The new startup project: New Work-Tools, initiated by Theben AG, falls into a time of the global corona pandemic. Business and work environments are directly affected and the Institute for the World Economy (IfW) warns of a drastic weakening of the economy (ifw-kiel.de). Nevertheless, crises also offer opportunities for the development of new business models and important startups.

Restrictions promote Creativity and Rethinking
The corona virus is accelerating digitalization and work concepts in the sense of new work. Communication tools for home office, meetings, conferences and e-learning are in greater demand than ever. But the permanent office workplace could also receive an update.

New Work or Work 4.0

People are always at the center of “New Work” or “Work 4.0”: outside the company, the needs of customers are at stake. Within the company, the focus is on the way teams work together: more flexible structures, agile methods, mobile working and networking. Frithjof Bergmann introduced the term “new work” about four decades ago and described a changing world of work in the sense of a liberal, value-based work. Globalization, digitalization and new branches of business flow into this way of thinking.

Opportunities in the new world of work
Distributed teams and flexible office solutions bring diversity to the company with regard to employees. A larger pool of talents can thus become more flexible in a company. Interaction and communication are rethought. This requires constant further development of tools that support this new world of work: in the office and for the home office.

WANTED: Founding team for the new Innovationprojckt „New Work-Tools“

For the startup and innovation project initiated by Theben AG, the Tech Startup School is looking for talent with a passion for new work, a creative mindset, team spirit and strong motivation to become a founder. Students, graduates and professionals from the areas: engineering, computer science and AI, business administration, marketing, psychology and other professional sectors.

The startup project gives lateral thinkers the opportunity to develop a sustainable business model in 10 weeks of business design: remotely and in workshops in the Zollernalb district, and to found a startup as a team with backup and financing.

Task of the startup project

• Feel-good and performance parameters for new workplaces taking health, performance promotion and biodynamic lighting into account
• Smart products & services for modern and future work environments in offices and home offices> Fluid workspaces, smart power strips or solutions for light, office furniture, indoor climate etc.

The demands on office workplaces are constantly changing. The effects of digitalization are transforming office environments into dynamic work organizations. Instead of centrally controlled organization with static workplaces, the world of work is increasingly changing to dynamic, self-organized work. Innovative solutions should pay more attention to the needs of employees and personal well-being and performance parameters. Instead of universally applicable products, specially optimized solutions for new work jobs are to be developed. The topics of health, performance promotion and biodynamic lighting should receive special attention. When developing business models, smart components from manufacturers of the electrical installation industry, such as smart power strips or smart lighting solutions, as well as office furniture solutions, indoor air conditioning devices, etc. are illuminated. The team’s work focuses on problem analysis. The wide range of tasks opens up a wide field for product solution ideas.

The company that gave the idea: Theben AG
Theben AG is a family company with more than 750 employees, 10 international subsidiaries and a presence in more than 60 countries. Theben is an innovator in the areas of time, light and climate control, presence and motion detectors as well as smart home and smart energy. Behind every Theben product and system is the idea of ​​only using energy for heating, indoor climate or light when it is really needed. In this way, every solution contributes to increased comfort, energy efficiency and sustainable energy savings. Values ​​such as openness, cooperation but also dynamism and speed have a special position. Theben AG works in a central innovation development department on new technologies and all employees can submit ideas for new products and improvements at any time. There is also an in-house innovation laboratory in which interdisciplinary teams work on new innovations and business ideas. The Tech Startup School is now intended to develop creative ideas and solutions that cannot be found with traditional methods of product management and from the perspective of existing business areas.

Are you curious?

The Tech Startup School puts together a suitable team with you and other talented prospective entrepreneurs and accompanies you and your team in all steps of the startup.