Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hendrik Rust

Vita

• Studied mechanical engineering at the University of Hanover (specialising in design and development)
• Research assistant in the Robotics Systems division at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) in Stuttgart
• PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in mechanical engineering from the University of Stuttgart
• 2000–2008: Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG
  - Group Leader, Pre-development
  - Head of Central Research and Development
  - Head of Consumer Floor Care Development
• 2008–2010: IMI Norgren
  - Technical Director and Member of the Executive Board
• 2010–2015: Stöbich Brandschutz GmbH
  - Managing Director of the global market leader and ‘hidden champion’ in preventive structural fire protection
• Since 2016: Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences 
  - Professor of Product Development + AI, Strategy Development and Entrepreneurship
  - Vice Dean for Teaching and Learning
  - Programme Director Master Entrepreneurship

Teaching

• Product development and AI
• Value engineering and AI
• Technology development and AI
• Strategy development and business simulation
• Start-up management
• Company succession

Research

Digital, AI-powered product development
Digital, AI-powered value engineering
Digital, AI-powered efficiency improvements, process optimisation and cost reduction

Publications

Rust, H. (Hrsg.) (2026) Erfolgsfaktoren der Produktentwicklung: Konzepte, Handlungsfelder und Best Practices. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler. doi: 10.1007/978-3-658-41730-7.
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-658-41730-7

Rust, H., Heil, M. und Kallenbrunnen, K. (2026) Künstliche Intelligenz in der Produktentwicklung: Leitfaden zur anwendungsorientierten Implementierung. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler. doi: 10.1007/978-3-658-52019-9.
https://link.springer.com/book/9783658520199

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