YMN @ UITP Summit in Hamburg
What Was YMN Up To at the UITP Summit?
In June 2025, the Young Mobility Network (YMN) brought fresh energy and diverse voices to the UITP Summit in Hamburg — connecting with industry leaders, empowering young professionals, and championing a more inclusive future for mobility. Curious how you can be part of it next time? Explore our formats and collaboration opportunities in this blog — and don’t hesitate to reach out.
Celebrating the final pitches of the YMN Impact Challenge at the UITP Summit in Hamburg 2025
YMN Networking Coaching
We warmed up for the UTIP Summit in Hamburg with a Networking Coaching session led by Anna Filby – and what a kick-off it was! 🧡
Here are three key takeaways for making the most of networking at events:
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✨ Set clear goals.
✨ Know who you want to meet.
✨ Book meetings ahead of time. -
✨Use your body language and tone intentionally.
✨Ask better questions: Instead of “What do you do?” try “What’s been your highlight today?” or “What are you excited about right now?” -
✨ Send a message within 1–2 days.
✨ Use LinkedIn with a personal note.
✨ Stay active: like, comment, and follow up with a coffee chat or call.
YMN Impact Challenge: Sparking Innovation Ahead of the UITP Summit
A few weeks ahead of the UITP Summit, the Young Mobility Network launched the YMN Impact Challenge—a dynamic initiative designed to empower young professionals to reimagine the future of mobility.
The challenge kicked off with an inspiring session led by Design Thinking expert Matthias Carl Lauer. Participants received a crash course in design thinking and were then invited to form teams around mobility issues they were passionate about. Over the course of five weeks, these interdisciplinary teams worked intensively to develop creative, user-centered concepts, culminating in digital pitch presentations to a jury of industry professionals.
Throughout the challenge, participants were mentored by Matthias Carl Lauer and Vipul Toprani, and received expert advice on pitching from Jochen Bloß. This guidance helped shape the innovative ideas that emerged from the program.
The YMN Impact Challenge brought to life six powerful and thought-provoking projects:
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A virtual simulation tool for autonomous on-demand ride services
Team: Dominik Löw-Evans, Liss Böckler, Elske Ruge, Richard Messmann, Laura Bornemann -
Supporting public transport operators in managing mixed AV fleets
Team: Julia Wolf, Moris Zahtila, Rico Auerswald, Deepith Nagarajan -
Campaign strategies to boost eco-friendly transportation choices
Team: Aparna Pandey, Eddie Arriaga Flores, Finn Jonas Morgenroth, Jens Rathke -
Solutions to ensure inclusivity and safety in ride-hailing
Team: Dr. Kerstin Wendt, Venkata Avinash Guntupalli, David Eberle, Komal Mekala, Jana Dreischalück -
Bridging the gap between education and employment in mobility
Team: Koorosh Shojaei, Nils Ole Fehrendt -
Fresh branding strategies for next-gen transport modes
Project by: Mark Hoelling
"I had the great pleasure of mentoring during the YMN Impact Challenge, where I was able to support the enthusiasm and drive of young professionals. The Young Mobility Network created a fantastic framework for this challenge, and I’m excited to continue working with the team to advance new ideas in the world of mobility. Because that’s exactly what we need — fresh perspectives, collaboration, and bold innovation!"
Vipul Toprani - Senior Portfolio Manager DB Systel GmbH
On pitch day, an expert jury made up of industry leaders - Jenny Wesche (Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg), Ann-Kathrin Lachenmayer (Hamburger HOCHBAHN), Lucas Weidner (encore | Deutsche Bahn), and Karl Asem Gärber (MOIA) - faced the tough task of selecting the top entries from such a strong field.
As a reward, the three finalist teams were invited to present their ideas live on stage at the UITP Summit - a unique opportunity to showcase their vision to a global audience of transport professionals.
“The YMN Impact Challenge was a strong example of how much innovative power is created when young talent, experienced guidance and a common goal come together. I was particularly impressed by the clarity, depth and energy with which the teams developed and presented their ideas.”
Ann-Kathrin Lachenmayer - Head of Recruiting and Employer Branding Hamburger Hochbahn AG
YMN on Stage: Young Mobility, Bold Ideas
The YMN stage session at the UITP Summit began with an inspiring keynote by Staatsrat Martin Bill, setting an energetic tone for what was to come.
At the heart of the session were the compelling pitches from the three finalist teams of the YMN Impact Challenge. Each pitch was followed by a brief and engaging discussion, giving the audience a chance to dive deeper into the ideas and ask thoughtful questions.
To wrap up the session, Matthias Carl Lauer and Sophie Grahl took the stage for a panel discussion focused on the big question: How can we turn these promising ideas into real-world impact? Their conversation explored practical pathways for implementation, emphasizing collaboration, mentorship, and continued support for young innovators.
“The Young Mobility Network is an excellent example of how networking and talent development can drive the mobility transition – and how valuable new ideas can emerge in this context. I was delighted by your strong presence at the UITP Summit and look forward to hearing more from you at the next Summit in two years and many opportunities along the way!”
Martin Bill - State Council
Authority for Transport and Mobility
Transition Hamburg
YMN Talent Matchmaking: Real Connections, Real Opportunities
At the YMN Talent Matchmaking session, the goal was clear: bring together top young talent and forward-thinking companies for meaningful conversations - and real career opportunities.
The event kicked off with a round of networking bingo, breaking the ice and setting a relaxed, engaging tone for the session. Each participating company then gave a brief, lively introduction, giving attendees a first glimpse of who they are and what they stand for.
After that, it was time to connect: Young professionals had the chance to visit company booths, ask questions, and explore potential career paths in a more personal, informal setting.
This curated matchmaking format offered a unique chance to move beyond the usual job fair feel - fostering genuine exchange, shared enthusiasm, and maybe even the first step toward a future career in mobility.
“I was truly impressed by the energy and creativity the teams brought to the challenge. The collaboration was a real asset – it showed how much fresh momentum young minds can bring into the mobility sector.”
“Working with the Young Mobility Network was incredibly valuable for us: together, we launched several activities – all aimed at actively involving young people in the mobility debate and the UITP Summit. The enthusiasm and ideas that emerged clearly demonstrated how essential such platforms are for real change.”
Lisa Heybrock - Project Manager, New Mobility Solutions Hamburg
A big thank you to everyone involved!
It was an absolute pleasure connecting with you, and we’re excited for more events like these — where we can strengthen our community and work together to shape the future of mobility.
If you’re curious to get to know us better, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We’d love to make your event interactive, engaging, and full of diverse mobility enthusiasts.