Kick-off of the TU Austria Innovation-Marathon 2017

Today the eagerly anticipated kick-off of this year’s TU Austria Innovation-Marathon at the Forum Alpbach finally took place. Rector Kainz, chairman of TU Austria, opened the evening with a warm, encouraging speech before the word was given to around 70 people.

A mix of students, participating company representatives and representatives of the universities mingled and introduced themselves in 4 rounds of ‘speed-talking’. No one wanted to stop chatting during this introductory session: a first sign of great enthusiasm and high commitment.

The innovation coaches then explained the timeline of the marathon as well as the Innovation-Marathon codex, an overview of values important in innovation projects, before the audience was split up into company representatives and students. While the company representatives could clarify open questions with the coaches, the students for the first time met their teams.

To get to know each other better they were given a first team challenge: build the highest possible tower with nothing else but paper. Everyone succeeded and left the first day as a winner, still not knowing what their company task will be. This they will find out tomorrow morning, hopefully after a good night of sleep.