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As we step into 2025, we are looking back at a successful and transformative 2024. A year marked by significant milestones, strong partnerships, and meaningful progress. Together with our students, partners and ARENA2036, we strengthened university-industry collaboration, fostered creativity, and shaped future innovators.
This review highlights the key achievements that defined our year. We wish you an enjoyable read and a great start to the new year 2025.
Scarlett & David
Task Forces are working student teams supporting industry projects. In 2024, we enhanced the student learning experience by expanding the format to include a one-day interactive training in agile project management, which won the Best Practice Award at the Design Factory Global Network UnBoxed Conference in October (Bogota, Colombia).
Our current Task Force is a team of 3 students from the University of Hohenheim and Stuttgart Media University, working with Mercedes-Benz to improve the employee experience in the workplace.
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Our semester course ‚Design Thinking - Innovation Process in Practice‘ is always a highlight for students, with around 50 participants from the University of Stuttgart, University of Hohenheim and Stuttgart Media University in 2024.
Throughout the semester, students collaborated in interdisciplinary teams to develop user-centered solutions addressing real-world challenges presented by our partners. In weekly sessions, they delved into the principles of Design Thinking, progressing from understanding user needs and conducting stakeholder interviews to prototyping and testing innovative ideas. The semester culminated in a gala event, where students showcased their prototypes to partners and distinguished guests.
The Winter Gala also featured Tindustry, a speed dating format that brought companies and students together for job vacancies.
We look forward to the upcoming Gala on January 23 and invite you to join us!
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Over the past 1.5 years, we have collaborated with the University of Stuttgart on our innovative workshop ‘AdVANce Your MINTset’, designed to provide study orientation in the STEM sector. Since September, the project has continued with funding from CARS 2.0.
Combining the Design Thinking tools and mindset with Ikigai, we empower pupils to reflect on their interests and potential roles within STEM, including interactive games, discussion and reflection.
We are very proud that 361 students from 14 schools participated in our workshops in 2024.
Let’s continue to drive future possibilities!
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In April, we were delighted to contribute to the University of Stuttgart‘s Girls‘ Day by welcoming participants to the ARENA2036 shopfloor.
As part of this event, our interactive workshop ‘AdVANce Your MINTset!’ offered participants the opportunity to explore exciting future study options and potential career paths in STEM fields. Working in teams, the girls showcased their creativity by developing impressive prototypes to address engineering challenges.
Thank you for the fantastic collaboration and teamwork!
In 2024, four students from PH Freiburg collaborated with Design Factory Stuttgart on their semester project.
Under the guidance of Scarlett, they conceptualized and delivered a dynamic two-hour Future Skills workshop for seven participants, focusing on leadership, empowerment, and relationship-building. Through interactive activities and reflective discussions, attendees gained valuable insights into the professional relevance of these essential skills.
This successful project underscored the importance of collaboration and hands-on learning, motivating us to further expand our Future Skills workshop offerings.
At this year’s Stuttgart Science Festival, Design Factory Stuttgart showcased the Design Thinking methodology through interactive activities and creative problem-solving exercises. Visitors engaged with real-world challenges, developing innovative and sustainable solutions.
A key highlight was a workshop with 8th-grade students, introducing them to Design Thinking, the Ikigai approach, and career exploration strategies.
The event highlighted the significance of creative solutions and interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex challenges.
This year’s RISE workshop series, hosted by the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science, featured an inspiring Design Thinking workshop tailored for doctoral students and postdocs.
Through hands-on activities, participants immersed themselves in the human-centered principles of Design Thinking, gaining valuable insights into enhancing creativity, fostering collaboration, and applying research to real-world challenges.
The workshop equipped attendees with fresh perspectives and practical tools to approach complex problems and drive innovative solutions.
In 2024, we partnered with the Stuttgart Chamber of Crafts through the CARS 2.0 initiative to develop workshops supporting automotive businesses in expanding customer approaches and strategies. Using Design Thinking, participants reimagined services, uncovering opportunities for innovation and growth.
The workshops inspired immediate improvements and longterm potential, highlighting the role of creativity in navigating change and shaping the future.
How can future-ready visions be developed in a structured and actionable way? This question guided a strategy workshop for Balluff’s Tech Field Drivers, combining expert insights with hands-on frameworks.
A standout feature was the use of Future Game 2050 role cards in dynamic simulations. These allowed participants to envision and articulate innovative scenarios while effectively applying practical tools to real-world challenges. The workshop also emphasized team alignment and involving teams in building shared visions for the future.
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We were deeply inspired by the International Design Factory Week 2024 (IDFW) in Bogotá, Colombia. This annual global event brings together Design Factories for workshops, cultural exchange, and collaborative planning, including demo corners and a conference to share best practices.
Colombia’s vibrant culture left its mark with Tejo, a traditional sport with an explosive twist. At the conference, we showcased our enhanced Design Factory Task Force learning experience with agile project management training and proudly received the Best Practice Award for its outstanding execution and adaptability.
Many thanks to the Design Factory Global Network and our wonderful hosts for this memorable experience!
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In December 2024, Design Factory Stuttgart, in collaboration with Bosch, hosted a training session on ‘Agile Hardware Development in and around SAFe’.
The event brought together experts from various organizations to explore and discuss strategies for integrating agile principles, such as SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), into hardware development.
As we look back on a year of innovation and growth, we are reminded of Albert Einstein‘s words: “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
Here’s to a 2024 filled with bold ideas, meaningful collaborations, and transformative breakthroughs.
The Design Factory Stuttgart team and ARENA2036 wish you an inspiring and successful year ahead!“
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