KLU Arena: Unleashing Students' Potential to Improve their University

Innovative ideas put to the test

KLU Arena held its first edition, giving voice to the initiatives of diverse KLU members. Eight projects by students from diverse backgrounds were presented. From a booking system for the breakout rooms, to healthier vending machines, to a student-led coffee shop, to a new way to connect students with potential employers, all the ideas were challenged by a panel of “sharks” composed of KLU decision-makers. “It was wonderful to see the commitment of our students to get involved with KLU and to develop it collaboratively. I was impressed by their creative solutions and their Operations Mindset” – said Sven Donat, KLU Director of Communications, Marketing & Student Recruitment. Professors, staff, students, and even external visitors attended the presentations in the Golden Egg and the networking in the foyer, in an evening full of new perspectives and exchange of ideas.

A competition where everybody wins

While the panel of experts assessed the viability of the projects and the final decision on future implementation, the audience also had a chance to vote for the best projects, whether for their innovation, their novelty, or their applicability. The winner of the audience prize, MSc in Business Analytics & Data Science student Simran Singh, presented a solution to integrate the different tools and logins for students in one unified dashboard.

“I’m a risk-taker. I like grabbing opportunities, and I saw this stage as a way to present a solution for one of the system flaws that was making me miss out on valuable events.” – she said when asked about the motives for her participation.

While not all the ideas seemed ready for implementation, the experts and KLU SPARK thanked all the participants with a certificate of contribution. The process of validation and learning throughout the project was also a valuable experience for the students, regardless of the final implementation. “I entered the Arena project because I wanted to develop my personal skills and to pitch to people who can actually make decisions, so I’ve already won.” – said BSc in Business Administration student Alexandre Alcon, while awaiting the final verdict.
 

From idea to pitch in three weeks

From idea to a pitch-ready presentation in just three weeks: this was the proposal of KLU SPARK to refine the concepts presented by the contestants. The entrepreneurship format, open to all KLU community members, provided participants with the chance to work quickly and thoroughly on their proposals. “KLU Arena is the playground for bringing our motto Leading with an Operations Mindset to life” – said Mariella Sinderhauf, Head of KLU SPARK, and added, “It’s for people who want to take ownership and want to bring ideas one step further”. With this vision in mind, KLU SPARK coached every project owner with the support of staff – like Kristin Schreiber, in charge of community relations, who offered a workshop on presentation skills – and also external talent, like tech entrepreneur Kimani Michalke, who helped the students build a pitch deck and provided guidance for validating their ideas.
 

Building ideas into real value

With KLU Arena, KLU SPARK shortens the path between innovative ideas and real implementation, and strengthens trust across the KLU community, while benefiting prospective students with better services and opportunities.

More information:

• KLU SPARK - Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators & Entrepreneurs
• KLU Arena