The sixth edition of the trinational KTUR Summer School brought together students from 12 universities across Strasbourg, Basel and Freiburg for a week of entrepreneurship, innovation and collaboration. With 13 nationalities represented, this year’s edition further strengthened the programme’s international dimension, fostering a rich exchange of ideas, perspectives and experiences. Combining practical learning, real-world insights and a strong team spirit, the Summer School gave participants the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills and turn their ideas into promising start-up projects.
Throughout the week, students attended sessions on market strategy and business models led by academic teachers and entrepreneurship professionals. A particular highlight was the opportunity to learn directly from founders with hands-on entrepreneurial experience, who shared their journeys, insights and practical advice. Their first-hand perspectives offered participants valuable insights into the realities of building a start-up, complementing the academic input and helping them better understand the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship.
Putting theory into practice, participants worked in six teams to develop their own start-up projects. Along the way, they benefited from the guidance of experienced professionals and entrepreneurs, who provided constructive feedback and practical recommendations to help them refine their concepts and prepare for real-world market challenges. The collaborative atmosphere encouraged creativity, open discussion and problem-solving, while bringing together students from diverse academic, cultural and national backgrounds.
Pitch Day: from Ideas to Projects
The highlight of the week was Pitch Day, when the six teams presented their projects to a panel of experts. After a week of intensive work, two teams stood out and received awards in recognition of their achievements.
- Reclaim received the Best Project Award for its concept of boxes designed to encourage digital disconnection, offering an innovative response to the challenges of our increasingly connected lives.
- Meeple received the Best Team Award for its app designed to facilitate exchanges between entrepreneurs and experts, fostering meaningful connections and making expertise more accessible.
Congratulations to both winning teams, and to all participants for their commitment, creativity and enthusiasm throughout the week! Their ideas, collaborative spirit and willingness to learn made this edition a great success.
Fostering Entrepreneurship Across Borders
Beyond the projects themselves, the KTUR Summer School 2026 once again demonstrated the value of bringing together students from different universities, countries and backgrounds. With 13 nationalities represented, the programme provided an increasingly international environment in which participants could exchange perspectives, build connections and learn from one another.
By combining academic knowledge, first-hand insights from start-up founders, professional guidance and collaborative teamwork, the Summer School created the conditions for entrepreneurial ideas to flourish and ambitions to take shape. As a project of strategic importance for cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine region, this initiative is supported by the Interreg Upper Rhine programme.
We look forward to welcoming the next generation of entrepreneurial minds at the KTUR Summer School next year!