E-Commerce Horizon

Innovate. Network. Succeed.

With this quarterly event, organisers Melanie Prange and Cindy Krosewski are creating a network for e-commerce enthusiasts in Pforzheim. Their mission is to create a lively platform that inspires you with exciting talks from top speakers and offers you space to exchange innovative ideas. Everything here revolves around digitalisation, online marketing and e-commerce. Be there, be inspired and network with the community!

Further information and tickets: https://ecommerce-horizon.io/

E-commerce horizon is organised by: MSTAGE

Exhibition

"FUTURE NARRATIVES"

In a time of profound upheaval, questions about the role of humans in relation to intelligent machines are coming to the fore: How do we react to technologies that are increasingly shaping the way we work, live and think? What does it mean to shape the future at a time when it is not only predicted, but must be actively shaped?

The exhibits at Pforzheim University approach these pressing questions from an open, interdisciplinary perspective. Students from various design disciplines come together to create a panorama of visions, prototypes and narratives. Their work moves between critical reflection and speculative design, between social discourse and creative intervention.

The exhibited projects offer new perspectives on the interaction between humans, machines and the environment. They scrutinise existing systems, design alternative visions of the future and create spaces for discussion, disruption and inspiration. Instead of providing definitive answers, the exhibition invites visitors to imagine and consciously shape desirable, responsible and human-centred futures.

Artistic direction: Janusz Czech
Curators: Dipl. - Des. Dagmar Korintenberg
Prof Dr Steffen Reichert

The exhibition is being organised in cooperation with the Faculty of Design at Pforzheim University. On display are works by students from the MA Design & Future Making, Fashion, Industrial design and visual communication.

FUTURE NARRATIVES" exhibition
11.10.-14.12.2025
Opening hours: Fri & Sat 2pm-7pm, Sun 11am-7pm
Where: at A.K.T; Theaterstraße 21, 75175 Pforzheim

Design tour

Pforzheim is a creative city!

In the studios and workshops of numerous designers, beautiful objects and award-winning exhibits are created with passionate craftsmanship. We invite you to discover the creative soul of Pforzheim and experience the work of the designers up close.

Our walking tour takes you to studios, shops and workshops in Pforzheim's lively creative scene. Here you have the opportunity to make direct contact with the creatives, listen to their stories, admire their work and purchase it on the spot.

When: 13 December2025, 10 am
Duration: approx. 2.5 h
Meeting point: Reuchlinhaus Pforzheim, Jahnstraße 42, 75173 Pforzheim
Cost: 15€ p.p.

To the Booking

Art & Cocktails | Winter Edition

Guided tour through the exhibition "Future Narratives" at the A.K.T;

6 p.m. Aperitif Apple Spice Latte (non-alcoholic) or Hot Apple Cinnamon Mule
Guided tour through the exhibition
7 p.m. Varenyky (Ukrainian dumplings) with potato or sauerkraut filling, served with sour cream. For dessert, kutya (Ukrainian Christmas dessert) and a cocktail of your choice.

24,50€
Registration at hallo@caferoland.de

Discours de la Méthode

with: Jólan van der Wiel

As part of the current A.K.T. exhibition „Future Narratives“, the MA in Design & Future Making programme is delighted to welcome the internationally active Dutch designer Jólan van der Wiel for a discussion about his work.

Jólan van der Wiel runs a collaborative design studio that conducts artistic experiments on different themes and in different environments. His creative explorations result in original design tools, new materials and unique objects - as a graduate of the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Jólan is an intuitive designer and creator with a special expertise.
Based on his personal fascination with extreme natural phenomena, he creates unusual shapes and materials that challenge our understanding of „invisible“ forces. Jólan van der Wiel works closely with architects, scientists, fashion designers, brands and institutions such as Iris van Herpen, Benthem Crouwel Architects, Volvo Cars, Issey Miyake, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.

The interview will be conducted in English.

www.jolanvanderwiel.com/
Discourse de la Méthode with Jólan van der Wiel: Play Outside

Thursday, 4 December 2025, 6 p.m. MADLAB, 4th floor A.K.T;

Creative After Work

Planet-centred innovation - sustainability as a driver of innovation

Wednesday, 03.12.2025 at 7 pm

Creative After Work is a network meeting for the creative industries at EMMA - Kreativzentrum Pforzheim. Each meeting has a thematic focus. A company, a project or a topic relevant to the creative industries, such as trends in interface design, PR on the social web or the successful market launch of a product, are presented and explained by guest speakers.
At the Creative After Work on Wednesday, 3 December 2025 at 7 pm at EMMA - Kreativzentrum Pforzheim, Steffen Erath will give a presentation on the topic of sustainability as a driver of innovation for companies.

Innovators are problem solvers - and love nothing more than concrete challenges. After 20 years of design thinking and lean start-ups, it's time to tackle the really relevant problems. And we have more than enough of them today. If we see planetary challenges as the starting point of our innovation journey, we can utilise the power of innovation to do good - and at the same time ensure the future viability of our companies. Sustainability thus becomes a strategic field of innovation and the economy becomes the engine of green transformation. This is what Planet-Centered Innovation is all about. Sustainability is much more than CSRD, carbon footprints or climate neutrality. Sustainability is the innovation driver of our time.

Let's Innovate for Sustainability!

Steffen Erath is Head of Innovation & Sustainability at Hansgrohe SE and is responsible for the company's innovation division. He founded the Hansgrohe InnoLab, which was recognised as the best innovation lab in Germany by Capital in 2022 and 2023. As head of the company-wide „Green Company“ programme, he is a key driver of Hansgrohe's green transformation. In 2024, he was named „Top 40 under 40“.
With Erath Ventures, he is also involved in European GreenTech start-ups.
Steffen is a guest lecturer at the University of St. Gallen and Steinbeis Business School, a jury member of the Green Awards and the German Start-up Award - and author of the book Planet Centered Innovation.

Afterwards there will be music from the Sense Collective, snacks and cool drinks.

IHK /HWK - Business start-up consultation

The advice days organised by the IHK Nordschwarzwald / Karlsruhe Chamber of Crafts are aimed at anyone interested in setting up their own business in the foreseeable future. In addition to information on creating a start-up concept and utilising public funding, participants are informed about legal and tax aspects as well as the procedure for setting up a business and receive comprehensive information material.

25 November 2025 1.30-5.30 pm

Participation fee 50 €

Registration at the IHK Nordschwarzwald at ihk.de/nordschwarzwald/existenzgruendung

Design market

Nice present

In the atmospheric setting of EMMA - Kreativzentrum Pforzheim, a former art nouveau baths, the Schöne Bescherung design market presents high-quality Christmas gifts on the weekend before the first Advent, 22 & 23 November 2025. Design labels from Pforzheim and the region offer handmade jewellery, fashion, bags, home accessories, ceramics and stationery at this beautiful Christmas market.

When: 22 & 23 November 2025, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Where: EMMA - Creative Centre Pforzheim, Emma-Jaeger-Straße 20, 7175 Pforzheim

First World Usability Day in Pforzheim

Three keynote speeches on "Emerging Technologies and Human Experience"

World Usability Day (WUD) is also being held in Pforzheim for the first time. On this day, experts, companies and organisations from all over the world dedicate themselves to the topic of usability - i.e. the user-friendly design of products, digital applications and services. Under this year's motto "Emerging Technologies and Human Experience", the focus is on how new technologies are shaping the interaction between people and the digital world.
In Pforzheim, the UIX Academy and Baumann Design are organising an evening event with three exciting talks. Experts from the fields of design, development and business will shed light on how artificial intelligence, new interfaces and technological innovations are changing the user experience - and what opportunities and challenges this presents for companies, designers and society.

An evening full of inspiration and dialogue
The World Usability Day Pforzheim offers inspiring insights into current trends in the tech and design world and is aimed at UX designers, product managers, developers and anyone who wants to integrate user-centred thinking into their work. In addition to the presentations, there will be plenty of room for discussion and networking in a relaxed atmosphere.

World Usability Day is a global initiative that has been held annually on the second Thursday in November since 2005. The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of usability and user experience in all areas of life and to connect people around the world. The events take place in numerous countries - from workshops and conferences to meet-ups. Further information can be found at www.worldusabilityday.org.
The WUD Pforzheim is organised by Baumann Design and the UIX Academy. The event is supported by EMMA - Kreativzentrum Pforzheim, SMARTCITY Pforzheim and Wirtschaft und Stadtmarketing Pforzheim (WSP).

When: Thursday, 13.11.2025 | from 17:30

Where: EMMA - Creative Centre Pforzheim, Emma-Jaeger-Straße 20, 75175 Pforzheim

Further information: www.wud-pforzheim.de
Admission is free, registration is possible via the website