Nur­tur­ing an En­tre­pren­eur­i­al Mind­set

Entrepreneurship is the driving force behind transformative ideas and solutions. High-growth start-ups and ventures within established organisations (intrapreneurship) have the power to bring significant change, particularly during periods of uncertainty and transformation by harnessing innovative ideas, filling gaps in the market, driving economic growth, demonstrating resilience, and inspiring others to embrace change.

From idea to tangibility

“When you are an entrepreneur or intrapreneur and managing innovation, you are taking on a lot of risk. We give participants the tools, frameworks, and methods to reduce the likelihood of failing,” says Mercedes Delgado, Professor and Researcher.

Delgado is the lead co-director of the Entrepreneurship Concentration. She brings a wealth of experience as a Spanish-American professor and researcher at CBS and MIT. She has mentored hundreds of start-ups, including unicorns, both in the United States and Europe, and engages with policy makers to improve entrepreneurship - this highlights her commitment to fostering industry clusters, innovation ecosystems, and supporting the growth of start-ups.

“I’m passionate about entrepreneurship because I see it as a catalyst for positive change and progress. Entrepreneurship requires a balance of creativity, strategic thinking, and meticulous execution and through the EMBA Concentration participants can learn how to turn ideas into scalable ventures.”

Four key pillars of the EMBA Concentration:

The CBS EMBA Concentration is a comprehensive 2-week module that combines cutting-edge theory with practical application. Through a combination of interactive lectures, case studies, workshops, and experiential learning opportunities by teaming-up with start-ups, the concentration provides participants with a holistic understanding of entrepreneurship and explores the following key focus pillars:

Entrepreneurial Strategy: This pillar explores the choice and development of effective strategies for innovation-driven entrepreneurial ventures. Participants learn to identify and evaluate business opportunities, assess market dynamics, craft strategies and search for business models that give start-ups a competitive edge and scalability.

Platform Strategy: In an increasingly digital world, understanding platform business models is crucial for entrepreneurs as well as incumbent firms. This pillar delves into the design and management of online marketplaces, equipping participants with specialized frameworks and insights that will help them thrive in the platform economy.

Entrepreneurship Lab: The entrepreneurship lab component of the concentration offers a hands-on, action-based learning experience. Participants work on real-world cases and projects, collaborating with start-ups to scope and address business challenges and implement innovative solutions. This pillar also dives into data-driven entrepreneurship and corporate venturing. This practical approach helps participants develop their entrepreneurial skills and apply the knowledge gained throughout the programme.

Engaging with Innovation Ecosystems: This pillar emphasizes the importance of networking, collaboration, and engagement with all the stakeholders in the innovation ecosystems. Participants learn to shape the fit between the strategy of start-ups and their local business landscape to increase success, navigate and leverage the resources, networks, and support available within the entrepreneurship community, fostering valuable connections and partnerships.

The programme is delivered by a team of faculty with research expertise and practical experience in different aspects of the entrepreneurial journey thus ensuring a diverse range of perspectives.

Professor Delgado elaborates on the start-ups they have engaged with in multiple industries.

“We’ve worked with start-ups in in energy storage (Hyme Energy), patient innovation (Walk with Path and Auricle), data analytics (DataVerz), environmental and logistic services (ReFlow Maritime), platforms (ThirdRoom), hospitality (Skipit), sustainable materials (Hemboo), to name a few. The faculty team has developed impactful research and consulting programs to support entrepreneurship and their innovation ecosystems (universities, accelerators, VCs and crowdsourcing), including a patient-innovation platform, a Digital Markets Competition Forum to support platforms, and tools to map the industry clusters where start-ups are born."

The Copenhagen advantage

Not only is CBS world-renowned in business education but it sits in the centre of Copenhagen, a city widely recognised as an innovative hub, known for its forward-thinking approach and commitment to sustainable development. Leading clusters include IT, life sciences, cleantech, food production, maritime, and design.

In the IMD World Competitive Ranking, Denmark is ranked #1. Specifically, when it comes to the ‘Management Practices’ category - which includes ‘entrepreneurship as widespread in business activities’, ‘low entrepreneurial fear of failure’, and ‘total early-stage entrepreneurial activity’ -  Denmark is ranked best in the world. The country in general offers a stable and transparent business environment and has been ranked best in the world for ease of doing business. There is very low corruption and efficient regulations are implemented.

“The local stability and innovation clusters can provide entrepreneurs with a solid foundation to establish and scale their ventures with confidence. In Denmark, they can benefit from a favourable environment that supports and nurtures their ventures.”