Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management

Module Overview

The EIM Chair offers seminars and lectures primarily at the master level. Modules are not offered every semester, so please check the overview for current information

Treasure Hunting

Course Summary

Start your own enterprise with 'Treasure Hunting,' an exclusive opportunity designed for students at TU, FU, HU Berlin and Charité.

Unlock the power of patents as you learn to build real-world businesses from groundbreaking research. Delve into the treasure trove of patents curated by TU Berlin's top-tier researchers and turn them into lucrative ventures.

But this isn't just any course – it's a hands-on journey. Form teams with fellow students, guided by experts and industry pioneers who've walked the startup path before you. Connect directly with the brilliant minds behind the patents, and who knows, they might even join your team!

Through a dynamic fusion of Design Thinking and Business Model Workshops, craft innovative solutions that address real market needs. And here's the kicker – we're not just about profits. We're committed to sustainability and social impact, ensuring your ventures make a meaningful difference.

Best of all, TU Berlin has your back. Should you choose to take the leap into startup life, access the patents you've explored in the course, with support from the university (negotiable patent costs apply).

Join us in the hunt for treasures and unlock the potential of your entrepreneurial spirit. Don't just dream of success – make it a reality with 'Treasure Hunting'!

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Who can apply?

  • Every Master student of TU, HU, FU Berlin and Charité from their third semester of Master study can apply for this course – no matter their study background, age, gender, etc.

What is the schedule?

  • Summer Term 2024: You have to complete the whole module „Treasure Hunting“ in one semester: 2 weeks of summer school on campus with additional work at home. The summer school takes place at TU Berlin from 22nd July until 2nd of August (except the weekend) from 10:00-18:00. You can get 12 ECTS.

Application Deadline:

  • Application deadline on 2nd of May. Open now!

Language of teaching:

  • English (if you have a group with German Native Speakers only, you can also speak German in your group work)

Application Documents:

  • Every applicant has to use their university e-mail address to register at the Santander Scholarship Platform and fill in the required information (full name, gender, nationality, etc.). Required documents to be uploaded are:
    • Enrollment Certificate of the current Master course showing the current semester or starting date of the Master study

Where to apply?

Business Research Methods

Content/course structure:

Fundamental research approaches and philosophies - Approaches to literature searches and literature reviews - the use of theory, hypotheses and variables in business research - research designs, sampling approaches, and ethical issues - evaluation criteria in quantitative and qualitative research - quantitative methods, social network analytics, AI and machine learning, latent class and hierarchical modeling. 

All information can be found on ISIS.

Please register on ISIS and MTS in order to participate in this subject.

Contact details to responsible persons: Prof. Dr. Jan Kratzer

Crisis Management Meets Consulting

The students of this practice-oriented research project work in teams on current, complex questions within the framework of empirical investigations or conceptual research. The problems to be dealt with are particularly in the area of corporate crises, corporate restructuring or corporate reorganization.

Content/course structure: There are three obligatory appointments: kick-off meeting, intermediate presentation and final presentation. There are no weekly lectures. With support of mentors from our practice partner PwC, the students work on different current and highly practical topics and introduce the solutions in an intermediate presentation, a final presentation and a project report. The topics are presented by the mentors from which the students are able to choose one they would like to work on in teams of two. The course language is English.

Timetable: The course only takes place in summer term. 

Benefits/goals: This is a unique opportunity to gain insights into the work of restructuring consultants and apply theoretical knowledge to practice!

Examination: The examination type is portfolio examination. The module is certified with 6 ECTS.
50% - project report
40% - midterm and final presentation
10% - interaction with the mentor

Participation/application: The project is limited to 20 participants and is aimed at students of economic science courses. It is mandatory to apply in advance with a letter of motivation (max. 1 page), a current grade overview and a CV. We are looking forward to receiving many convincing applications!

Contact details to responsible persons:
The course is conducted by Dr. Derik Evertz. For any questions please contact Elias Diedrich

Design Thinking for Smart Living

Detailed Course Description

The module Design Thinking for Smart Living (course number: 73 520 L 5768) is a seminar, aimed at Master degree students (ONLY) of all disciplines with a strong focus on
socially sustainable ideas for smart living.

The course awards 6 ECTS. This course is an interdisciplinary project and students build diverse teams. Students learn about the innovation management method Design Thinking in theory and practice. The course starts out with an introduction to Design Thinking which will build the foundation for the whole course structure. The students will be presented with one or two challenges around topics of smart living. Each group must select one challenge to work on throughout the course. No prior knowledge in business or economics is required. The students will work with a variety of different qualitative methods such as observation, interviews, surveys, and secondary research data to get to know the needs of their potential users. Based upon these insights, ideas will be developed, prototyped, and tested. The students will present their results in an interim presentation, a final presentation and hand in a report after the course.

The main target group of Design Thinking for Smart Living are students who are interested in applying a Design Thinking process and addressing a social need in the domain of smart living. In addition to that, students who are interested in working in diverse/ interdisciplinary teams and experimenting on novel leadership methods. Please keep in mind that for capacity reasons we are only able to consider students who are in need of the credit points (ECTS) and who are enrolled at TU Berlin.

Course topics

  • Smart Living
  • Design Thinking
  • Teaming 
  • Ideation
  • Qualitative Research Methods
  • Prototyping ideas
  • Testing of ideas

Learning Objectives

By the end of the semester, students who have successfully completed this course should know and have practically applied the following:

  • Theories and concepts of Design Thinking and novel leadership approaches
  • Practical project about smart living and health by applying the Design Thinking method in diverse and interdisciplinary teams
  • Teams practice novel leadership styles in their group work
  • As being part of the Design Thinking method, students apply their theoretical knowledge about creativity, ideation, and prototyping in their own projects
  • Students exercise pitching and presentation techniques in an interim and final presentation about their innovation project
  • Students improve their writing, documentation, and reflection skills by preparing a final report of their innovation project

Description of Teaching and Learning Methods

The module features the following teaching methods:

  • Input sessions by internal staff
  • Interactive elements such as group discussions, plenary discussions, and team presentations in the plenary
  • An excursion to the Smart Living & Health Center
  • Input sessions by external guests
  • Q&A and feedback sessions.

Timetable:

  • Selected Fridays from 10:00 to 16:00 in the EINS. Please find all workshop days on ISIS.
  • Kickoff 19th April 2024 at 10 AM in the EINS
  • Please delete Smart Living & Health Center and the link (we probably have a different partner this semester)
  • ISIS Course: https://isis.tu-berlin.de/course/view.php?id=37479

Examination

Participants in Design Thinking for Smart Living will obtain a grade based on a portfolio examination.

Grading criteria are:

  • Interim Presentation (Group Presentation: 10%) 
  • Final Pitch (Group Presentation: 40%)
  • Project Report (Group Work: 50%)

Application

 

  • Deadline for applications is 15th April
  • Registrations open via ISIS from 27th March

***IMPORTANT INFO***

Please apply via ISIS and provide all requested information in the survey.
If you decided to not take part in the course, please de-register from the ISIS course, so we
can keep track of the interested students and can manage the waiting list.
We consider every registered student in the ISIS course as a participant who will take
the course and the exam!
We will send a notification to everyone in the ISIS course before the kick-off and ask you to
de-register if you don’t plan to take the course.


Please note:
⇒ We have limited capacities and will thus decide first-come first-serve.
⇒ If you are on the waiting list: we will inform you about open seats within the first week.
⇒ In case you are admitted: Attendance in the first session is mandatory.


In case of questions contact Charleen von Kolpinski: c.vonkolpinski@tu-berlin.de 

Design Your Happy Life

Idea: Inspired by a popular course at Stanford University and the research on positive psychology (the study of long-term happiness)
 

Content: We combine the design thinking approach and the theoretical basics from positive psychology and apply them to your life. 

With the help of your “life design canvas” and the life templates, you will disassemble your life and rearrange it in a life report. 


Upon completing this course, you can expect to:

  • Explore profound and introspective questions that often go unexamined in the hustle and bustle of daily life.
  • Gain valuable insights from diverse scientific disciplines, including design thinking and positive psychology.
  • Cultivate a more profound sense of 'Self-Awareness' to better navigate life's opportunities and challenges.
  • The ability to identify and overcome obstacles that may have been hindering your progress, bringing you closer to your goals.
  • Craft your personalized 'Life Masterplan,' setting ambitious long-term goals using the Design Thinking Approach.

Examination:  Life Report (40%), Presentation (30%), Academic Paper (30%)

Participation: 24 participants limit, first come first serve

The course is conducted by Dr. Karina Cagarman

Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Challenging Global Contexts

APPLICATIONS OPEN!

To register for this course, interested students should send an email to lubna.rashid(at)tu-berlin.debefore 25.03.2024. Applications sent after this date will not be considered. The application should include the following information:

  • Full name:
  • Matriculation number:
  • Current course of study:
  • Previous academic or work experience (1-3 sentences):
  • Motivation to join this course (1-3 sentences):
  • Languages spoken:
  • Place(s) considered home:
  • Confirmation to commit to attending all the sessions in this course in person (except in cases of emergency):

From the applicants, only 24 students will be selected based on diversity (cultural, educational, experience, etc.), motivation, and commitment. The acceptance is not on first-come-first-serve basis. Students will be informed if they had been accepted in the course by 29.03.2024.

Class Schedule for summer term 2024 (note minor change/reduction in the "block course/lectures" time):

*UPDATED: Block course/lectures from 10-12.04.2024 (Wednesday to Friday, starting at 10 am til around 6 pm; instead of the originally planned Monday-Friday 8-12.04 from 10-4 pm).

Student presentation weekend 27.04-28.04.2024 (Saturday and Sunday from 10-3 pm)

Team work kickoff session 04.05.2024 (Saturday from 10-3 pm)

Final presentation of team projects 25.05.2024 (Saturday from 10-3 pm)

Please check your availability for those dates before applying to the course!

Many thanks and looking forward to receiving your emails!

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Content:

From ecological catastrophes to health crises to violent conflict, the world certainly faces many grand challenges for which traditional developmental strategies have only yielded limited solutions. Many have begun recognizing the need for innovative entrepreneurial solutions to tackle such challenges, and buzz-terms such as “social entrepreneurship” and “sustainable innovation” have become quite common. However, entrepreneurship and innovation can also be blamed for much of the exacerbation of global sustainability crises. This course takes participants into an explorative journey to reflect on some of the “tough, big, questions” on the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, digitalization and grand societal and environmental challenges, particularly in already-challenged global contexts outside of stable, wealthy economies. This would include:

  • How can (innovative) entrepreneurship be a solution to some of the world’s most daunting challenges amidst institutional fragility and resource scarcity?
  • What are some of the negative impacts on technology and entrepreneurship on society and ecology?
  • How can entrepreneurs and innovators find a balance between economic, ecologic, social and psychological priorities?
  • Is sustainability (in innovation and entrepreneurship) even possible? How and why?
  • How does context (e.g. political situation, cultural values, historical trauma) impact and determine the outcomes of and expectations from entrepreneurship and innovation?

The course will draw on multidisciplinary theoretical streams and disciplines (e.g. from psychology, biology, sociology, philosophy, economics and environmental sciences) and will feature numerous case studies from all over the world, aiming to build bridges between micro-level factors and macro-level concepts and reflect on the gray areas between common “black and white” notions (e.g. sustainable vs. unsustainable behavior, developing vs. developed countries,  good vs. bad, and nature vs. nurture).

Examination:
Group Assignment 40% / Individual Presentation 40% / Learning & Reflection Document 20%

Moses: https://moseskonto.tu-berlin.de/moses/modultransfersystem/bolognamodule/beschreibung/anzeigen.html?nummer=70055&version=5&sprache=2

The course will be taught in english (despite what is says in Moses)

The course is conducted by Dr. Lubna Rashid.

Entrepreneurship Research

About Entrepreneurship Research

The course enables one to:

  • In-depth understanding of research methods in the field of Entrepreneurship
  • The ability to systematically explore scientific research studies and papers in the field of Entrepreneurship
  • The ability to reflect upon ethical issues in research in the field of Entrepreneurship
  • The ability to successfully apply the learned knowledge in own research efforts

 

Content/course structure: The general aim of this subject is to give students a state-of-the-art overview of all streams of research around the theme of entrepreneurship. The ability to combine product development, market development, and organizational development ensures the competitiveness of high-income countries and its enterprises. Therefore, up-to-date knowledge about how to develop all three aspects in continuously changing environments is of vital importance. The course intends to shed light on different aspects from managing and aligning internal and external networks, all facets around founding enterprises, how to explore and develop markets, how to get and exploit creative ideas among more. The course studies both, theoretical models and their empirical application, changing between micro and macro-economic perspectives with a strong methodological focus.

Timetable: 

All information can be found on ISIS.

Please register on ISIS in order to participate in this subject.

Benefits / Goals:

Carefully preparation of final master thesis, insights into the research landscape of entrepreneurship, innovation management and sustainability


Examination: 

Written essay of around 4000 words


Participation/application: 

Exclusively and mandatory for students of MSc IMES

Contact details to responsible persons: Prof. Dr. Jan Kratzer

Life Science Venturing

About Life Science Venturing

  • This course provides an overview of start-up companies' founding and building, focusing on practice-oriented aspects, such as financing and negotiation strategies. 
  • Participants will obtain a fast and comprehensive insight into this specific topic through a clear thematic structure, practice-related recommendations, and real case studies.
  •  The module integrates a mix of lecture content, group work, virtual checkpoints, and individual work.

Content/course structure

  1. Start-up companies and business plans 
    • Importance of start-up companies
    • Drawing up a business concept and business plan
  2. Founding and building up of start-ups 
    • Legal forms and company structures
    • Operative building up of a company
    • Marketing and pricing strategies
  3. Financial planning and capital acquisition
    • Co-operation with business angels
    • Co-operation with venture capital
  4. Company valuation challenges and methods
  5. Development and execution of an exit strategy

Timetable

  • The standard block course has been transformed to an Asynchronous Format - Learn at your own pace in a group.
  • Virtual starting discussion with Q&A
  • Group work and 5 team checkpoints.
  • Virtual end discussion with presentations, discussions and Q&A (perhaps in person depending on the infection numbers).

Benefits/goals

  • Working in groups, students will acquire knowledge about the core elements of a business plan, financing, holding negotiations with investors, including due diligence and corporate valuation. 
  • The students should acquire the competence necessary to found and successfully build up their own company.

Examination

  • Presentation and a short written essay.

Participation/application

  • Max. 25 participants based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Contact

Please read all information on the ISIS course before contacting Prof. Dr. Gunter Festel.

Management of Corporate Crisis

Current Information

This course only takes place in winter term.

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After a successful participation in this module, students are able to recognize the phenomenon "corporate crisis" with its causes, its process and its effects and can assess its significance from a practical point of view. They are able to apply instruments of crisis prevention and early crisis detection. They are also able to develop strategies and measures of crisis management and to design the management of corporate insolvencies from a business perspective.

Content/course structure:The lectures provide the theoretical and conceptual fundamentals of corporate crises and crisis management. Crisis prevention, early crisis detection and crisis management, as well as command and control, are all part of this process. The focus is on behavioral aspects in corporate crises. Expert lecturers present the practical relevance to the theoretical basics and in group presentations, the students deepen their acquired knowledge. The course language is English.

Benefits/goals: The module provides the theoretical and conceptual basis of corporate crises, as well case studies and a workshop with our practice partner PwC.

Examination: The examination type is a Portfolio examination (6 ECTS), 25% of the overall grade account for a group presentation, 75% for a written exam at the end of the semester.

Participation/application:
To attend, please enroll yourself to the course on ISIS and attend the first lecture. There is also a link to register for the course on ISIS. 

Contact details to responsible persons:
The course is conducted by Dr. Derik Evertz.

 

Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Content/course structure:

The course is geared towards Bachelor students and aims to provide you with a general overview on the topic of Sustainable Entrepreneurship and their ascribed role as a change agent for a sustainable transition.


The idea of the course is that you study at your own pace, but follow the weekly lecture structure, and using the provided study material such as videos, slides, articles. You will engange in reflexive learning through active structured journaling, before-during-after each session. An important part of being a sustainable entrepreneur is reflexivity and critical thinking. Hence this learning didactic aims to develop these skills to connect to the domain on an intrapersonal level while advancing theoretical and conceptual knowledge. 

Benefits/goals

Enables students to understand scientific approaches to entrepreneurship in the sustainability context.

Examination

Homework / Hausarbeit

Participation/application

Bachelor level students, primarily intended for the Sustainable Management program.

Students should join the first lecture of the semester, and also register on ISIS in order to participate. 

100 Seats

Language: English

Contact details to responsible persons: Paul Wolf via ISIS forum.

 

Venture Campus

Current Info

  • Every student who wants to participate in Venture Campus SS 24 MUST fill in the survey below. However, there are some differences due to the course of study:
    1. For IMES students, this is a mandatory course. However, there is a cap on number of students we can accept and it will be selected on First come, First Serve basis. If you are in second or higher semester you have a guaranteed spot. If a student is not selected for this semester, he or she will be selected in the next semester for sure. (Please apply via Registration Section below)
    2. Chemistry students (enrolled in one of the 8 Master programs at TU Berlin) taking part in Micro-Credential Sustainable Entrepreneurship, and students of Micro-Credential Sustainable & Inclusive Construction course (ISIS Page) have a guaranteed spot in the course. (Please apply via Registration Section below). 
    3. All other students are also welcome to apply(Please apply via Registration Section below)
  • Accepted students will be informed by the 09 of April 2024 the latest
  • The course schedule will be revealed in the first lecture on 15 April 2024.
  • Full participation and presence is mandatory for all lectures -for offline as well as online sessions!  
  • Students of life sciences are particularly welcome!

Course Overview

  • The module VENTURE CAMPUS (course number: 7352 L 11) is a business plan seminar, aimed at Master degree students (ONLY) of all disciplines with a strong focus on ecologically and socially sustainable business models!
  • The course awards 12 ECTS. The course provides an introduction to all aspects of business planning including, for example, business model development, marketing and finance. No prior knowledge in business or economics is required, yet helpful. The students will present and discuss initial business ideas, and will then form teams to work on developing a viable business concept. Staff and expert inputs on relevant business aspects as well as group mentoring is part of the course. Finally, all teams hand in a written business plan document and present their plan in an all-day final panel presentation.
  • The main target group of Venture Campus are students who have a strong interest in addressing an ecological or social need, getting to know how to develop a viable business concept and how to write a business plan. Students of life sciences are particularly welcome. Please keep in mind that for capacity reasons we are only able to consider students who are in need of the credit points (ECTS).

Course Coordinators

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Summer Term 2024

  • Every Student needs to register for the course via the ISIS registration form 
  •  Applicants who have used false data to apply for Venture Campus (e.g. aren't enrolled in a Master's degree program; claimed to be compulsory student while they aren't, etc.) will lose their allocation to our seminar with immediate effect.

  •  In case you are admitted: Attend the first session on 15 April 2024 - all further info is provided during the session.

 

EIM Thesis Accelerator

Idea: Accelerator to explore and develop research questions, methodology, epistemology, ontology.

Participation via application: EIM Master Thesis Supervision

Registration information: To attend this course, it is mandatory to confirm a supervision at the EIM chair and submit a preparatory work.

Course structure: Block Seminar

Benefits/Goals: Make your thesis writing process streamlined, more fun and a lot more meaningful.

Examination: Homework, Peer Review, Presentation