Young leaders tackling
Over 1300 brilliant young minds aged 15 to 20 from 150+ countries joined the Shape the Future Challenge, in collaboration with Volkswagen Group, to work on groundbreaking solutions for a greener, more sustainable, and accessible future of mobility.
From mentoring sessions, expert keynotes, tools, and insights, these young changemakers have ventured into the field, channeling their creativity and passion, breaking the norms, and exploring the limits of what can be achieved.
Explore the solutions developed and meet the winning team, who will join us for an unforgettable trip to Silicon Valley, California!
From groundbreaking ideas in road safety driven by AI to VR-enhanced urban planning, witness the passion and creativity of brilliant young minds participating in the challenge.
MEET THE WINNERS
Congratulations to Lilia Gerber, Tobias Lendl, Oliver Sommer, and Luis Kalckstein for winning the Shape the Future Challenge!
Team Autopreneurs from Austria’s HTL Spengergasse developed an innovative AI system for better road safety. Their prototype uses traffic camera video streams to evaluate road risks, which helps prevent accidents and traffic congestion. The collected data can also support future road construction. This idea could pave the way for more AI-driven solutions in road safety.
MEET THE FINALISTS
Discover the solutions of the top seven teams that advanced to the finals.
HOW IT WORKS


01
APPLY
APRIL 3RD – MAY 7TH
Submit Your Application
– Apply as an individual or team, with or without an idea
– Receive your acceptance email to the challenge on May 8
– Get invited to the challenge space on the Moonshot Pirates platform


02
TEAM UP
MAY 8TH – MAY 15TH
Finding a Kick-ass Team
– Join the Kick-off call on May 9 & other networking events
– Learn about the winning criteria and milestones
– Find your teammates and submit your team


03
CHALLENGE
MAY 15TH – JUNE 4TH
Developing Your Ideas
– Attend the Opening Ceremony on May 15th
– Book mentoring sessions, participate in workshops, and reach challenge milestones
– Submit your idea for the future of mobility and a 1-minute pitch video


04
FINALS
JUNE 6TH – JUNE 15TH
Voting & Final Pitching
– Selection of 7 final teams through online and partners’ vote
– Final Pitching of team’s sustainable solutions for the future of mobility
– Award ceremony and jury selection of the winning team


LET’S SHAPE
THE FUTURE
OF MOBILITY
TOGETHER




How do people want to move around megacities and rural areas in the coming decades? What options can we offer that will meet their needs? And how – with what kind of technological solutions – do we implement them into products, services, and new business models in such a way that we achieve our climate targets? We at Volkswagen Group Innovation think these questions need to be tackled in the upcoming years within mobility.
#carbonneutralmobility #urbanmobility #autonomousdriving
With its “NEW AUTO – Mobility for Generations to Come” strategy, Volkswagen strives to become one of the world’s leading software-driven mobility providers by 2030. With a wide range of skills and its international network, Volkswagen Group Innovation is dedicated to focal points such as decarbonization, security, conserving resources, and future mobility models for maximum customer benefits.
One of the most pressing issues within the field of mobility for national roads operator like ASFINAG is the need to improve the carbon footprint and find innovative solutions to reduce traffic congestion. This includes reducing the number of accidents and fatalities on the roads, addressing issues such as speeding and distracted driving, and investing in infrastructure improvements such as better road design and maintenance. Additionally, there is a need to address the impact of transportation on the environment, including reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable transportation options.
#smarthighways #smartmobility #greenhighway
MEET THE MENTORS
From mobility experts to innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists, coders, and brand gurus, these experienced mentors and advisors helped our pirates turn their ideas into reality.


Dennis Kirpenstejn


Hari Kalymnios


William Tian


Edith Rührer


Mathias Haas


Stefan Niedermair


Juan Guerra


Doris Strohmaier


Martin Nemec


Mario Herger


Elisabeth Korshunova


Matthias Schulz


Raphael Mikl


Laura Falquez


Kat Haber


Richard Brandt


Adam Montandon


Elisabeth Handl


Magdalena Neidhart


Silke Edelmann


Ali Mahlodji


Helene Prenner


Lois Young


Ying Li


Craig Matthews


Alexa Karanyic


Jun Lin Too


Lewis Dzacka


Patrick Batka


Marc Düvel


Gordana Ilic


Tim Cox


Sarah Straub


Vaiva Seskeviciute


Nathalie Köck


Ralf Schiebel


Lenny Leeman


Isabel Oostvogel


Daniela Martinez


Niki Skene


Martin Wolf


Martin Binder


Verónica Celis Vergara


Arne Schiefer


Kemetse Kofi Semenyo


William Paxton


Elvis Markovic


Alexandra Waldherr


Daniel Cronin


Daniel Drack


Ibrahim Mustapha


Erez Tsalik


Jude Amegashie


Sean King


Simon Thel


Uwe Wieland


Anja Silberbauer


Briken Bufi


Nina Bauregger


Tobias Schaller


Clarisa Doval
CHALLENGE KEY DATES
APRIL 3 – MAY 7
APPLICATION
MAY 9
KICK OFF CALL
& NETWORKING
MAY 9 – MAY 15
NETWORKING
MAY 15
MILESTONE 1:
TEAM SIGN UP
MAY 15
START & OPENING
CEREMONY WITH PARTNERS
MAY 15 – JUNE 4
CHALLENGE & MENTORING SLOTS
MAY 30
MILESTONE 2:
SUBMIT IDEA CANVAS
JUNE 4
MILESTONE 3:
FINAL SUBMISSION
JUNE 6 – JUNE 10
ONLINE VOTING
JUNE 11 – JUNE 14
FINAL PREPARATIONS
JUNE 15
PITCHING CEREMONY
SEPTEMBER 2023
SILICON VALLEY
TRIP
THE WINNERS’ TRIP
The 5-day program in Silicon Valley includes workshops, meeting interesting startups and founders, visiting companies like Meta, Apple, Amazon, and Google. You will explore campuses of the Silicon Valley University and Stanford. You will get all the insights, explore the future of education, and discover the entrepreneurial mindset and moonshot thinking behind the area! This experience will undoubtedly shape your future!
Watch the highlight video to join the previous challenge winners on their journey to Silicon Valley.
ANY OPEN QUESTIONS?