Inspiring Innovation at KLU
Welcome to the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub at KLU
At the EIH, we believe that entrepreneurship is not only starting a company - it’s a mindset that empowers individuals to create value, drive change, and shape the future. As Kühne Logistics University’s hub for entrepreneurial thinking and innovation, we bring together students, researchers, startups, and corporate partners to turn ideas into action.
Whether you're looking to launch your own venture, solve real-world business challenges, or develop the skills to lead innovation in any industry - the EIH is your platform. Through interactive programs, hands-on projects, and a vibrant community, we support you in becoming a changemaker at KLU and beyond.
Explore what we offer, get inspired by past initiatives, and find your place in the KLU innovation ecosystem.
Driving Innovation Together With Future Leaders
At the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub (EIH), students don’t just learn about entrepreneurship – they apply it to real business challenges. By working directly with companies, they develop innovative, practical solutions that create value in the real world.
For corporates, this means access to:
- Fresh perspectives from talented students eager to challenge assumptions and think differently.
- Tailored solutions to real-world business cases, developed in close collaboration with your teams.
- Future-ready talent, trained in entrepreneurial thinking, adaptability, and problem-solving – skills that drive transformation inside organizations.
We design entrepreneurship programs that not only shape the next generation of leaders but also give businesses an opportunity to test ideas, explore innovations, and engage with top talent.
In today’s dynamic market, entrepreneurial skills aren’t just for startups – they’re what enable established companies to stay ahead, innovate faster, and unlock new opportunities for growth.
How Your Business Thrives With EIH
Disrupt
- Gain new perspectives and solutions for your business challenges.
- Recruit excellent talents.
- Networking opportunities.
- Visibility on your innovation powers in the industry.
Empower
- Join our lectures.
- Share you knowledge.
- Boost your in-house Innovation Management.
- Everything you are eager to share from real world experiences.
Activate
Gain fresh perspectives for your business challenges by activating students to solve them.
Incubate
Become mentors, partners, customers or even investors for KLU founded startups.
Beyond Now
Join Beyond Now, a high-impact innovation event hosted by the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub at Kühne Logistics University. It connects forward-thinking companies, ambitious students, and academic experts to co-create future-ready solutions to real-world business challenges.
For Corporate Partners and Startups
Corporate Innovation and Venture Building Units
At the EIH, innovation meets collaboration. We connect forward-thinking companies with a dynamic pool of students, PhDs, and researchers who are eager to apply their knowledge to real-world business challenges. Whether you’re looking to explore fresh ideas, boost your innovation efforts, or engage future talent-this is where it starts.
From hackathons and workshops to strategic partnerships and research collaborations, we offer tailored formats that spark creativity, deliver tangible outcomes, and help you stay ahead in a rapidly changing world.
This is your opportunity to shape the future of your industry-together with the next generation of innovators.
Startups
At the EIH, we believe startups thrive through collaboration, experimentation, and access to fresh perspectives. We connect startups with a highly motivated and international pool of students, PhDs, and researchers eager to tackle real-world challenges, test ideas, and contribute to building the ventures of tomorrow.
Whether you're looking for support in developing your business model, validating solutions, growing your team, or simply exchanging ideas with a vibrant academic ecosystem – this is the place to start. Through hackathons, mentoring, co-hosted workshops, and research-driven formats, we offer flexible, high-impact collaboration opportunities tailored to your stage and needs.
Let’s shape your startup’s next chapter – together with the minds that will drive the future.
How to Partner With Us
Our Mission & Vision
About Us
Who We Are
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hub (EIH) at Kühne Logistics University is the university’s dedicated platform for turning bold ideas into real impact. Rooted in KLU’s values of responsibility, global perspective, and applied learning, we empower students, researchers, and corporate partners to drive meaningful innovation.
We act as the bridge between academia and the real world, fostering hands-on collaboration with startups and corporates. Students exploring entrepreneurship for the first time to experienced professionals pushing boundaries in innovation, we support every step of the journey.
We believe successful entrepreneurship is more than just business—it’s a mindset.
Our approach combines inspiration, action, and reflection across three core principles:
Think – Ideate & Innovate
We help students and partners unlock creativity through design thinking, ideation tools, and exposure to global trends and technologies.
Feel – Entrepreneurial Mindset & Culture
We cultivate the inner drive to create change. Through storytelling, failure-sharing, and hands-on projects, participants build the resilience and curiosity needed to lead innovation.
Act – Build, Test & Scale
From idea to execution, we guide founders and teams in building real solutions. We focus on validation, lean experimentation, and sustainable scaling—whether it's a student startup or a corporate innovation initiative.
Meet the Team
We are a diverse team of builders, educators, and innovators creating value through action. Backed by a strong partner network, we combine academic knowledge with real-world startup and industry experience.
Advisory Board & Mentors
Our advisory board and mentor network includes seasoned entrepreneurs, investors, corporate innovators, and alumni founders-offering strategic guidance and real-world support to our students and startups.
They regularly contribute through:
- Mentoring student teams.
- Judging pitch competitions.
- Delivering workshops and keynotes.
- Opening doors to networks and opportunities.
Join our mentor network and share your entrepreneurial expertise—guide students, support startups, and open doors to real-world opportunities.
Partners and Showcases
Startup Ecosystem & Support Networks
- Startup Port
- Startup City Hamburg
- Digital Hub
- Factory
- Logistics Tech Talks
Corporate Innovation & Logistics Leaders
- HHLA NEXT
- KRAVAG HK 100
Hamburg Invest
Hamburg Invest is the city’s central business development agency, supporting startups, SMEs, and established companies with funding, location services, and expert guidance to grow successfully in Hamburg’s dynamic economy.
We work closely with Hamburg Invest and are proud to connect our founders with their comprehensive services, including startup consulting, funding advice, and access to Hamburg’s vibrant innovation ecosystem.
Stiftung Entrepreneurship – Peerlearning
Stiftung Entrepreneurship and its Peerlearning platform support aspiring founders with resources, courses, and a global network dedicated to sharing entrepreneurial know-how.
Digital Hub
Digital Hub Logistics is Germany’s leading innovation platform connecting logistics companies, technology providers, startups, and research institutions to shape the future of digital logistics.
As part of the nationwide Digital Hub Initiative, it drives collaboration and knowledge transfer between established industry leaders and innovative startups.
Our collaboration has included expert talks, knowledge exchange sessions, and joint activities designed to inspire students and foster practical connections between academia and the logistics innovation ecosystem.
HHLA Next
The innovation unit of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, HHLA Next actively drives the development of digital business models in logistics and beyond.
Our collaboration has included interactive workshops, the exchange of real-world business challenges and solutions, and valuable recruiting opportunities that connect students with one of Europe’s leading logistics innovators.
Startup Port
Startup Port unites universities and research institutions across Northern Germany to strengthen the regional startup ecosystem.
Together, we co-hosted a course earlier this year that introduced students to key entrepreneurial skills and provided practical insights into launching and scaling their own ventures.
