ERLab Days x ERUA Bootcamp Heilbronn 2026 European Students Develop Innovative Solutions for Real-World Challenges – GOIS Wins Overall Competition
The ERLab Bootcamp 2026 concluded with an impressive final event at the Gravity Building of Campus Founders. For one week, the Bildungscampus Heilbronn was transformed into a European innovation lab: as part of the ERLab Days, international students, academics, and innovation stakeholders from the European university alliance ERUA collaborated on real societal and economic challenges – developing solutions with genuine practical relevance.
The ERLab is a joint initiative of Campus Founders Heilbronn and the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder). The programme combines academic research, entrepreneurial practice, and international collaboration. A particularly defining element was the strong focus on Central and Eastern European perspectives: students and experts from Bulgaria, Poland, Lithuania, and Germany brought diverse societal and economic experiences to the collaborative work – making the bootcamp a unique learning and innovation environment.
"The bootcamp demonstrates impressively how European collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking, and diverse perspectives can come together to develop innovative solutions for complex societal challenges," emphasised Prof. Dr. Albrecht Söllner, academic director of the ERLab.
European University Cooperation Meets the Heilbronn Innovation Ecosystem
The ERLab Bootcamp is part of the ERUA work package "Fostering Entrepreneurship." Participating institutions included the European University Viadrina, SWPS University (Poland), Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), and New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria). Campus Founders, as an associated partner of the ERUA alliance, provided direct access to the Heilbronn innovation ecosystem.
Heilbronn offered an ideal setting: with its Bildungscampus, the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI), and a strong network of companies, startups, and research institutions, the region is one of Germany's most dynamic innovation hubs.
The programme was supported by workshops, mentoring, and practical input – including design thinking, low-code/no-code and AI applications, and insights into innovation ecosystems in Heilbronn and Sofia. Excursions, including a visit to IPAI, and networking formats with partners from business, academia, and politics rounded out the experience.
Ulrike Käfer
Ulrike Käfer
The Four Challenges: Real Problems – Concrete Solutions
Eight international teams worked on four real-world challenges drawn from business, politics, and civil society.
1. Skills Mismatch – European Commission, DG EMPL
Teams developed solutions to better align labour market requirements with existing competencies. The focus was on a practice-oriented talent academy for labour market entry (LANA) and an AI-powered platform for skills-based networking tailored to Generation Z (SKILLIGRAM) – placing competencies and projects at the centre rather than traditional CVs.
2. Geopolitical Risks for Global Companies – Krones AG
The goal was the early identification of geopolitical risks and their impact on global supply chains. The winning team stood out with GOIS – Geopolitical Operational Intelligence System: using AI, the platform directly links geopolitical signals with supply chains, logistics routes, and company data to generate concrete recommendations for decision-makers.
3. Digital MedTech and Rehabilitation Solutions – Horus Prosthetics GmbH
Teams developed concepts for more accessible and technologically advanced prosthetic care. These included locally produced 3D-printed prostheses for emerging markets and HorusGait – a browser-based solution that turns smartphones into digital rehabilitation coaches, enabling personalised movement analysis. HorusGait took second place in the final pitch.
4. Professionalising Community Culture – KAMA Orchestra
The central question: how can a community-driven cultural organisation grow without losing its creative identity? Approaches ranged from university cooperation models with student support to digital platforms for community management and Europe-wide networking of cultural organisations. The team took third place.
A Week That Will Last
The ERLab Days x ERUA Bootcamp Heilbronn 2026 demonstrated that European university cooperation reaches far beyond traditional academic exchange. Within five days, concrete concepts, prototypes, and business models with real-world application potential emerged – developed by interdisciplinary and international teams. The results highlight the potential of shared European innovation: diverse perspectives giving rise to solutions for complex societal challenges.
Ulrike Käfer
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