Germany: Creative Lateral Thinkers Meet at World Innovation Conference

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Potsdam/Palo Alto. Several hundred innovation experts from all over the world will be meeting in September with Design Thinking pioneers in Potsdam near Berlin to discuss future-oriented models and methods. Innovative solutions for the fields of management, research and education will be a further focus area. The "d.confestival" is taking place from September, 20th-22nd. In its form combining conference and festival, a unique working atmosphere is created synthesizing creativity and productivity. Online registration is now possible under www.hpi.dconfestival.net

The event format will bring together for the first time managers, trainers and researchers who focus on innovation and innovative team work. Prominent participants will be, among others, the founder of SAP and Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), Prof. Hasso Plattner, as well as Design Thinking pioneer David Kelley. Also present will be Oliviero Toscani, the mind behind the much-discussed Bennetton campaign. Companies such as Metro, Deutsche Bank and Deutsche Telekom will participate as well. Interactive presentations and workshop formats, a global innovation task as well as an exhibition area provide an international atmosphere and multiple opportunities for networking.

Host of the d.confestival is the HPI School of Design Thinking, at Hasso Plattner Institute (http://www.hpi.uni-potsdam.de). This is the first innovation school in Europe for university students and is based on the model of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University in Palo Alto (http://dschool.stanford.edu). The needs of the users themselves are the focal point of Design Thinking. It goes beyond traditional innovation methods by synthesizing the interdisciplinary strengths of many problem solving strategies, thought patterns and communication cultures.

"Creative lateral thinkers and innovators from all over the world and from completely different fields of activity will together create something new and exciting", Prof. Christoph Meinel, Director of the Hasso Plattner Institute, said. Prof. Ulrich Weinberg, Director of the HPI School of Design Thinking, added: "The d.confestival is the beginning of a collaborative event format combining the seriousness of a scientific conference with the lightheartedness of a festival."

Press Contact:

Hans-Joachim Allgaier

d.confestival-presse@hpi.uni-potsdam.de

Tel. 0049-331-5509-119 or -175 or -124, Fax -169 or -128