My Experience at BIP in HWR Berlin
Taking part in the Blended Intensive Programme at HWR Berlin was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had during my time at university. The week-long entrepreneurship bootcamp brought together students from all over Europe, and being part of such a diverse and driven group pushed me outside my comfort zone in the best possible way. It wasn’t just about learning new skills – it was about connecting with people, navigating cultural differences, and getting a glimpse of what international collaboration really looks like.
Our challenge was to develop a product or service that addressed a sustainability issue, and my team’s idea was “walk2zero” – an incentivised walking feature that works within the 2zero app. The idea came from our own experience exploring Berlin. As a group, we tracked our steps each day and realised how much ground we covered – nearly 12 km on foot in one day alone. We wanted to find a way to turn that kind of movement into something more meaningful, so we created a system that rewards tourists for walking and learning about the city’s history and culture, all while lowering their carbon footprint.
We tied our step counts to real environmental impact and calculated the CO2e saved by walking instead of taking the train, bus, or car. For 12km, that came out to 0.44 kg (train), 1.23 kg (bus), and 2.03 kg (car). These stats became part of our pitch and really helped us tell a clear story – one that made sustainability more personal and tangible. It was also cool to back our concept with data we actually generated ourselves while walking around Berlin.
Working on “walk2zero” also helped me improve my presentation skills. Our group had to pitch our idea in a Dragon’s Den-style session to a panel of academic and industry professionals. It was fast-paced, and we had to be concise, confident, and clear. I presented the technical aspect of how the app feature would work and explained the reward system, as well as our vision for scaling it through AR experiences at landmarks across Berlin. The feedback we received was positive and constructive, and it gave me a lot of confidence in my ability to present real-world solutions.
Beyond the project, the trip itself was amazing. I loved being back in Berlin – a city I’ve visited before and really enjoy. We spent our evenings exploring, going to different areas, trying new foods, and bonding as a group. I also appreciated the structure of the programme: a mix of lectures, group work, pitching, and informal activities that helped everyone relax and get to know each other.
Overall, the BIP at HWR Berlin gave me practical experience in product ideation, teamwork, and sustainability – all in an international setting. It’s something I’ll definitely refer to in future job interviews and projects, and I’m proud of what we built together in such a short amount of time.
