HAFIS Midterm: An inspiring meeting in Berlin

Karlsruhe, 12 p.m., main train station. The makeIT team meets with eight teams of KIT researchers on the platform to start their journey to Berlin together. It's time for the HAFIS Midterm event, an important milestone for our participants, who have been working hard on their projects since the kick-off in September 2024. Less than 24 hours later, we meet researchers, coaches, and organizers from the three partner research centers in Jülich, Dresden, and Darmstadt in a light-flooded room – all united by a common goal: to transform scientific findings into real impact. From the first handshake and the lively conversations, it is clear that people who want to make a difference have come together here.

Of progress and new perspectives

The first item on the agenda: team status updates. Each team has its own story, challenges and successes. The presentations not only showed technical innovations, but also impressive developments in strategy and team dynamics. Schadi, one of our coaches, sums up the project pitches: “It's always inspiring to hear what our researchers are working on. It's a pleasure to be part of their journey. It is energizing to work with so many motivated researchers who want to turn their research into impact."

A central element of the midterms was the intensive exchange between the teams and the coaches. This year, we had placed a special focus on integrating more feedback sessions. The response was consistently positive, for example from coach Julia: “I really liked this year's approach on how we integrated more feedback sessions between the teams and coaches with a lot of interdisciplinary dialog and perspectives. It was great to see how much progress the teams have made since the kick-off.” The combination of expert opinions, peer feedback and specific coaching ensured that all teams received valuable new perspectives.

From ideas to actual strategies

The presentations were followed by group and one-on-one discussions. Here, the teams worked intensively on the further development of their projects. They received specific impulses, set themselves realistic goals and planned their next steps towards the Impact Day in June.

What particularly impressed us as coaches was the openness and willingness of the participants to critically question and further develop their concepts. Discussions were conducted enthusiastically, ideas were challenged and new approaches were developed together. This spirit of innovation and the courage to constantly optimize one's own path is what makes the HAFIS program so special. Coach Niels adds: “What impressed me the most was the dedication and expertise the participating researchers put into their projects, their commitment to translating their findings into real-world impact, and their openness to exploring diverse applications for their work. Their enthusiasm and collaborative mindset show how valuable research can be in tackling practical challenges.”

A look into the future

The two days in Berlin flew by: Between intensive discussions, inspiring ideas and new perspectives, anticipation grew for Impact Day, when the teams will present their final results on stage at the Saxon Innovation Conference in Dresden. Sarah, organizer of the event and coach at KIT, puts it in a nutshell: “I was deeply impressed by the incredible diversity of projects and the passionate exchange among participants. The presentations showcased not just innovative research, but also the remarkable collaborative spirit and open-mindedness of our teams. I'm truly excited and eagerly anticipating the final presentations on Impact Day.”

One thing is for sure: HAFIS is more than just a program – it is a platform where science and entrepreneurship merge to create real change. We look forward to continuing to support this journey and seeing promising ideas become concrete innovations.

What is HAFIS?

The Helmholtz Academy for Intrapreneurship (HAFIS) is a nine-month program that supports researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in translating their scientific findings into economic and societal applications. Through workshops, coaching, and interdisciplinary exchange, participants are empowered to successfully implement their projects and create sustainable impact.