delightful escape! This success story highlights the innovative spirit within the Start for Future Alliance.“Let’s talk for the beginning about your Start-up idea. What was the spark to go on this exciting journey and can you describe your idea in a

The Global Entrepreneurship Summer School (GESS) Alumni Summit held in South Africa marked a milestone for the Social Entrepreneurship Academy (SEA), bringing together 16 alumni from 10 countries for four days of collaboration, learning, and connection. This first-ever summit provided a unique platform for participants to reflect on the transformative impact of GESS and reignite their commitment t

Edinburgh, Scotland – Last week, the Bright Red Triangle (BRT) at Edinburgh Napier University hosted another dynamic installment of the Academic Program for Entrepreneurship (APE) Workshop. This annual event brought together entrepreneurial talents for a tech design challenge aimed at enhancing life in Edinburgh for residents and tourists alike.The workshop emphasized innovative problem-solving an

Fifteen of Europe’s leading organizations have united to reshape the future of innovation across five diverse regions—Bavaria, Transylvania, Castilla y León, Tuzla Canton, and Varna. With SYSTEMEU, this groundbreaking alliance is combining its resources and expertise to bridge innovation gaps, drive knowledge exchange, and champion inclusive progress in technology and society. SYSTEMEU isn’t just

🚀 Start for Future Success Corner - COBY - The Coping Buddy 🚀 🎉 We're excited to announce a new article in our SFF Success Corner series! This initiative highlights success stories from the Start for Future Alliance, showcasing achievements from partner universities, incubators, professors, researchers, startups, and talents. 🌟 In this article we speak to David Cañadas Link and Philipp Steudle