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Innovative strength at WHU: Students develop future strategies!
On October 7th, 2025, a 20-hour hackathon from the Business Meets Tech initiative took place at WHU with 60 participants.
Innovative strength at WHU: Students develop future strategies!
On October 7, 2025, a successful hackathon by the student initiative took place at the WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management Business Meets Tech instead of. A total of 60 students from various European countries took part in the 20-hour competition, the aim of which was to develop contemporary corporate strategies.
The participants worked on a real-world challenge presented by StrategyFrame.AI, a partner of the initiative. Other well-known companies such as OpenAI, CAPCO and Knowunity also supported the event and helped to build a bridge between business and technology.
Innovative solutions and winning team
After intensive 20 hours of work, the teams presented a total of ten innovative solution proposals at the end of the hackathon. The Slipstream team stood out, winning with a technically advanced design that was almost ready for implementation. The jury, consisting of experts such as Christian Underwood, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Weigand, Daniel Theobald, Aleksander Dukanovic and Jan Stüve, praised the quality of the solutions submitted.
Rebecca Lucas, who is responsible for sponsorships and partnerships at Business Meets Tech, spoke positively about the hackathon. She emphasized how important collaboration between business and technology is for the future of students and that such events help to solve real problems.
The importance of investing in technology
In the context of the hackathon and the associated technological challenges, Germany is facing significant challenges. Despite all efforts, the country invests too little in new technologies compared to international standards. According to that Stanford AI Index Report 2024 Germany took a disappointing seventh place out of 35 economies examined in key technologies. This shows that countries such as China, Singapore and Switzerland have already overtaken Germany in the development of crucial technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
In 2023, private investments in artificial intelligence in Germany amounted to just $1.91 billion, while China invested an impressive $7.76 billion. These numbers are alarming and highlight a looming gap in areas that are critical to future competitiveness.
In summary, the WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management hackathon shows how young talent can work on real problems. At the same time, he highlights the urgent need for increased investments and strategic initiatives to keep Germany competitive in the international technology rankings.