
Who is HIKE?
We would like to promote the start-up interest and the concrete start-up intentions of students as well as the probability of success of innovative start-ups at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. This is to be achieved by embedding our offer in everyday campus life and achieving a high degree of maturity/validity of the ideas. We support the participating teams via a structured incubation program, working together with (supra-)regional partners.
We also aim to establish a sustainable program and permanent infrastructure on campus to support start-ups at the university indefinitely.
Project Lead
HIKE Team
Thomas Herwig Lab Operations Manager
Thomas makes sure that everything runs smoothly in the project and makes sure that HIKE is known in the region. Thomas graduated from the University of Cooperative Education in Heidenheim with a degree in Social Pedagogy (B.A.). He also studied Mediation at the University of Applied Sciences in Erfurt and E-Business Management at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Thomas has already been involved in various projects in the region, including developing his own digital innovation, which he still likes to tinker with today.
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Christian Zoll Venture Developer
Christian coordinates you through the incubation programme. He supports you in analysing the market and competition and develops a scalable business model together with you. After his bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, Christian completed his master's degree in innovation and change management at the University of Applied Sciences Nordhausen.
In addition, he worked on various projects in product management and further developed the corporate incubator at Kärcher.
Jonas Mielke Technical Engineer
Jonas will develop your prototype with you. He studied mechatronics at the TU Dresden and graduated with a degree in engineering. Before joining us, Jonas worked as a research assistant at the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft in the areas of Industry 4.0 and IoT in Magdeburg and then worked at a local software company in the area of digitalisation at the interface between customers and developers.


Nina Eberhard UX-Design & Marketing
Nina supports you with questions about design, usability and marketing.
After studying product design at the Kunsthochschule Kassel, she worked for Eric Degenhardt Industrial Design in Cologne and was involved in projects for Lamy, Siedle and BASF, among others. She also works as a freelance designer.