The Online Marketing Challenge (OMC) offers international students and young professionals a unique, hands-on opportunity to gain real-world digital marketing experience. Participants plan and run live online campaigns for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups from Saxony, Germany — each team working with a budget of 500 EUR provided by the company.
Since 2017, this initiative has been organized by the SEPT Competence Center at Leipzig University and the Internationalisierungsoffensive Sachsen (IOSAX). The initiative connects academia with the business world, promoting international collaboration between students and Saxon companies. Since 2022, Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz has joined as a partner, expanding the program’s reach and impact.
How does the OMC work?
With the Online Marketing Challenge (OMC), students and young professionals have the opportunity to work in international teams to design and implement real online marketing campaigns in collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups from Saxony.
Over the course of three months (April–June 2026), participants take on the role of online marketing managers — developing creative strategies, executing digital campaigns, and managing a €500 marketing budget provided by the company. Their goal: to achieve the company’s marketing objectives and compete for the title of OMC 2026 winner.
In July 2026, all teams gather for the OMC Final Event, where they present their campaign results, share experiences, and celebrate their achievements. The team that best meets its company’s goals will receive a €300 prize.
Our participants gain much more than practical experience and a certificate. They also take part in our Digital Marketing Bootcamp, where they receive specialized training and develop a deeper understanding of key social media and advertising platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok — preparing them to run effective campaigns in a global digital environment.
The OMC goes beyond marketing practice. One of its main goals is to connect local companies with international talent — creating a platform where both sides can “test” each other in real business collaboration. This hands-on exchange helps companies discover potential future employees while participants gain valuable insights into the regional business environment.
What our Alumni say?
Our past winners and finalists agree: The OMC was an enriching opportunity to enhance their marketing skills, gain practical experience running digital campaigns, exchange knowledge with companies, and develop their local professional networks in Saxony.
Duration
The Bootcamp on Digital Marketing will be held every Wednesday from 16:00 to 18:00, starting on April 22, 2026.
Upon successful completion and presentation of their practical projects, OMC participants will receive a certificate of completion issued by Leipzig University and the SEPT Competence Center, co-signed by IOSax and the respective partner company.
For more detailed information about the training structure and schedule, please refer to our activity plan.
Information
Students get:
- All access to our Bootcamp on Digital Marketing: 6 sessions on Digital Marketing Strategy, Facebook & Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Content Creation and AI, and Video Production for Social Media.
- Expert Coaching in Digital Marketing.
- Practical experience in running online marketing campaigns for German SMEs & Startups.
- Participation certificate issued by Leipzig University / SEPT Competence Center, IOSax, and signed by the partner company.
- The chance to be the winning team and receive a prize of 300 Euros.
- Develop local professional networks for your post-academic career.
Participants onboarding: April 7, 10:00-11:00 (Online)
Company Introduction and & Campaign Goals: April 9, 2026 (online)
Kick-off event: April 16, 2026, at the Kraftverkehr Chemnitz, Fraunhoferstraße 60, 09120 Chemnitz
- 11:00 – 14:00 Project Management, Work Culture & Team Building Workshop
- 14:00 – 16:00 Außenwirtschaftstag Sachsen
- 16:00 – 18:00 Official OMC Kick-off Event & Meetings with Companies
- 18:00 – 19:00 Get Together with Imbiss
- 19:00 – Return to Leipzig
Bootcamp on Digital Marketing:
- April 22 - Digital Marketing Strategy and Planning (15:00 - 18:00, Hybrid)
- April 29 - Advertising on Facebook and Instagram (16:00 - 18:00, Hybrid)
- May 6 - Finding Customers and Suppliers on LinkedIn (16:00 - 18:00, Hybrid)
- May 13 - TikTok for Advertising (16:00 - 18:00, Hybrid)
- May 8 - AI-Driven Content Creation: Efficient Strategies for Social Media & Marketing (11:00 -15:00, Zittau/Görlitz)
- May 9 - Video Production & Content Creation Tools for Social Media (10:00 -13:00, Zittau/Görlitz)
Creating and Running Campaigns: May 13 – July 7, 2026
Final Presentation: July 8, 2026 (14:30 - 18:00) at Basislager Coworking, Peterssteinweg 14, 04107 Leipzig
NOTE:
- All sessions will be conducted in English.
- Excursion to Chemnitz: The kick-off event will take place as part of the "Außenwirtschaftstag Sachsen" in Chemnitz. Transportation costs to Chemnitz will be covered by the program.
- Excursion to Zittau/Görlitz: The sessions on May 8 and 9, 2026 will be held at the Zittau Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The program will cover transportation and accommodation costs.
Since 2017, the Online Marketing Challenge has brought together 63 Saxonian SMEs and startups along with 274 international students to collaborate and gain hands-on experience in digital marketing!
Ms. Mingjun Guo
- Phone: +49 341 97 33 765
- Email: mingjun.guo(at)uni-leipzig.de
Mr. Wojtek Muras
- Phone: +49 341 97 33 765
- Email: wojciech.muras(at)uni-leipzig.de
ARE YOU READY TO JOIN THE CHALLENGE?
The OMC 2026 is open to all international professionals living in Saxony who hold a BA degree, as well as students currently pursuing a Master’s or MBA at any university or higher education institution in Saxony.
If you completed a BA degree abroad but you are residing in Saxony, you are very welcome to join the OMC!
Joining OMC is easy! First, fill out and submit the application form. Then, our team reviews all applications through a selection process. If you’re selected, you’ll receive a confirmation of participation via email. After that, you’ll move on to the onboarding stage and get ready for the experience ahead.
Registration deadline: March 31, 2026.
Past Winners
OMC 2025 wrapped up with an inspiring final at Basislager Coworking. Congratulations to our winners:
1st Place: ESA Elektroschaltanlagen Grimma GmbH — Lam Huynh, Nhu Nguyen, Thuy Thi Thanh Pham (company partner: Ronny Thieme)
2nd Place: Se’tyo — Hesam Mirzaei, Bárbara Niño, Maria Gabriela Vargas Romero, Qian Chen, Sandra Aguirre (company partners: Ruka & Yuki Akimori)
3rd Place: Virtual Office Dresden — Elsa Richter, Lisa Marie Ludz, Pia Seifert (company partner: Michael Kotte)
The SURAG Medical GmbH team consisting of Tassia Jansen, Malenpunareay Lay, and Pamela Tamara Orellana Campos, won the first edition of the Online Marketing Challenge 2024. Second place went to the team from the Hotel Insel der Sinne, represented by Elena Schirmer and Cindy Noack from Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. Anfibio Packrafting Store, Schellin & Kreinacker GbR, with Camilo Rada and Francisco Cerda Martin, secured the third place. The award ceremony was once again held at the Impact Hub Dresden.
The second edition of the Online Marketing Challenge 2024 concluded with Vesputi GmbH emerging as the winning team. Comprising Lissette Salavarria, Dhanyashree Giri, Aijaz Ahmed, Xiaoluan Sun, Germán Alirio Martinez, Zehra Oluz Yazlak, and Pham Dieu Hoa, the team impressed with their creativity and strategic execution in digital marketing campaigns on Meta and TikTok.
The award ceremony was held at the Biblioteca Albertina in Leipzig, bringing together participants from the teams SOBAtec, mewedo, voor, and Glashaus3D, along with industry partners, to celebrate their campaign results and innovative marketing ideas.
Team PI ROPE GmbH wins the final of OMC 2023! With their campaign for the Chemnitz-based company, Arminius Ezer, Isabella Niebling and Lisa Richter convinced the jury. Team Public Value Hub UG took 2nd place and Team PURTEC Engineering GmbH 3rd place. The award ceremony took place at Impact Hub Dresden.
The team MediaInterface GmbH, a Dresden-based company, emerged as the winners of the Online Marketing Challenge 2022! They impressed the jury with their campaign targeting the French market, led by the SEPT MBA students Fabio Samuel Díaz Caballero and Luis Angel Reynoso Trujillo. Team mecorad GmbH secured second place, while PALOSA Palettenlogistik claimed the third spot. The award ceremony took place online.
In 2021, the team diafyt Medtech, represented by the SEPT MBA students Brenda Irala and Marcela Lara from Mexico, emerged as the winners. They received guidance and support from the online marketing expert Max Schneider from Projecter GmbH. ARI Motors GmbH secured second place, with Team Umweltanalytik coming in third. The award ceremony was held on July 15, 2021, at the Basislager in Leipzig.
In 2020, the victory was claimed by the team SportSpar GmbH, a sports apparel retailer based in Leipzig. Rashid, Cris, Sadikin, and Anurag, who are part of the SEPT MBA program, presented their campaign focused on the Spanish market. The award ceremony took place online.
The team Westernbedarf Halang, a company based in Freiberg, was selected as the winner of OMC 2019! The team, comprised of SEPT MBA students Federico Rodriguez Sanchez from Colombia, Diana Alvarez Rodriguez from Mexico, and Jazmin Ponce and Magnolia Hurtado Soria, both from Peru, secured their victory through their comprehensive market analyses and the exceptional quality of their advertising campaign.
In 2018, the team ServFaces GmbH, a Dresden-based company, emerged as the winners. The SEPT MBA students Jhon Ramirez from Colombia and Madina Rasulzade from Tajikistan impressed the jury with their campaign designed for the British market.
