Course Syllabus
Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Europe B |
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| Semester & Location: |
Spring 2025 - DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
Core Course - 3 credits |
| Core Course Study Tours: |
Core Course Week: Stockholm |
| Major Disciplines: |
Business, Entrepreneurship, Leadership Studies |
| Prerequisite(s): |
None |
| Faculty Members: |
Shanal Uduwana (Please use the Canvas Inbox to contact me) |
| Time & Place: |
Tuesday, 14:50 — 17:45 Classroom: V10-A23 |
Course Description:
Welcome to Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe B, where we’ll dive into the exciting world of Nordic startups and innovative businesses! From tech companies like Nokia and Spotify to social ventures like Too Good To Go, play-based pioneers like Lego, Rovio (Angry Birds) and Supercell (Clash of Clans) and iconic fashion brands like H&M, Pandora and Marimekko, the Nordics have a knack for creating standout ideas that resonate and successfully scale worldwide.
In this course, you’ll follow in the footsteps of these many founders by generating your own ideas and bringing them to life. Think of this as your hands-on startup incubator: where you’ll form teams, brainstorm solutions, and build projects from the ground up - just like a real startup. We’ll explore frameworks such as the Lean Startup, Business Model Canvas, Design Thinking, and Value Proposition Design, while also digging into sustainable and social entrepreneurship themes that are integral to the Nordic approach.
To help spark your creativity even more, you'll have the opportunity to meet local founders and entrepreneurs in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, to learn firsthand how they turned simple ideas into successful realities. By the end, you’ll have practical experience, a fresh perspective on the Nordic mindset, and a toolkit of strategies for creating impact, wherever you go next!
Learning objectives:
- Learning methods for identifying customer needs and continuously getting feedback on solutions
- Developing a Business Model for a startup venture
- Building Minimum Viable Products (= experiments) and testing them with customers
- Designing simple, professional slides, communicating clearly, and presenting effectively in an investor pitch
- Understanding that failure is inevitable in innovation… but also a source of learning
- Understanding the interplay between different actors on the entrepreneurial scene (entrepreneurs, science parks, universities, venture capitalists, incubators/accelerator programs)
- Actively engaging in the entrepreneurship communities in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland.
Faculty: Shanal Uduwana (he/him/his)
| Master of Teaching (Secondary) and Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Former Academic Manager, Lecturer and Foundation Studies Program Coordinator at Deakin College 2019 - 2022. Lecturer and Unit Leader for Marketing Theory and Practice and Consumer Behaviour at Monash College 2016 – 2019. Experienced in implementing marketing initiatives including product launches with Grey Group, brand redesign at Mentholatum Australasia and event activation for National Australian Bank (NAB), Flight Centre Travel Group and Monash University. |
Approach to Teaching and Learning:
This course is grounded in experiential learning, so I encourage you to bring your own experiences, examples, and reflections to class, because I believe the best learning happens when knowledge is contextualized. Our sessions are discussion-based, and I expect you to participate actively, challenge ideas (not people), and maintain an open, curious, and respectful attitude toward different perspectives. There is no single “right” way to start a business, so acknowledging varied opinions and experiences is essential and while you have every right to question factual statements, please do so constructively..
Note: Because we meet only once a week for three hours, you’ll need to spend about six hours outside of class, often with your team, to prepare for lessons, coordinate tasks, and deepen your exploration of what we're learning.
Study Tours:
The Nordic region has a long-standing reputation for offering robust entrepreneurial support and fostering a strong startup ecosystems. Notably, Stockholm and Helsinki consistently rank among the world’s top startup hubs, securing positions within the top 50 globally in both the Global Startup Ecosystem Index (GSEI) 2024 and the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2023.
Core Course Week: Stockholm
This week is entirely dedicated to the core course, and all other electives will be put on hold. The purpose is to have an intense focus on the course through a three-day study tour to Stockholm followed by workshops in Copenhagen. This is a great opportunity for you to bond with your new teams and to learn from entrepreneurs you will connect with in Stockholm.
Long Study Tour: Helsinki
We will spend a week in Helsinki and it's surrounds learning from both entrepreneurs and investors about the startup environment in the city, along with the challenges and successes faced by founders in the city. You'll have the chance to share your team's business ideas and progress with new connections in Finland, to gain feedback and insights into your own startup journey.
Assessment Structure:
| Assessment Overview (Click to Expand) |
Percent |
Participation & Engagement (Individual)This course requires a high level of motivation and active participation - both in class and on the study tours. Although this grade is individual, it will be heavily influenced by how well you work with your team throughout the semester. This means:
|
20% |
Diary of a Founder: Your Startup Journey Blog (Individual)Create at least seven posts/submissions that chronicle your individual startup journey in a format of your choice. Written reflections, a blog, a podcast, or videos are all fine, as long as the submissions are engaging. |
35% |
The Entrepreneur’s Blueprint: Your Business Model & Market Strategy (Group)This assignment requires you to submit a 2000 word group paper and complete a short presentation in class. Your submission will need to:
Refer to the Assignments section in Canvas for instructions and submission guidelines. |
15% |
Proof of Concept: Presenting Your MVP (Group)You will be required to present your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in your team, explaining your decisions around defining 'the minimum' and how you plan to engage with customers to learn for your next iteration. You will be graded on efforts to build something that can generate feedback from customers and so will need to demo a live product! Refer to the Assignments section in Canvas for instructions and submission guidelines. |
15% |
The Startup Showcase: Investor Pitches & Expo (Group)This is it - your final pitch! You will pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs and investors and will have a maximum of 20 minutes per team to speak. Following your presentation, the panel members may ask questions for clarification which you will need to be prepared to answer. Refer to the Assignments section in Canvas for instructions and submission guidelines. |
15% |
Literature list:
- Constable, Giff. Talking to Humans: Success Starts with Understanding Your Customers. Self-published, 2014
- Dean A. Shepherd, and Holger Patzelt. Entrepreneurial Strategy : Starting, Managing, and Scaling New Ventures. Palgrave Macmillan, 2021
- Osterwalder, Alexander, et.al.: Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers and Challengers, 2010
- Osterwalder, Alexander, et.al.: Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want, 2014
Course Policies:
Attendance:
Attendance is required for all scheduled classes, academic visits, field studies and study tours. If you are unable to attend class due to illness, family bereavement, or use of a pre-approved accommodation, you must proactively communicate with me to receive an excused absence. If granted, you remain responsible for catching up on any material covered or assigned in class during your absence. To read more about DIS attendance policy, please refer to the DIS Academic Expectations and Honor Code.
Grading and Feedback:
This course involves identifying real problems, creating solutions, and transforming them into viable businesses. Learning here is experiential - you’ll engage with actual businesses and customers to test and refine your ideas. As such, prioritize process and experimentation over grades, and don’t let grade anxiety keep you from taking intellectual or creative risks.
My evaluation will be an honest snapshot of your performance at a moment in time, not a reflection of you personally. Any feedback from me or other collaborators (e.g., founders, investors) should be viewed as guidance for improvement, helping you grow throughout the course.
Late Assessment Policy:
For every day an assignment is late, you will lose 10 points. I will not accept assignments that are more than 5 calendar days late due to the fast-paced nature of the course. Please plan ahead and turn everything in on time.
Use of ChatGPT or AI :
You are welcome to use ChatGPT and other AI language models for brainstorming, idea generation, drafts, etc. but remember to apply good academic practices: consider biases and omissions, check the information and sources. All final submitted work must be yours, but you may use AI tools to assist you in the process.
Note: If you decide to use AI tools in any part of your assessment process, you must include a short note at the end of your work describing how these tools were used. If you do not include this note, you will receive a grade penalty (up to 50%).
Use of Laptops or Mobile Phones:
The use of laptops is allowed and encouraged for many class sessions. However, if your laptop becomes a distraction and you are not using it for course purposes, you will be asked to put it away.
Unless there is an emergency or you are instructed to do otherwise, you are to refrain from using your cell phone during class, guest lectures, and site visits. During site visits, please use a notebook for note taking as opposed to your phone.
Academic Accommodations:
Your learning experience in this class is important to me. If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes to ensure the least disruption to your learning experience. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support academicsupport@dis.dk
Course Summary and Schedule:
The course schedule is subject to change if necessary and students will be provided with as much notice as possible. Scheduled classes and assessments may be moved due to various factors including: guest lecture availability and illness.
Academic Regulations
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
Course Summary:
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