The DesignLab is a project funded by the BMBF (application name: d-lab, funding reference 13FH029SU8) under the guideline "Entrepreneurial thinking and scientific entrepreneurial spirit – research and start-up opportunities at universities of applied sciences" (StartUpLab@FH).

Worms University of Applied Sciences boasts nearly 4,000 students across three strong and innovation-friendly departments, offering significant creative potential for innovative ideas and startup activities that translate from the university into practical applications. Worms University of Applied Sciences has a young, small, and dynamic startup scene.

Together with the Startup Center

Since 2018, the Startup Center at Worms University of Applied Sciences has been promoting and informing students about entrepreneurial thinking and action, offering events to raise awareness and provide training. Students and university staff interested in starting their own businesses can visit the Startup Center for personal consultations, meet with lecturers from the mentor pool who are passionate about entrepreneurship, or connect with members of the student startup club on campus. The center is increasingly successful in forming startup teams and guiding them to successful applications for EXIST funding.

DesignLab - What's New

However, until now, there have been no opportunities for student startup teams to develop early and rudimentary ideas or to test them technically. Many ideas from project modules across various degree programs remain at an abstract conceptual level and do not lead to concrete business ventures. There is a lack of creative workshops, design spaces with appropriate technical equipment, and easily accessible spaces for developing prototypes for more technical ideas, or a market research lab for business-oriented business models in the service sector. The DesignLab on the Worms University of Applied Sciences campus now fills this gap.

The Goals of the DesignLab

To refine and further develop ideas, creative workshops and design spaces are needed to complement the support services offered by the Startup Workshop on campus. The professionalized awareness and qualification programs offered there are effectively complemented and further developed by the DesignLab, with the aim of increasing the number and quality of startup initiatives at the university and expanding the regional startup culture. The DesignLab aims to create a creative environment and meeting place that facilitates the implementation of creativity and ideation refinement programs, as well as the organization and support of incubator and accelerator programs. The teaching of Design Thinking methods will be a particular priority for the effective use of the available space. Furthermore, the goal is to foster innovative and creative drivers and offer specialized team coaching for the formation of interdisciplinary research and startup teams. Like a modular system, the existing elements of the Founders' Workshop will be combined with the elements of the DesignLab to create a holistic approach.

How and by whom should the DesignLab be used?

For creativity, experimentation, tinkering, developing ideas from form, testing, incubation, acceleration, consulting, critical and constructive discussions to achieve improvement and progress, inspiration and ideation, and for the fruitful exchange among aspiring entrepreneurs and with mentors, advisors, and investors. Of particular note are:

• Creativity workshops with designers, painters, architects, linguists, engineers, and ethnographers – workshops on the theme "from form to idea." These workshops involve working with materials, graphics, kits, boards, visualization aids, and media such as cameras to create simple clips for market testing, recording feedback sessions with test customers, and conducting psychological experiments.
• Design Thinking workshops for the continuous improvement of ideas from the concept phase to the development of prototypes and Minimum Viable Products (MVPs). These are constantly adapted through feedback sessions and loops in interaction with customers or partners, requiring moderators and a discussion forum.
• Working with potential customer groups of startups and mystery shoppers; simulations and testing of ideas with target market groups; testing ideas under laboratory conditions and recordings, up to and including experimental studies; and structured focus group interviews. Target groups include students and employees at various stages of idea development who are eager to implement and experiment. All departments are included, and international and interdisciplinary teams receive special support.

DesignLab Design

A highly visible location on campus has been chosen for the Design Lab, where student and staff traffic flows intersect, ensuring high visibility. Preparations are underway.