Sometimes one semester is enough to show how the future is created. In the "Trends & Concepts" seminar at the Hasso Plattner Institute, this winter semester students didn't just talk about artificial intelligence. They built it. And they did so for real companies to solve real challenges – accompanied by experts.
The moment of truth: an executive pitch to SAP CEO Christian Klein.
Working in interdisciplinary teams, the students collaborated with partners such as BMW, Deutsche Bahn, Axel Springer, and MEGA. The result was functioning prototypes with real added value.
- For Axel Springer, they developed an AI product advisor that manages advertising campaigns more intelligently.
- Two solutions were created for BMW: "Smart Allocation" for optimized production planning and "Supply Check" for automated quality control.
- For MEGA, the team designed an AI-supported pricing assistant for sales.
- And for Deutsche Bahn, the students developed agent-based AI for the automation of financial processes.
Christian Klein praises the innovative spirit
"The Trends & Concepts course shows how students become true innovators. They not only learn about new technologies, but also directly implement them in business-relevant solutions," says Dr. Thomas Haskamp, who leads the course together with Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke and Tobias Wuttke.
Christian Klein was equally impressed:
What I saw today embodies the innovative spirit Europe needs – the powerful intersection of technological excellence and entrepreneurial thinking. These projects show how quickly ideas become real solutions when talent, science, and industry work together.
The project was accompanied by visits to the SAP locations in Potsdam and Berlin. There, the students gained insights into current AI technologies – and received feedback from practitioners.
The executive pitch, part of the "Trends & Concepts" course, demonstrates what sets HPI apart: Future technology is not only discussed here, but also brought directly into the classroom in collaboration with industry partners – and translated into working solutions.
The format is part of HPI's structured industry engagement approach, which systematically integrates strategic partners into research, teaching and innovation for the targeted advancement of knowledge transfer.
