At the Summer Coding School: Vibe Coding mit Claude Code, participants will explore a new approach to software development powered by AI. Instead of writing every line of code manually, you’ll learn how to use natural language prompts to create functional applications with Claude Code.

This interactive workshop is designed for:
✔️ Founders & startup teams
✔️ Students & researchers
✔️ Non-technical innovators
✔️ Anyone curious about AI-assisted development

Topics include:
• Introduction to Vibe Coding
• Practical prompting strategies
• Building mini-projects with Claude Code
• Rapid prototyping workflows
• Live demonstration of a complete web application

No advanced coding experience is required — just curiosity and a laptop.

- Technologiezentrum Ruhr, Bochum
- 2 September 2026 | 13:00–17:00
- Participation is free

Register here:
Summer-Coding-School: Vibe-Coding mit Claude Code Tickets, Mittwoch, 2. September  •  13:00 - 17:00 | Eventbrite

That's the question behind our paper accepted at ECIS 2026 in Milan: "Multi Agent Systems in the Lean Startup Cycle: Operationalising Dynamic Capabilities," with Elias Jelinek and Hannes Rothe.

We treat the Build–Measure–Learn loop as a closed-loop control system. Drawing on the Dynamic Capabilities View, we derive meta-requirements and design principles for a multi-agent system, then instantiate the artefact inside a production-grade SaaS codebase and test it against manual cycles in controlled simulations.

The result: time-to-validated-learning drops by roughly an order of magnitude — while preserving statistical rigour, full traceability, and nuanced Persevere/Iterate decisions. Sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring become observable at the feature level, and institutional memory accumulates in the artefact rather than only in the founders' heads.

In short: "agentic AI" shifts from a generic assistant to a disciplined experimentation infrastructure.

Building Bridges is developing a digital storytelling platform where girls and FLINTA* of Colour can share their experiences and needs. To make sure the platform truly speaks to its community, we're inviting female mentors and role models of Colour* to help us test and refine it — and we'd love your input.

What to Expect

Explore Prototypes Discover five storytelling formats currently being considered for the platform: Memory Album, Story Card Deck, Interactive Globe Journey, Immersive Scroll, and Kinetic Audio.

Share Impressions Evaluate each format based on comprehensibility, emotional connection (identification), and usability — and tell us what works and what doesn't.

Co-Create Ideas Combine elements from existing formats or propose entirely new ones. Your ideas could shape the next iteration of the platform.

Your Voice Matters Help us design a storytelling platform that is meaningful, accessible, and empowering for all.

Workshop Details

• Date: 28 August 2026
• Time: 11:00 - 12:30
• Format: Online via Zoom + a collaborative Miro board
• Language: English (German materials available)
• Who: No special technical expertise required — whether you're deeply familiar with digital storytelling or brand new to it, your perspective matters.

Why It Matters

Your feedback will directly shape which storytelling formats are built, refined, or retired on the Building Bridges platform — helping ensure it reflects the real needs and experiences of the community it's built for.

Ready to Take Part?

Register your interest here

Spaces are limited — we look forward to shaping the future of storytelling with you.

Building Bridges is part of the "Metavorhaben Migration, Integration und Teilhabe an Bildung" and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus), in cooperation with the University of Duisburg-Essen, Freie Universität Berlin, and Stiftung SPI.

Essen, Germany – The Chair of Sustainability and Innovation in Digital Ecosystems (SUST) is thrilled to announce and celebrate the successful dissertation defense of Dr. Jonathan Zebhauser at Freie Universität Berlin. Guided by a bold vision to bridge the gap between academic theory and the practical realities of AI venture building, Dr. Zebhauser's research offers significant contributions to both the academic community and the digital entrepreneurship ecosystem. 

A Deep Dive into AI Venture Scaling

Dr. Zebhauser's ambitious thesis tackles the multifaceted challenges of scaling artificial intelligence ventures. The research provides a rigorous examination of the field through a unique methodological blend:

• Multidisciplinary Approach: The dissertation combines qualitative research, computational theorizing, and design science to analyze the architecture, organization, and narratives of scaling AI startups.
• Actionable Insights: Rather than remaining purely theoretical, the resulting papers deliver highly actionable advice for founders building the next generation of AI-enabled products and services.
• Immediate Industry Impact: The frameworks and insights developed in the thesis are already being applied in at least three of Germany's most ambitious AI venture programs, including AI NATION, the BRYCK Startup Alliance, and Campus Founders.

Fostering the Digital Ecosystem

The journey toward this milestone began in 2021 at the K.I.E.Z Initiative (now AI NATION)—an AI accelerator funded by the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie. Dr. Zebhauser was co-supervised by Prof. Dr. Hannes Rothe and Janina Sundermeier at the Digital Entrepreneurship Hub, an adventure that spanned global innovation hubs from Berlin to Copenhagen, Edinburgh, and Maui.

Beyond his rigorous academic output, Dr. Zebhauser has been a relentless builder within the entrepreneurial community. His dedication to mentorship and ecosystem growth includes:

• Startup Support: Actively supporting 7 batches of the AI Nation program. As part of the Berin Innobridge program, Jonathan served as a driving force for over 40 startups, alongside Prof. René Mauer and Prof. Rothe.
• Student Mentorship: Guiding more than 200 students across Science & Startups (FU, TU, HU Berlin), ICN Business School, and ESCP.

This achievement strongly resonates with the SUST Chair's overarching mission at the University of Duisburg-Essen. The Chair is deeply dedicated to exploring the potential for sustainable futures through digital innovation and gaining a deeper understanding of the socio-economic aspects of digital ecosystems.

Some research papers (others currently in progress):

• Zebhauser, J. (2024). Resource configuration for scaling AI startups—an action design research approach. In: Europ. Conf. on Inf. Systems.
• Zebhauser, J., Rothe, H., & Sundermeier, J. (2023). Scaling AI Ventures: How to Navigate Tensions between Automation and Augmentation. In HICSS (pp. 5653-5662).
• Zebhauser, J., Rothe, H., Sundermeier, J., & Koranteng, S. (2023). Entrepreneurial Framing and Negotiations of Product Boundaries: A Qualitative Study on the Social Construction of Product Innovation in AI Ventures. In Int. Conf. on Inf. Systems. (nominated for Best Paper)
• Zebhauser, J., Shahid, M., & Rothe, H. (2024). Uncovering inverse generativity: An exploratory prompt analysis in LLM platforms. In Int. Conf. on Inf. Systems.

Get Involved: Are you interested in exploring the intersection of digital technology and venture building? Explore the Place Beyond Bytes learn more about our student projects and the "Towards Sustainable Futures with Artificial Intelligence" master's module.

Since January 2026, the Chair of Sustainability and Innovation in Digital Ecosystems at the Universität Duisburg-Essen, led by Prof. Dr. Hannes Rothe, has been cooperating with LIG GmbH (https://l-i-g.net/). The collaboration focuses on advancing sustainable digital transformation through the development and application of artificial intelligence for circular economy and recycling systems.

A key objective of the partnership is to leverage AI technologies to enable more resource-efficient and data-driven value chains, enhance material recovery processes, and improve decision-making in sustainable production and recycling. The collaboration combines academic research with industrial expertise to translate methodological advances in AI into practical applications.

What an inspiring three days! The AI for Good Hackathon brought together students from across the Rhine-Ruhr Region to collaborate, create, and explore how artificial intelligence can contribute to solving some of society’s most pressing challenges.

Together with the BRYCK Startup Alliance, we created a space where students could transform their ideas into prototypes, connect with mentors and experts, and build AI solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From sustainability to inclusion, the teams explored how technology can support a more equitable and sustainable future.

We would like to thank everyone who helped make the AI for Good Hackathon such a success: all participants who brought their creativity and dedication, the organisers and mentors who guided and supported the teams throughout the weekend, and the jury members who shared their expertise and helped recognise the most impactful solutions.

A huge congratulations to our winners,

CareAI — an AI assistant designed to support care workers in helping dementia patients with migration backgrounds overcome language barriers. The solution combines personalised patient profiles built from family input, real-time language support, and culturally aware care recommendations (B2B/B2C). It addresses a critical gap in care, considering the approximately 158,000 people living with dementia in Germany with diverse linguistic backgrounds and the extremely limited time available for individual patient interaction.

We also want to celebrate our runners-up:

FormFirst (“Don’t train like a shrimp!”) — an AI-powered movement and posture analysis tool using the camera of a smartphone, laptop, or tablet. It provides real-time feedback to correct poor form during home workouts, helping prevent injuries while making proper training more accessible, affordable, and available anywhere.

PoliTech (PolitiKlar) — a non-profit, open-source AI platform for parliamentary monitoring. It translates complex legislative documents into clear, unbiased, and understandable information, enabling citizens to make more informed decisions and strengthening democratic accessibility (aligned with SDG 16).

The AI for Good Hackathon showed the potential of combining creativity, technology, and a strong sense of purpose. When students from different backgrounds come together to address the challenges reflected in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, innovative ideas can emerge that have the potential to make a real difference.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event possible. We are excited to see how these ideas continue to grow and how the next generation of innovators will use AI for good. See you in our next AI for good Hackathon!

Dr. Tomasz Waliczko from the Chair of Sustainability and Innovation in Digital Ecosystems at the University of Duisburg-Essen attended VivaTech in Paris last weekend.

His participation followed an invitation from PSL and provided an opportunity to engage with one of Europe’s most important conferences dedicated to technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

VivaTech brings together leading representatives from academia, industry, and start-ups to discuss current developments and future directions in digital transformation, emerging technologies, and sustainable innovation.

During the event, Dr. Waliczko gained valuable insights into ongoing technological trends and engaged in exchanges with international experts working at the forefront of digital and sustainable innovation.

Overall, the visit contributed to strengthening the Chair’s engagement with international innovation ecosystems and provided inspiration for future research and collaboration activities.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way software is developed, businesses are managed, and digital innovations are created. In a recent segment on WDR Lokalzeit Essen, Prof. Dr. Hannes Rothe from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Duisburg-Essen explained the impact this development is having on computer science and business informatics.

Rothe made it clear that while AI will bring about lasting changes to the world of work, it will not replace the fundamental skills of computer scientists. Rather, the requirements are shifting. In addition to technical expertise, the ability to analyze problems, design complex systems, and use AI tools thoughtfully will become increasingly important in the future.

From Rothe’s perspective, there is also no cause for concern among prospective students. The degree programs offered by the Faculty of Computer Science continue to be in high demand. Each year, around 1,000 students choose to study at the faculty. The need for qualified professionals remains high—even as job profiles and fields of activity evolve in the wake of technological advancements.

At the same time, the faculty is working on the technologies of tomorrow. Research priorities such as neuro-symbolic artificial intelligence, edge computing, and other innovative approaches are helping to actively shape the digital transformation.

For the faculty, one thing is clear: Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool—not a substitute for solid computer science skills. For this reason, AI content is increasingly being integrated into degree programs to prepare students as effectively as possible for the demands of a changing professional world.

We would like to thank Prof. Dr. Hannes Rothe for his insightful analysis and are pleased that the Faculty of Computer Science at the University of Duisburg-Essen was able to contribute its expertise to the public discourse surrounding artificial intelligence.

Click here for the WDR report (starting at minute 18:07): https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/lokalzeit-ruhr/wdr-lokalzeit-ruhr-oder-01-06-2026/wdr-essen/Y3JpZDovL3dkci5kZS9CZWl0cmFnLXNvcGhvcmEtY2ExZWY3ZDEtZmU3OC00M2E0LWJjYzctZTg5MzdjOTEwZWZj

The University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) is excited to welcome Avneet Kaur from Lehigh University (USA) as a 2026 Ruhr Fellow. Hosted by the Chair of Sustainability and Innovation in Digital Ecosystems, Avneet will participate in an intensive summer program combining academic research with industry experience in Germany’s Ruhr region.

Prof. Hannes Rothe and Arslan Haider will provide academic supervision for her research project, focusing on how digital platforms and data ecosystems can drive sustainable entrepreneurship. Dr. Tomasz Waliczko and Karina Eifert will handle the program's management, coordinating logistics and international mobility.

The Ruhr Fellowship offers a comprehensive itinerary designed for top-tier North American students. It includes advanced research collaborations on digital sustainability projects at UDE, cultural excursions, and German language seminars. Furthermore, the fellow gains exclusive networking access to corporate partners and regional startup hubs across the UA Ruhr network.

The Chair extends a warm welcome to Avneet and looks forward to a productive summer of transatlantic collaboration!

Representing our chair's commitment to bridging cutting-edge digital research with societal impact, Dr. Tomasz Waliczko, Daniel Courtney, and Sandra Haag showcased UDE's expertise through interactive sessions and vital academic contributions.

Dr. Tomasz Waliczko and Daniel Courtney jointly spearheaded a specialized, interactive workshop focused on practical, community-led initiatives. Combining Courtney's deep knowledge of open-source software business models and digital sustainability ecosystems with Waliczko's extensive experience in sustainable digital entrepreneurship, the duo explored how digital innovation can build equitable global partnerships. Their session introduced practical methodologies for "Moonshot Innovation," encouraging participants to develop responsible entrepreneurial practices that benefit local and international communities.

Alongside this practical workshop, Sandra Haag presented her featured research paper on global pedagogies. Haag's work delved into transformative learning, critical global awareness, and the development of core competencies for social entrepreneurship, providing higher education institutions with a clear roadmap to cultivate and measure their real-world societal impact.

The chair extends its gratitude to the organizers at VU Amsterdam and all the international participants who made this year's symposium an inspiring success for global civic education and sustainable ecosystems.

Contact: For follow-ups regarding the workshop methodologies or research papers presented, please reach out directly to Daniel Courtney and Dr. Tomasz Waliczko.