Cross Innovation Class
In the Cross Innovation Class, students from various disciplines design innovative prototypes for your company. The focus: sustainable innovations.
In the Cross Innovation Class, students from different subject areas meet companies from all sectors and of all sizes. In interdisciplinary teams, they spend a semester developing innovative prototypes focussing on the topic of sustainability. The advantage? Companies get an unbiased, fresh view of the young generation from the outside and work exclusively with potential young talent. Students familiarise themselves with all phases of product development, gain practical experience and meet potential employers. The methods used include design thinking and foresight.
Partner universities 2026
Wedel University of Applied Sciences (Computer Science programme), Hamburger Akademie Mode & Design (Product Design programme), Brand University (Brand Strategy programme) and Leuphana University Lüneburg (Environmental Sciences programme)
Benefits
- Innovative, sustainable ideas and concepts through different expertise in cross-disciplinary teams
- Unbiased, fresh view from the outside by a young generation
- Access to highly qualified junior staff
- Employer branding
- Cross-industry exchange with up to three other participating companies
- Technically functioning prototype as the end result
- High-profile format
Target group
Companies and public organisations that would like to implement a project with potential junior staff.
Scope
7 dates from April to June 2026
Contact persons
- Marc Behlau
- Programme and knowledge manager Cross Innovation Hub
- 040 2372435-81 Kurzbiografie
Marc Behlau is the programme manager for the conception and implementation of the Cross Innovation Hub formats. He is also responsible for documentation and evaluation as well as internal knowledge management.
Following a bachelor's degree in business administration with a focus on brand communication, Marc completed his Master of Science in "Global Technology & Innovation Management" at the Technical University of Hamburg. Marc has found his passion in the field of innovation management and his knowledge fits perfectly with the mission of the Cross Innovation Hub: supporting companies from different industries in finding innovations by means of cross innovation processes.
- Bruno Marks
- Partner Manager Cross Innovation Hub
- 040 2372435-85 Kurzbiografie
Nicole Wittek is responsible for cooperation and partner management at the Cross Innovation Hub and is the point of contact for all companies and organisations that want to find out more about the potential of cross innovation with creative experts and are interested in working together.
She studied Cultural Studies, Media Studies and Business Administration at the University of Regensburg. There she played a key role in the development and management of the inner-city creative centre and helped to establish the area of cultural and creative industries promotion. Most recently, she worked in an interdisciplinary office for urban development, where she designed co-creative formats and implemented them in projects for city centre development and mobility.
Nicole has been voluntarily organising projects at the interface of culture, (creative) economy and urban development for over ten years and is a founding and board member of the association obenstadt e.V., which promotes multifunctional roof uses, and is co-initiator of the Hamburg Roof Days.
