Germany: Creative Lateral Thinkers Meet at the First World Innovation Conference (BILD)

Potsdam/Palo Alto (ots) -

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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