Graduate of the Intra- and Entrepreneurship Master's program successful in high-tech start-up

The start-up Cyclize enables the conversion of plastic waste, especially waste that cannot be effectively returned to the material cycle using conventional recycling methods. Currently, plastic is mainly made from fossil, carbon-based raw materials. If this material is not recycled, it either contributes to environmental pollution or to the climate crisis. Cyclize's innovative process focuses on a plasma reactor that produces synthesis gas from the plastic waste. This gas can be converted into a variety of hydrocarbon products, turning problematic plastic waste into new, pure plastics. Although these plastics are not decarbonized (as they are still carbon-based), they are defossilized as the carbon remains in the material cycle. In February 2024, the team was able to secure funding of 4.75 million euros.

In 2022, the team was looking for another co-founder with a business background and published their application via the Entrepreneurship Newsletter of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science (ENI) at the University of Stuttgart. The newsletter publishes all relevant events, competitions and job advertisements in the field of entrepreneurship twice a month. Dominik Novakovic, subscriber to the newsletter and Master's student on the Intra- and Entrepreneurship program, applied and soon became part of the team. His Bachelor's degree in Business Informatics gave him the skills the team was looking for, and his Master's degree in Intra- and Entrepreneurship (tech) provided him with further expertise to support the up-and-coming start-up holistically and make it even more successful. "I chose the Master's program with the aim of being able to join a tech startup afterwards. It couldn't have turned out any better," says Dominik Novakovic.

The part-time Master's program in Intra- and Entrepreneurship (tech) combines the expertise of the Hochschule der Medien and the University of Stuttgart in the fields of high-tech, technology development and business start-ups. It provides comprehensive knowledge of corporate management and the planning, management and optimization of technology-oriented start-up and innovation projects. The course focuses on business management and technology-related issues that are geared towards the special requirements of start-ups, but also directly affect established companies. Among other things, students learn to recognize, systematically validate and exploit opportunities for technology-oriented business ideas and to develop and support innovations and solutions.

The Master's program starts in every winter semester. Applications can be submitted until September 15. Further information can be found here.