Hamburg-based firms among "Creative and Cultural Pilots" 2024

"Courageous entrepreneurs who address the pressing issues of our time take responsibility and shape the future of society and entrepreneurship with unconventional ideas and innovative business models," said Hannah König, a member of the jury and Managing Director of Stapelstein. The cultural and creative industries are proving overarching catalysts and shapers of the future especially at the interfaces with other sectors, she noted. 

"Goodbye plastic, goodbye beauty standards, hello health" is Gooden's credo. Founded by Jasmin Daouiji, the company stands for plant-based sportswear for women in the spirit of C2C (Cradle to Cradle) and as a forward-looking circular economy. The fashion stylist, set designer and passionate sportswoman wants to make the industry more sustainable and fairer. To this end, Daouiji launched circular tank tops and T-shirts made from algae and wood fibres in early 2024. Meanwhile, Beherzt is aiming for honest, respectful interaction and profoun interpersonal connections. Founded by the sisters Antonia and Johanna Buchholz, the duo have drafted a list of about 90 questions for fearless conversations between two people. The aim is to encourage people to talk about things that are rarely discussed.

Meeting a homeless person for a report had a profound effect on Nicolas Migut, a TV journalist. The encounter prompted him to set up the StrassenBLUES association in 2015 and to come up with ways out of poverty. Nowadays, the firm organises events to bring together the homeless or people living in poverty with those who are not. Since 2023, the non-profit organisation has rented accommodation for the homeless, helped them find work and promoted tandem partnerships with residents of Hamburg. Plans are being laid to sell "street creations" by homeless people. The company also offers storytelling consultancy and production for other NGOs and SMEs. Creating an inclusive corporate culture so that diverse teams can realise their potential is the goal of Experience Inclusive Virtual Reality (XIVR). Founded by Laura Karim and Julius Schröder, the duo hope to use innovative diversity training to build bridges between people and open up the schemes to everyone. To do so, they combine virtual reality and artificial intelligence to create immersive and interactive learning experiences.
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