Finals Makeathon #horizonteOWL
The SynFlex Group participated in the newly created it´s OWL Makeathon and made it to the finals!
Innovative idea for new developments
Makeathons are an innovative way in which initially complete strangers jointly have fun creating something new and expanding their network. And the motto applies: The journey is the reward. But admittedly, this time the result was one of the decisive factors in the decision to stand up to a large competition.
Our challenge was to digitalize the technical consulting process, focusing on the complexity of electrical insulation systems and individual components.
Competed against 31 teams and reached the finals
Almost 200 participants followed the call from 27 to 29 May and worked in 31 teams on a total of 15 selected challenges. Economics and Digital Affairs Minister Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart who also watched the finals last Friday, praised the commitment of the participants: "The Makeathon is a great competition. Because the winning idea is to be brought directly to implementation".
Among the 31 teams, we made it to the finals of the best five! Our team, two of our colleagues and four external people from universities, research institutes and companies from outside the industry, not only developed incredibly great ideas in a very short time, but also presented them impressively both on video and verbally!
Great projects that are also implemented afterwards
"We are enthusiastic about the excellent ideas that have been developed during the Makeathon. All presentations were convincing and showed how much know-how, creativity and passion the participants had invested. "I am convinced that we will bring many more ideas to fruition in addition to the winning idea," says Günter Korder, Managing Director it's OWL Clustermanagement GmbH. A top-class jury evaluated the finalists' concepts, among other things according to their added value for the region and contribution to crisis security, and chose the winner.
"All five teams have developed great solutions in a short time under enormous pressure. That was innovation to the power of two and convinced us both in terms of content and the way we work. In our evaluation, it had been a close call for the five teams," says jury member Dr. Stefan Breit, Managing Director Miele.
In the end there were all winners
Admittedly, it was a great disappointment for us that in the end it was not enough to win and to directly promote the implementation of the idea. Once you have reached the finals, you want to win! But Heinz von der Heide (SynFlex) was right in remarking: "We are all winners and we put our hearts and souls into it!" and Jan Oderwald (SHWire) added very aptly: “If you get up for for hours several times a night and take part in such a challenge, it must have been a great thing to do and a lot of fun".
As challenge provider, we would like to thank it's OWL and its team for the exciting, forward-looking, highly technical competition format, the Ministry for the financial support and especially our team - Team „SynFormation“! Dr. Andreas Levermann: "Today a challenge and already 48h later a well-founded, creative, realizable and beneficial innovation - that is a remarkable and outstanding achievement of 6 enthusiastic people! Because I have got to know the "respectful first-name terms" in these days and according to the young format, I would like to thank Darja, Ricarda, Alan, Marco, Jan and Heinz!
