Aalborg University's new business school has a primary goal to bridge the gap between the commercial and the technical-scientific programmes. According to Professor of Business Models and Head of AAU Business School Christian Nielsen, this combination is of crucial importance.

‘As the only business school in Denmark, we focus heavily on combining technology and business in our educational and research activities, because this combination is crucial for how we meaningfully create the society of the future. It’s important to work across traditional disciplinary boundaries to create the best solutions’, says Christian Nielsen.

Solutions to real-world problems

Like the rest of Aalborg University, AAU Business School graduates students who are trained in dealing with and solving real-world problems in the surrounding community. And solving real problems outside the university walls was precisely the goal when the former AAU students Kenny Lafon, Thomas Olsen and Jens Korshøj started Sensade ApS. The company helps municipalities and private actors to make optimal use of their parking spaces.

‘In short, we connect parking spaces to the Internet using small wireless sensors that indicate whether a space is available or occupied. We use the data to create an overview of how the parking spaces are used and to make the right decisions regarding e.g. traffic and urban planning. In addition, we can help motorists find available parking spaces’, says Kenny Lafon, co-founder of Sensade.

Unique educational environment for entrepreneurs

Kenny Lafon and Thomas Olsen were both studying Engineering, but as part of their programme, they took the entrepreneurship course New Venture Creation (NVC) at the former Department of Business and Management, now AAU Business School. Here, they met Jens Korshøj, who studied International Business, and this meeting really set things in motion.

‘The time we were encouraged to spend on working on our idea through NVC and semester projects is one of the main reasons that we have achieved what we have achieved. The hands-on approach on the NVC course has been great for testing the most important components of our business idea’, explains Kenny Lafon.

Value for society

According to Christian Nielsen, Sensade is an example of the creation of value for society, which is a central part of AAU Business School's very existence.

‘Basically, we exist to create value for the community and the companies and organisations that fuel the engine of society. So how do we make sure that happens? The answer is problem-based learning, i.e. that our teaching and research are always based on real-world problems. Our students are a benefit to the business community because they manage to combine theory and practice’, says Christian Nielsen.

Facts: sensade

Up to 30% of traffic in major cities is made up of motorists circulating to find a parking option. Sensade provides data that provides a unique insight into available parking spaces. The data overview optimises traffic and urban planning in the municipalities, which improves the parking situation in the cities and directs motorists to available parking spaces. The solution saves the motorist time while reducing congestion and CO2 emissions.

Contact

Head of Department Christian Nielsen,  AAU Business School, tel. +45 9940 2702, email: chn@business.aau.dk