From Master’s Thesis to „SUPERMASTER 2020“
Miriam Brüne and Andreas Kissling, the winners of the „SUPERMASTERS 2020“, report in the lecture series of the goHfG Gründungsoffensive about their way to Germany’s best master thesis.
The goHfG Gründungsoffensive has invited the two SUPERMASTER 2020 – winners – Miriam Brüne and Andreas Kissling as speakers for its kick-off event in the summer semester. Brüne and Kissling gave an interesting and varied online presentation about their path from their final thesis at the HfG to Germany’s best master’s thesis with a business connection.
In their jointly written master’s thesis, Miriam Brüne and Andreas Kissling addressed the question of how sustainable products and services can be promoted through business model innovation. The thesis was awarded the title „SUPERMASTER 2020“ by WirtschaftsWoche and the bdvb (Federal Association of German Economists and Business Economists) and is one of the finalists for the German Sustainability Award 2021. The duo thus prevailed with a good thesis and a creative pitch against more than 200 applicants who completed their master’s degree at a German university last year.
For their master’s thesis, they designed a suitable business model – for the fictitious start-up „ceero.“ At „ceero,“ large household appliances such as a dishwasher can be rented for a fixed rental price and a small fee per usage cycle. With the associated repair app and the provision of spare parts, the appliances can be repaired again themselves. This ensures the longevity of the appliances and avoids premature disposal in electronic waste landfills.
In order to implement their idea, the two interviewed more than 250 people and used the results to conduct an empirical study to sound out the sustainability of their business model and how it works or benefits them.
In their exciting presentation, the two not only discussed winning the „SUPERMASTER 2020“, but also gave the more than 100 104 students many valuable tips for applying to competitions. In their opinion, it is particularly important to pay attention to the criteria of the competition: „Who is allowed to participate? With which project? Are there any fees? …“ However, every student student should ask themselves the question: „Is the benefit and effort worth it?“. „Participating in a competition can be a good stepping stone towards founding a company. You can make very good contacts and gather good feedback. Also, a certificate in the portfolio always makes a difference,“ said the two winners.
Of particular interest to the students were the 10 most helpful tips for a successful pitch, which the duo explained in detail. In detail, it was about the correct preparation and the examination of one’s own idea, in order to answer adequately to questions of the audience or the jury at the end. A pitch should not take more than 3 three minutes. An optimal length of time is 2:50 minutes, in order to have some buffer for the unforeseen and to get the last important sentence to the point. It is particularly important that the spark is transferred to the audience. You have to see the passion and fire in the facial expressions and gestures, especially in an online pitch. Especially the beginning and the end of a pitch will be remembered.
An impressive lecture ended with many impressions and valuable tips. It may have encouraged some students to take part in a competition and pitch their own ideas.
Andreas Kissling and Miriam Brüne graduated in 2020 with a Master’s degree in Strategic Design from the University of Applied Sciences in Schwäbisch Gmünd. Before that, they studied product and communication design, respectively, at the HfG. Today, they both live and work in Berlin: Andreas is a Strategic Designer at LAMY’s innovation unit NEO66. Miriam is a Service Designer at the design and innovation consultancy FJORD/Accenture Interactive.