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Every fall, selected industrial & business partners assign student projects for developing innovative business concepts. Lasting approximately 7-8 months in total, the course combines IDBM's and the whole Aalto ecosystem’s expertise to address real-life business cases. 

What is the IDBM Capstone: Industry Project?

The IDBM Capstone: Industry Project follows challenge-based learning approach where students participate in real-life business projects and practice working in multi-disciplinary teams. Industry projects are assigned by industrial/business partners for developing innovative business concepts using design thinking tools and methodologies. Team members of each project team represent all three IDBM fields (business, design and technology). Together these perspectives support the development of transdisciplinary and diverse competence. Students apply theoretical knowledge and skills learned in IDBM program's core courses in the project work, practicing combining theory into real-life business development. To support this interaction, lecturers and other field experts offer mentoring for each project team.

Benefits for the partner

• Real concepts: Industry Projects generate new, innovative concepts that tackle real business problems that you may be facing now, or in the future.
• Market Research & Insights: Extensive qualitative research along with secondary research gives your organizations key market insights and data about your industry and focus areas.
• Prototyped and Tested: Valuable ideas that have been designed, tested, and iterated by a motivated, multidisciplinary team.
• Talent Access to IDBM and Aalto: Access to a talented pool of students, experienced IDBM Faculty members, and networking possibilities with all of Aalto University

Requirements for the partner

• A contact person and availability during January-May
• Attending project kick-off in January
• Meeting the student team every two weeks/every month (depending work organizing) during the project
• Attending our IMPACT Gala (project final event) in late May (half day)
• Providing feedback and guidance on the project work in the meetings and occasionally, if needed, via email / phone outside the meeting times
• Supporting the student team with the needed resources for the research and testing, such as data, access to any relevant services which are to be developed, or arranging meetings with the partner's customers and internal specialists

Course details

• Contact: Programme Director Ville Eloranta (ville.eloranta@aalto.fi, +358 40 706 7012)
• Duration of the industrial project: 5 months (the course starts already in November, but the actual project runs from January to May), 15 ECTS
• Number of students per project: 5-7
• Project fee for the company: 20 000€ + VAT
• Application period for companies: April - October
• Website:

Case Examples

• Previous IDBM industry projects have resulted in new product and service concepts, business model innovations, research & development opportunities, strategic and organizational design changes, and brand development opportunities.
• ​Some of previous years’ partners are:
  
  Nordea, Otava, Espoo, Harvia, Kemira, KONE, Nokia, Sanoma, Smartly.io, STARTSOLE, Takeda, VTT, ZEISS, IBM, Konecranes, Posti, Säästöpankki, ABB, Invalidisäätiö, Lappset, Valmet, Lindström. Futurice, Iittala, Huhtamäki, Start North, Aava, Helsingin Sanomat, Volkswagen, Wärtsilä…

At the moment elevator journeys are safe and efficient, but could they be developed further?

This kicked off the project of a lift-time to utilize the high-end smart design methodologies to identify the underlying constraints and opportunities to leverage the user experience of an elevator experience to record heights. In IDBM projects, the process starts from discovering the real problems often hidden in plain sight to create meaningful value for both the clients and their customers. This project created in collaboration with one of the global leaders in the elevator industry is a true embodiment of that ideology.

As a result of data collection, innovative ideation, and critical design thinking, the main challenges and values were combined to intertwine in the final solution. The developed elevator concept MoodLift offers a new service which raises the experience to a new level.