On the 13th of March 2023 our SUGAR Winter Presentations in Karlsruhe took place. While all of the winter presentations were unforgettable, this year’s event was something special for us…
Back to the Roots
After a 3-year break, we were finally able to celebrate again in the well-tried premises of the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (HfG) and present our innovations in the usual style. We were happy to welcome our SUGAR Family d-school Paris, Trinity College Dublin, Inno.Space Mannheim, Hasso-Plattner-Institut Potsdam and even Singapore University of Technology and Design to our special event. Our corporate partners Rodhe&Schwarz, Edenred, Omnicell, SEW Eurodrive, Diakonie Baden, and GEA were all present to support and celebrate the innovation projects accomplished by the student teams.
Getting Hyped for the Show
Starting with a warm welcome by Prof. Satzger, Director of the IISM / KSRI at KIT, together with Prof. Terzidis, head of the ENTECHNON, KIT the Winterpresentation got introduced. Listening to the keynotes of Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth, Vice-President Transfer and International Affairs @ KIT and Julia Ihls, the Lead of the BioDesignLab, who also represented the HfG, the curiosity of the audience increased. Moderated by the Head of the SUGAR/SDT program @ KIT, Niels Feldmann, it was about time to deep-dive into the innovation projects and prototypes of the student teams!
Celebrating 10 Years of SUGAR Program @ KIT
While the Winterpresentations are a significant milestone in the SUGAR/Service Design Thinking Program, this event was not only dedicated to showcasing the progress of the innovation projects accomplished by the students but also commemorated the 10th anniversary of the SUGAR Network for Design Innovation @ KIT! Since 2013 roughly 150 students have participated in the course, collaborating with students from ten universities of the SUGAR Network for Design Innovation coming from seven countries and jointly tackling 37 innovation projects. It was a pleasure to see old and new faces again and to warmly welcome our alumni.
Feedback is Crucial
The student teams presented a wide range of innovative solutions across different fields, including healthcare, banking, automotive, and medication. Each booth showcased a unique solution to a specific problem. Their booths were a magnet for interested parties, who enthusiastically learned about the various innovation projects and provided valuable insights for further work. The level of detail and the thoughts put into each prototype was impressive.
Spread the SUGAR Spirit
The atmosphere was electrifying and full of creativity. Winterpresentations 2023 showed once again that the collaboration between students and partner universities in the SUGAR network leads to outstanding results. We are proud of the work that our students have done and the innovations that they have launched – so far! Also, it was a pleasure to welcome our SUGAR Alumni to this special day. Make sure you always keep the SUGAR spirit in your hearts. 1, 2, 3 – SUGAR!
