Applied Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking

by Mana Taheri, PhD Candidate; Martin Funck, M.Sc.; Pablo Abbis (Design Thinking) 
professor for (Entrepreneurship) tbc

The course Applied Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking is directed towards students interested in promoting the idea of entrepreneurship in practice, and aims to help students to acquire entrepreneurial and can-do mindset. Whereas the first week will focus mainly on the development of user-oriented services or product ideas using the Design Thinking methodology, the second week will focus to conveys those ideas in viable business models.

This course is designed as series of hands-on, interactive workshops. In the Design Thinking part, students will be led through the creative problem-solving process, working in small, interdisciplinary teams to generate innovative business ideas. These ideas will be then tested with potential users through easy and simple prototypes. The second half of the course focuses on the implementation process, and the application of theoretical knowledge in entrepreneurship in practice. The aim is to convey basic knowledge on the starting up process of a business. The students are also coached to acquire the skills and tools necessary to find a business and keep it running. Participants will work with the Business Model Canvas and will do business calculations for their ideas. A part of the course will be dedicated to discuss the new freelance "Actividades" for Cuba as well as practice exchange with founders in Cuba.