Teamwork and Empowerment with Elements4Founding and YES

The Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Science (ENI) at the University of Stuttgart recently hosted two insightful workshops in the RISE IV series, organized by the Elements4Founding project in cooperation with the Falling Walls' Young Entrepreneurs in Science Initiative.

Workshop: “Teamwork Essentials” (September 18, 2024)

This workshop offered a profound insight into the dynamics of teamwork, especially in agile working environments. Led by coaches from the University of Stuttgart and the Falling Walls Foundation, doctoral students and postdocs received valuable tips on effective team processes. A particular highlight was the participation of Stefan Ferber, co-founder of Treeo, who reported on his founding experiences and offered the participants valuable insights. The workshop also provided an opportunity to discuss their own projects and previous teamwork experiences. The aim was to provide participants with the most important basics for successful collaboration and to enable them to further develop their teamwork skills.

Workshop: “Your Empowerment Journey” (October 9, 2024)

This workshop, especially for female scientists, focused on individual self-empowerment. The focus was on topics such as career planning, self-reflection and strengthening soft skills. Particularly inspiring was the use of numerous video messages from successful female founders who shared their experiences and advice. These personal stories motivated the participants to tackle their own professional challenges with confidence. The interactive and reflective exercises helped participants to discover their own strengths and develop concrete action steps for their own empowerment journey.

The workshops are part of the Elements4Founding project, which aims to promote entrepreneurship and create start-up awareness among doctoral students and postdocs over the period from 2022 to 2025. The project is supported by the Vector Foundation. Both workshops offered valuable opportunities for networking and exchange, as well as for the further development of key skills in the areas of teamwork and personal development.