The Power of Youth – Empowering the Next Generation

Young innovators bring curiosity, fresh perspectives and the ambition to make a meaningful contribution. Entrepreneurial thinking helps them turn that motivation into action. Putting an idea into practice also means navigating unfamiliar challenges and making decisions under uncertainty. Young people need opportunities to build practical know-how and test their ideas in an environment where questions are welcome and setbacks become opportunities to learn.

Universities, founder networks and industry partners can help create this environment by connecting young people with expertise and practical experience. A shared innovation mindset makes this a mutual exchange: young teams develop their ideas with experienced partners, who gain new perspectives and learn alongside them. The Sonnenwagen is a good example of this in practice. Student engineers take ownership of an ambitious project, developing and building their own solar race car. In our collaboration, they bring vehicle knowledge and design ideas, while we contribute material and application expertise. Through co-creation, we develop and test solutions together, learning from the results.

In this Live Talk, Leonie Brandt, Team Sonnenwagens Team Manager in 2025, brings the student-team perspective on taking responsibility and putting ideas into practice. Dr. Christine Mendoza-Frohn, EVP Sales EMEA LATAM Performance Materials at Covestro, discusses how industry can create room for experimentation and contribute as a co-creator. Together, they explore what motivates young innovators, what holds them back and how young teams and experienced partners can learn from one another and turn ideas into practical solutions.