BTU alumni shine at the STAR*PARADE

A few days have already passed since the finale of the STAR*PARADE took place at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. The event attracted over 400 guests, including Economics Minister Prof. Dr Jörg Steinbach and Cottbus' Lord Mayor Tobias Schick, to BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. The BTU family is particularly proud of the successes of its former students.

The Startup Community, one of the co-organising projects, spoke to the pitchers about the importance of their BTU background for this success.

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Pyropower:Winner of the Innovation & Sustainability category and the SHOOTING*STAR audience award

Founders Lucie Töpfer (Bachelor in Land Use and Water Management at BTU and Business Administration & Business Psychology at the European Distance Learning University Hamburg) and Sebastian Kießling (Diploma in Business Administration and Engineering at BTU) are developing innovative green tech with pyropower that helps companies and communities to become CO2-neutral.

"Our technologies offer an economical and environmentally friendly solution for decarbonisation. We convert forest residues into biochar, green electricity and green heat, which not only binds CO2 permanently, but also improves soil quality," says Lucie Töpfer.

Hello Lucie, hello Sebastian! How did you find the STAR*PARADE experience, both in the warm-up phase and at the event itself?

Lucie: I found the whole STAR*PARADE and in particular the pitch improvement opportunities extremely useful. It positively pushed me to finalise my own pitch and approach investors. I'm particularly pleased that startups in the region are being supported and made visible - that's extremely important.

Sebastian: The format was very useful for gaining new perspectives on what investors are looking for. It helped us to present our technology in a clearer and more focussed way. The event itself was very successful and offered great networking opportunities. All in all, it was a down-to-earth and great event.

To what extent did your background at BTU influence your pitch and ultimately your success?

Lucie: My studies at BTU really sensitised me to the topic of biochar and made me really want to become active in this field. The basic scientific training in the "Land Use and Water Management" study programme helps me to familiarise myself with new topics and apply scientific standards. Perseverance and the will not to give up are things that I took with me from there.

Sebastian: The technical training at BTU is the cornerstone. It gave me the initial basic knowledge I needed to develop and implement complex technologies that contribute to solving real environmental problems.

How do you rate the Lusatia region as a location for a growing startup ecosystem?

Basically, we see the region's potential as theoretically very good. We have a lot of space - both thematically and spatially - to attract startups here and achieve more together. What is difficult is that measures do not always reach the startups and the battle for qualified employees in the region is tough. Overall, the framework conditions could be improved. Startups and SMEs should be more actively involved in structural improvements. Lusatia offers a good basis for innovative projects, especially in the area of the energy transition. There are already many committed players and with a little more support, the region could become a strong innovation hub.

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IQONIC.AI: Winner of the Health & Social Affairs category

Founder Maria Liisa-Bruckert (Bachelor in Regional Sciences Latin America at TU Dresden and Power Engineering in the double Master's programme at BTU and NCKU in Tainan) is an active member of the BTU startup community and is successfully operating in the beauty and health sector with her company IQONIC.AI. It offers a B2B software solution that uses AI to analyse skin and hair characteristics in order to suggest personalised care products and routines and detect potentially pathological skin changes at an early stage, which supports both the beauty and health market and the healthcare system.

Hello Maria! How did you find the STAR*PARADE experience, both in the warm-up phase and at the event itself?

What impressed me most about the STAR*PARADE was the totally relaxed and energetic atmosphere in the run-up to the event: a really colourful environment came together, you came across many different topics that were all moving forward.

For me personally, it was of course very special to return to the Audimax and stand on stage here, because I used to sit on the other side. It was great to be able to explain the specialist topics to the people in the audience - in retrospect, this also led to many interesting conversations. The dialogue between the companies was also extremely exciting.

To what extent did your background at BTU influence your pitch and ultimately your success?

I have very fond memories of my studies at BTU because they had a lasting impact on me! The structural change in the region has always characterised the awareness of the need for innovation - even during our studies we were encouraged to think ahead and develop new ideas. On the other hand, as a working student at Siemens, I was able to support several innovation projects at BTU myself.

My double degree programme also played a decisive role, as part of which we were able to spend some time in Cottbus, but also at the partner university (in my case NCKU in Taiwan). Both sides always endeavoured to bring the different cultures together.

All of this helps me today as the founder of an internationally active company: the understanding of technology, the drive for innovation, but also the feeling for different people and cultures and their perspectives, ideas and demands.

How do you rate the Lusatia region as a location for a growing startup ecosystem?

Lusatia is a region in transition, which brings with it both opportunities and challenges for a growing start-up ecosystem. One of the most obvious disadvantages is demographic change and the associated shortage of skilled labour, as many young people are moving away and there are thus fewer qualified staff locally.

However, structural change also harbours enormous opportunities: new solutions and innovations are actively being sought to boost the economy. As a founder, it is particularly helpful that science, politics and companies are closely networked here. The solutions that are developed are really needed, which increases motivation enormously. For companies like ours that are active in the healthcare sector, the new, modern University Hospital is also a real plus point - it offers many opportunities in the field of research and development.

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Museful: Winner of the Digitalization category

Founder Abdullah Zeyn Hassan (Master in Heritage Conservation & Site Management at BTU) came to Cottbus from Egypt to study in 2020. His venture Museful, a social impact startup, aims to revolutionise the museum experience through AI-powered technology, with a focus on making cultural heritage more accessible and engaging for all.

Hello Abdullah! How did you experience your participation in STAR*PARADE, both in the preparation phase and during the event itself?

Participating in the STAR*PARADE was an intense and educational experience. During the preparation phase, we further refined our business model and polished our pitch, focusing on how our AI solution can create significant social impact by democratizing access to cultural knowledge. It was challenging to pack the complexity of our AI solution and its potential societal benefits into a concise and compelling presentation. During the event itself, the atmosphere was electrifying. The exchange with other innovative founders and the feedback from the jury were incredibly valuable, especially in terms of how we could maximize our positive impact on society.

To what extent did your background at BTU influence your pitch and ultimately your success at STAR*PARADE?

My studies in Heritage Conservation and Site Management at BTU were crucial for Museful's success and our mission to create social impact. It not only gave me a deep understanding of the challenges and needs of museums but also the ability to connect these insights with technological solutions that can benefit society at large. The interdisciplinary education at BTU helped me bridge the gap between cultural heritage and AI - exactly what Museful is about. Moreover, the international environment at BTU strengthened my intercultural competence, which positively impacts our ability to recognize and capitalize on global opportunities for creating meaningful change. This background was instrumental in articulating our vision of success, which is primarily measured by the positive impact we can have on society through increased accessibility to cultural heritage.

As the only migrant founder to win an award at STAR*PARADE, how do you rate the Lusatia region as a location for a growing start-up ecosystem, in particular in terms of international founders?

Lusatia has proven to be a surprisingly fertile ground for innovative ideas and social impact startups. As an international founder, I found a supportive community here. Winning at the STAR*PARADE was a significant achievement, especially in a region considered conservative. It demonstrates openness to new ideas and diverse perspectives.

The region offers a unique combination of academic excellence and the need for economic transformation, creating a dynamic environment for startups. However, there's room for improvement in networking with international markets and investors.

Programs like STAR*PARADE increase the region's visibility as an innovation hub. Lusatia has great potential to establish itself as an attractive location for international founders if it strategically utilizes and communicates its strengths.

My experience shows that innovation and social entrepreneurship can thrive even in conservative areas when given the opportunity.

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The BTU Startup Community would like to thank all the interviewees for their answers and wishes them continued success!