Dr. Anna Waßenhoven, Malte Stenzel, and Vanessa Lind from the Chair for Entrepreneurship and Innovative Business Models have returned from their research visit at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Under the local project leadership of Dr. Nathalie Sick, they collaborated with colleagues from the School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and the UTS Business School to conduct a pilot study as part of the joint research project “Toolbox for Designing Convergent Business Models – a Start-up Perspective.”

The two-year project, funded by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), explores how business models evolve when technological and disciplinary boundaries increasingly blur. Its aim is to develop a practitioner-oriented toolbox for designing convergent business models, helping start-ups and companies successfully combine innovations from different industries.

During their stay in Sydney, the three researchers conducted numerous interviews with start-up founders across various sectors. These conversations provided valuable insights into how start-ups leverage new technological intersections to create innovative business models. The findings from this pilot study now form the basis for comparative analyses and further fieldwork at Ruhr University Bochum and the Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC).

Beyond the intensive research activities, Sydney offered a wealth of experiences — from its vibrant start-up ecosystem to its cultural highlights in one of the world’s most dynamic cities. With fresh ideas, international inspiration, and exciting research insights, the team has now returned to the Ruhr region, ready for the next steps of the project!