How do you start a start-up?

I spoke with Andreas Wahl, head of the program, and Katrin Kreidel, former AWAKE participant and co-founder of the start-up hydrop systems, to learn more about the program and the path from idea to start-up.

First, I speak with Andreas Wahl, who works at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science (ENI) and oversees AWAKE and other courses. He describes AWAKE as a kind of “accelerator program” that gently introduces students to the world of entrepreneurship.

This key competency course is open to all students at the University of Stuttgart, regardless of their field of study or previous experience. Whether you are simply curious about the world of start-ups or already have a specific business idea in mind, AWAKE offers all students the space to express their creativity and try out new things.

Unlike traditional courses, the focus here is on interaction, practical experimentation, and interdisciplinary teamwork. Particular emphasis is placed on bringing students together in diverse and heterogeneous teams in order to integrate knowledge from different subject areas and promote exchange in an interactive setting. As the course is held in English, international students are also welcome to attend.

AWAKE aims to show students that starting a business can be a viable career option and to teach them how to approach problem solving in a structured way. This creates a safe space where no idea is too crazy, and everyone can try something new. In addition to content-related methods such as stakeholder and market analyses or design thinking, participants acquire valuable soft skills: presentation skills, teamwork in interdisciplinary and international groups, and creative problem solving. Skills that are valuable in various professional contexts, even reaching beyond the opportunity to start a business.

I will also be talking to Katrin Kreidel - her journey into the world of start-ups began several years ago at AWAKE. Today, she is the co-founder and manager of the start-up hydrop systems. Together with two fellow students, she developed the hydropmeter - a smart water meter that displays water consumption clearly and in real time via an app.

When I ask her what she has gained from AWAKE and the start-up, Katrin says she has discovered many new skills she didn't know she had. She has learned many things she never thought herself capable of before. She says that it is much easier to step out of your comfort zone when you are working on a project that is close to your heart. She particularly remembers the moment when the team held the first working product in their hands and received positive feedback. For example, customers who were able to avoid unnecessary water consumption due to a defective toilet flush thanks to the hydropmeter. The hydrop team already has ideas about what the next steps should be: deriving further information from the data and creating added value from it, expanding sales, and expanding into the industrial sector.

Katrin's advice for students interested in starting a business is: Just give it a try, because you have nothing to lose! It’s worthwhile talking to people from the start-up ecosystem and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Anietta

AWAKE will also be on offer in the winter semester 2025/26 and welcomes curious and innovation-minded students from all disciplines! Dates and information about the AWAKE key qualification can be found online on C@mpus.

For this semester, simply send your registration by email to Andreas Wahl.

Anyone interested in getting a taste of the start-up world can take a look at the courses offered by ENI.