How can organizations translate the potential of Agentic AI into practical business value? And how can students gain hands-on experience with this emerging technology?
These questions were at the heart of the new seminar “Business Cases in Agentic AI”, organized by the TUM Chair of Management Accounting at the TUM School of Management. Bringing together students from the Technical University of Munich’s campuses in Munich and Heilbronn, the seminar bridged academic theory and industry practice.
Developing Agentic AI Solutions for Real-World Challenges
Over several weeks, student teams worked closely with six industry partners – Audi, MAHLE, thyssenkrupp, Würth, Xeptum, and ZIEHL-ABEGG – to develop Agentic AI solutions for real-world business challenges. Starting from the initial problem definition, they designed agent architectures, developed functional prototypes, and translated their concepts into viable business cases.
The projects covered various use cases: students developed prototypes to support producing documents, enhance access to internal company knowledge, identify relevant retrofit opportunities, streamline complex quotation processes, generate insights from logistics data, and translate meetings into actionable next steps.
From Prototype to Business Case
The seminar concluded with a presentation event at IPAI Heilbronn, where each team delivered a 20-minute executive presentation and a live demonstration of its prototype.
Beyond showcasing the technical solution, the students assessed the economic potential of their concepts, defined KPIs to measure success, and proposed concrete next steps for deployment within the partner organizations.
The presentations sparked lively discussions among students, company representatives, and AI experts on the opportunities and challenges of applying Agentic AI in business environments. Networking sessions concluded the event and provided further opportunities for exchange.
Connecting Munich, Heilbronn, and Industry
A defining feature of the seminar was its collaborative setup, fostering exchange across locations and close collaboration among industry partners, students, and the IPAI ecosystem. This enabled participants to experience the full lifecycle of an Agentic AI project, from problem definition and solution design to prototype development, business case evaluation, and executive-level presentations.
“Working this closely with industry is incredibly value-creating for both sides: students learn from real problems instead of textbook cases, and companies receive insights and prototypes – some almost production-ready – they can build on right away.” — Prof. Dr. Maximilian Blaschke, TUM Chair of Management Accounting
A Blueprint for AI Innovation in Higher Education
The seminar demonstrates how universities, companies, and innovation ecosystems can jointly advance innovation in emerging technologies. Within a semester, real business challenges were translated into concrete Agentic AI solutions.
Students gained hands-on experience across all stages of an Agentic AI project, while participating companies received fresh perspectives and practical approaches to their specific challenges.
The seminar also highlighted the value of collaboration across locations, organizations, and disciplines in developing practical applications of Agentic AI.
