STR466 Venture Creation (E)

• Topics

  The phenomenon of entrepreneurship centers on the identification, development, and realization of new opportunities. While these opportunities may be pursued through various channels, this course focuses specifically on ambitious, growth-oriented entrepreneurship: establishing ventures and initiatives with the potential to create substantial economic and societal value.

  Realizing this potential requires entrepreneurs to navigate a broad set of complex challenges. They must identify viable opportunities, develop business ideas into credible concepts, mobilize critical resources, and build organizations capable of learning, adapting, and scaling. They must also make strategic choices under conditions of high uncertainty that includes how to position their venture, how to engage with customers, partners, and investors, and how to grow responsibly in dynamic markets.

  The aim of this course is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to understand and address these entrepreneurial challenges. We combine a strong theoretical foundation on venture creation and entrepreneurial strategy with hands-on application in real settings. The course adopts an active, student-centered pedagogical model that integrates case studies, guest lectures from leading practitioners, and a team-based venture project where students apply theory to practice.

  The course is part of the TILT student entrepreneurship initiative, and includes a three-day AI-Accelerated Innovation Lab at the start of the semester. Here, students are introduced to evidence-based entrepreneurial decision-making and learn how AI tools can support creativity, experimentation, and early venture development. In addition, the course includes a study trip to an international entrepreneurial hub, providing exposure to global practices in venture building, scaling, and investment.

  The course runs over twelve weeks and is organized into three modules:

  Module 1: The Entrepreneurship Process and the Development of Viable Business Ideas

  This module provides an introduction to the entrepreneurial process, with a particular focus on how opportunities are identified, framed, and transformed into viable business ideas. We explore the foundations of entrepreneurial cognition, the role of creativity and problem framing, and the logic of evidence-based experimentation under uncertainty.

  Students participate in the AI-Accelerated Innovation Lab, where they learn how emerging AI tools can support the generation, evaluation, and early testing of venture ideas. By the end of this module, students will have identified a promising opportunity and formed the venture team that will work together throughout the course.

  Module 2: From Idea to Venture — Market, Financing, and Partnerships

  In the second module, the focus shifts from idea development to venture formation. Students engage with the fundamental strategic questions faced by new ventures: Who is the customer? What problem is being solved? How can the venture carve out a credible position in the market? They also explore the central challenges of early-stage financing, from grant opportunities and angel investors to venture capital, as well as the role of partnerships and alliances in gaining legitimacy, resources, and early traction.

  This module integrates case discussions and practitioner lectures, including contributions from founders, investors, brand strategists, and ecosystem actors. The study trip takes place following this module, giving students first-hand insight into how entrepreneurial ecosystems function and how early-stage companies navigate markets and investors in global contexts.

  Module 3: Growth and Scaling — Organization, Leadership, and Stakeholder Management

  The final module examines the organizational and strategic challenges that arise once a venture begins to grow. Topics include building and leading effective teams, developing organizational routines and culture, managing stakeholder relationships, and responding to the tensions and complexities that emerge when ventures scale beyond their initial stages.

  Students work with cases that illustrate growth crises, leadership dilemmas, and strategic inflection points in the evolution of young companies. They also reflect on the role of ethics, sustainability, and responsible growth in entrepreneurial settings.

  The course culminates in a final venture project presentation in which student teams present their evidence-based venture concepts to faculty, practitioners, and ecosystem partners.

• Learning outcome

  Knowledge

  Upon successful completion the student

  • Has advanced knowledge of theories and methodologies connected to venture creation, specifically regarding how opportunity identification, resource mobilization, and venture scaling interact.
  • Can critically reflect on the entrepreneurial process, from cognitive foundations and problem framing to the complexities of navigating dynamic markets.
  • Understands the role of emerging technologies, specifically how AI tools can be leveraged for evidence-based decision-making, creativity, and early-stage venture testing.
  • Has in-depth knowledge of early-stage financing (grants, angel investing, venture capital) and the strategic importance of ecosystem partnership

  Skills

  Upon successful completion the student can

  • Identify and transform ambiguous opportunities into credible, growth-oriented business concepts using evidence-based experimentation.
  • Apply theoretical frameworks to real-life cases and team projects, demonstrating the ability to move from abstract ideas to actionable venture strategies.
  • Design strategies for scaling ventures.

  General competences

  Upon successful completion the student can

  • Analyze and deal critically with interdisciplinary information (market data, financial trends, and technological shifts) to make sound strategic decisions under high uncertainty.
  • Communicate complex venture concepts effectively to diverse stakeholders, including investors, partners, and academic faculty.
  • Reflect on their own entrepreneurial practice and team dynamics, adjusting their approach based on feedback, data, and academic supervision.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of ethics, sustainability, and responsible growth, applying these principles to the development and scaling of new initiatives.

• Teaching

  The course employs a student-centered and practice-oriented pedagogy, where students take an active role in their own learning process. We move beyond traditional one-way lectures toward methods that stimulate critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world experimentation.

  The teaching is structured around the following core elements:

  • Interactive Lectures and Guest Seminars: Theoretical frameworks are introduced through dialogue-based sessions. Leading practitioners from the startup and investment community contribute guest seminars that connect academic theory to current challenges in the business world.
  • AI-Accelerated Innovation Lab: An intensive two-day workshop at the start of the semester. This lab combines evidence-based entrepreneurship methodologies with the hands-on use of AI tools for idea generation, market analysis, and rapid prototyping.
  • Team-Based Venture Project: Throughout the semester, students work in interdisciplinary teams to develop a concrete venture concept. This project serves as the "red thread" of the course and the primary arena for applying theory to practice.
  • Excursion and Ecosystem Exposure: The study trip to Paris provides direct access to international accelerators and startup environments. This offers a unique opportunity to observe how global markets and investors operate in practice.

• Restricted access

  This course is strictly limited to 30 students to ensure a high-quality, mentor-driven experience and to facilitate the intensive nature of the AI Lab and international study trip.

  Participation is by application only, and the selection will be based on a combination of academic merit and motivation to join the course. During the Spring semester, several information sessions will be held to provide prospective students with deeper insights into the course requirements and the selection process. Interested students must submit an application to be considered for the limited seats available.

  The course is open for students from other institutions

• Credit reduction due to overlap

  NBD406 Strategic Entrepreneurship (7,5). There is a significant thematic overlap between this course and NBD406 Strategic Entrepreneurship, with several core topics addressed in both.

• Compulsory Activity

  The hands-on, team-based nature of this course requires active and consistent participation. Consequently, attendance is mandatory for all course elements, including lectures, the AI-Accelerated Innovation Lab, guest sessions, and handing in of the assignments.

  While we understand that exceptional circumstances may arise, any dispensation must be requested and agreed upon in writing with the course coordinator well in advance.

  The study trip to Paris is an obligatory component of the curriculum. It provides essential exposure to an international entrepreneurial ecosystem and serves as a core learning experience. Students who do not attend the study trip will not obtain course approval and will not be eligible to participate in the final assessment.

  Course approval is only valid for one semester

• Assessment

  The final grade in this course is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the venture project, split equally between the written documentation and the oral performance. Both components must be passed within the same semester, as they are assessed together as an integrated whole.

  • Written Venture Project (50%): Student teams (3-5 students) will submit a final project report documenting their evidence-based venture concept. This includes their opportunity framing, market validation, financial strategy, and scaling plan. The report is the product of sustained work throughout the semester.
  • Final Presentation and Q&A (50%): The course culminates in a professional pitch. Teams will present their venture to a panel of faculty and industry practitioners, followed by a rigorous Q&A session. This evaluates the team's ability to defend their strategic choices and demonstrate their command of the course curriculum.

• Grading Scale

  A-F

• Computer tools

  This course is built on the integration of cutting-edge technology into the entrepreneurial process. Students are expected to actively use AI tools throughout the semester to support brainstorming, market analysis, and venture development.

  To participate effectively, all enrolled students must have access to standard AI tools (such as ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, or equivalent platforms). These tools will be used extensively during the AI-Accelerated Innovation Lab and within the team-based projects to simulate real-world, tech-enabled venture creation.

• Literature

  The literature list will be published on Leganto.