Eindhoven University of Technology pioneers the concept of future-proof engineers who can find solutions to issues that they are not yet familiar with, including looking across the traditional boundaries of domains. The Technology Entrepreneurship & Strategy track therefore offers a unique perspective on the entrepreneurial process by placing this in a high-tech context at the intersection of innovation, business development, strategy and sustainability. This high-tech context sets the program apart from other (more general or specialized) entrepreneurship programs by focusing on the specific challenges and opportunities surrounding the commercialization of new technology.
Core courses
The Technology Entrepreneurship & Strategy track complements the four core courses of the Innovation Management master’s program that build up a student’s basic knowledge of how we can best manage innovation processes in the context of sustainability and an ever-changing world. In the core courses, students also develop important quantitative and qualitative methodological skills – including systems thinking and modeling – that support the various analytical angles and inputs necessary to strategize the entrepreneurial and business development process at the heart of this track. As with all TU/e tracks, these skills are imparted through a mix of interactive lectures, engaging assignments and group work covering topics related to state-of-the-art research by the university’s professors.
Technology Entrepreneurship & Strategy track courses
In addition to the core courses, this track consists of four courses to promote in-depth knowledge and skills on key facets of the entrepreneurial process. Some course names may change slightly as the degree is updated.
- Technology Entrepreneurship: a broad perspective on the full entrepreneurial process in a high-tech and deep-tech context.
- Entrepreneurship, funding and technology valuation: approaches to financial decision-making in the context of technology ventures.
- Marketing and Innovation: approaches to customer and market development and marketing strategy in the context of innovation.
- Sustainability assessments for emerging technologies and business models: approaches to sustainability assessments and business model development for emerging technologies.
TU/e also offers the possibility to further customize and personalize your Innovation Management master’s degree by choosing courses from other tracks or other electives. This allows you to broaden your field of expertise and increase your employability.
Options for customization include courses from the AI & Digital Technology, Sustainability Transitions, Collaborative Innovation & Marketing and Leadership & Organizing Innovation tracks. This enables you to engage with expert staff from a variety of research groups: Innovation, Technology Entrepreneurship and Marketing, Information Systems and Technology, Innovation and Society, and Human Performance Management. Visit the education guide to find more information about the curriculum of this track.
Graduation project
Master’s degrees at TU/e conclude with a graduation project that takes up two quartiles of the program and is often conducted within an organization in the relevant domain. And given that Brainport boasts over 5000 high-tech and IT companies, the region provides a wide array of options to find a place that suits you.
For students specializing in technological entrepreneurship, options could include assignments on designing, evaluating and improving new business development processes, technology commercialization strategies or (circular and sustainable) business models for start-ups, SMEs or large corporations. Other options include developing investment or assessment tools for venture capitalists, business angels and corporate venturing programs or exploring the organizational, economic, environmental and/or societal impacts of emerging technologies for businesses or public organizations. These are just a few examples; students have the freedom to work out assignments that match their ambitions and interests.
Studying abroad
A master’s degree in Innovation Management offers the option to go abroad in the first two quartiles of the program’s second year. In an increasingly globalized world, the opportunity to spend part of your program elsewhere can provide valuable experience for an international career in (technological) entrepreneurship.