Similar to the entrepreneurs on the well-known TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen" (The Lion's Den), the graduates of accadis Hochschule Bad Homburg's graduating class of 2023 presented their business ideas to a renowned jury on September 2. The challenge: The students had only one week to develop the idea as well as the business plan.
Perfect finale for being released into the working world
Every year, undergraduate students conclude their studies at accadis Hochschule with a one-week start-up pitch week. 18 student teams of nearly 100 students had one week to develop a business idea, create a business plan for it and then present it to a jury of investors. The teams were supervised by Prof. Markus Ahlborn, Department Head of Economics and Law and Professor of Economics, Prof. Ina Horn, Professor of Digital Business, Prof. Fabian Ulrich, Professor of Sports Management and Strategy, and Prof. Ralf Wandmacher, Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship. "The week is the perfect finale to before being released into the working world. The students can once again prove that they can apply everything they have learned during their studies," says Prof. Ina Horn, praising the concept.
RENTALBAG, Pet Organizer, Next level VR Jam and CoffeeKick
Even the names of the business ideas were promising. When the student teams brought dogs, suitcases, plants, sports equipment, bobby cars and all kinds of pet food and toys to the university on Saturday morning, it was clear that creative and imaginative pitches awaited the jury. Fortunately, it turned out that the majority of the student teams dealt with currently pressing issues and showed a sense of social responsibility.
The idea behind RENTALBAG was based on a personal experience. Suitcases are expensive and are rarely used. RENTALBAG offers a platform where high-quality suitcases can be rented and leased. With the "Pet Organizer" app, pet owners no longer miss medical appointments and have all important information in one place - a revolution for pet management. Next level VR Jam is a platform that enables digital participation in actual physical concerts through virtual reality glasses. Music enthusiasts can thus experience live concerts by international music stars in an immersive virtual environment - even if they can no longer get a concert ticket or cannot be there live for other reasons.
CoffeeKick gives you the perfect coffee taste even when you're on the go. With small pre-portioned syrup packets, coffee specialties can be refined with selected flavors anytime and anywhere.
Even if for many teams the idea remains just an idea, the final exam week has already laid the foundation for one or two successful start-ups. Who knows - perhaps this week of exams will once again bear fruit in the start-up scene.
16 lions divided into four jury teams
On Saturday, the time had come: The 18 teams had to present their business ideas to an (only partly fictitious) jury of investors - 16 "lions" divided into four jury teams. Each jury consisted of two external company representatives, the group supervisor and members of the accadis team.
Thanks to the comprehensive and highly effective accadis network, the students benefited from eight external company representatives who provided them with valuable and practical feedback for their approaches: Dr. Hellen Fitsch (Accenture), Bettina Mertgen (Deloitte), Michaela Peschk (City of Bad Homburg), Dr. Julia Pergande (microfin), Oliver Stahl (Lilly Germany), Christoph Benner (Chom Capital), Dr. Christian Koch (formerly Jones Lang LaSalle) and Jens Klemann (STRATECO and groundr).
The jury members were delighted with the accadis students! Convincing pitches with captivating and vivid storylines, professional conduct and, above all, impressive performances for such a short time!
Thus, an intensive week at accadis Hochschule has come to an end. With many valuable experiences, the graduates of the graduating class of 2023 can now look ahead - and dedicate themselves to the upcoming professional and social challenges.