Programme · Day 1
Launch, challenge selection and initial field exploration
Choose a challenge as a starting point, anchor it in a context and formulate an initial problem statement.
Students choosing their topic from the catalogue
Objective for the day
Launch the project, choose a challenge from the catalogue, anchor it in a specific context and begin fieldwork to formulate an initial problem statement.
At this stage, the problem statement is still a starting hypothesis. It will be refined on Day 2 through that day's work.
Morning keynote
Introduction to the programme, schedule, expectations and innovation mindset. The catalogue presents five challenges and three possible contexts. Each challenge is a source of inspiration and a field to explore: it provides a direction, but is not yet the specific problem the team will seek to solve.
Teamwork & fieldwork
- Choose a challenge from the catalogue of five questions.
- Choose one of the three proposed contexts (higher education, business or the creative industries).
- Map the stakeholders—who is affected, who has influence, who benefits and who can act—and identify people to contact.
- Make initial contact and begin the first field conversations.
- Formulate an initial problem statement shaped by this early feedback.
M1 — Challenge in context & initial problem statement
End-of-day deliverable
- The selected challenge and chosen context, with a clear rationale.
- An initial problem statement, explicitly presented as a hypothesis to be refined.
- A stakeholder map and a list of people to contact.
- The start of fieldwork: initial contacts, early conversations and first insights.
- Your intended approach and a short action plan for the next steps.
Your work between sessions
- Following your discussions with the coach, finalise the short action plan so you can put it into practice tomorrow.
- Review the market and existing competitors.