Photo Credit: EPICLAY (BUILD Solutions), OVOLO (Urban Shift), Klimatile (Urban Shift)

Description

How can we take design solutions that address urban challenges, and turn them into feasible business opportunities? 

Urban Shift is a programme developed to give students the skills and knowledge to develop architectonic products, and set up their own start-up focusing on addressing the EU Green Deal urban challenges of Extreme Weather Events and Mobility/Circularity. Following the success of the start-ups created in the BUILD Solutions programme, Urban Shift will present the opportunity to develop a transdisciplinary start-up with students and learners from the University of Economics and Business (Vienna), Stuttgart Media University (Stuttgart) and The Institute for Economic Promotion (Vienna). This year will be the second edition of Urban Shift. In addition, the start-ups will receive mentoring and support from business partners across Europe, a great networking opportunity.  

IAAC students will use computation and digital fabrication to develop products and functioning prototypes along with the Business students who will study the market placement and business plan of the startup, and Media students who will define the promotion and marketing strategies. As part of the programme, students will have the opportunity to travel to Vienna, Austria, for a 5 day kick-off workshop (funded), to set the ground for developing a start-up during the following months. To finish the programme, a closing ceremony will be held in Barcelona with all the partners and students. The work developed by the start-ups will then travel around Europe in the form of an itinerant exhibition promoting the products developed, the start-ups and their members. 

Learning Objectives

At course completion the student will:

• Understand how to take an idea, develop a product, build a prototype and turn it into a start-up
• Learn about the use of computation and digital fabrication for the development and validation of innovative products
• Learn how to work as designers in a transdisciplinary team and communicate in a way that is understandable for all start-up members
• Be capable of designing implementable solutions at a proof of concept level that address the Urban Challenges and are in line with EU Green Deal