Course Syllabus
Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Europe B |
| Semester & Location: |
Fall 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 & Marta Juarez Peña |
| Time & Place: |
Monday 14:50 - 16:10 Classroom: V10-A41 |
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. 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)
|
Shanal has over a decade of experience in higher and international education, with a focus on helping students succeed in ways that connect the classroom to real opportunities. He holds a Master of Teaching (Secondary) and a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Monash University, Melbourne, and has taught Marketing Theory, Consumer Behaviour, and related courses at Monash College and Deakin College. Before moving into education full-time, Shanal worked in marketing roles where he launched new products with Grey Group, led brand updates at Mentholatum Australasia, and ran events for organisations including National Australia Bank, Flight Centre, and Monash University. These experiences continue to shape his teaching by blending academic concepts with practical examples, challenges, and projects that mirror the realities of professional practice and inspire students in their entrepreneurial journeys. |
Faculty: Marta Juarez Peña (she/her/hers)
|
PhD in Sociology (University of Málaga), with Danish accreditation in Sociology and Political Sciences. Specialized in Nordic welfare states, social policy, and the labour integration of skilled immigrants in Denmark. Former staff member at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Danish Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, she is also an experienced researcher on migration, gender, and social sustainability. Marta has extensive teaching experience in higher education at Copenhagen Business School and Zealand Academy of Technologies and Business, where she lectures on Tourism, Service Management, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. She has been a guest lecturer at DIS and is actively engaged in academic research on tourism, cultural integration, and regenerative development in Denmark. With a strong passion for Service Innovation, she explores how organizations can design and deliver value through customer-centered and sustainable service strategies. |
Approach to Teaching and Learning:
This course is grounded in experiential learning, so we encourage you to bring your own experiences, examples, and reflections to class, because we believe the best learning happens when knowledge is contextualized. Our sessions are discussion-based, and we 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.
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: Copenhagen and 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 both in Stockholm and Copenhagen.
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)Attendance is required for all scheduled classes, field studies, and study tours. Attendance is taken and engagement will be assessed every time we meet. This course also 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% |
Entrepreneur and Startup Interview Articles (Individual) - On Study TourWrite an engaging interview-based article featuring an entrepreneur or startup founder you've personally interviewed in Copenhagen/Sweden and Finland during study tours (both Core Course Week and on Long Study Tour). While the class will collectively meet various entrepreneurs, you must independently arrange 1-on-1 interviews with an entrepreneur of your choice. Your chosen entrepreneur cannot be someone introduced during scheduled class visits but may represent any type of entrepreneurial venture, ranging from multinational organisations operating in Copenhagen, Sweden or Finland to small local ventures. The article should visually engaging and structured professionally, resembling an article featured in a reputable business innovation, or entrepreneurship magasine. Further instructions, submission guidelines, and helpful resources are available in the Assignments section on Canvas. |
30% |
Business Model, GAP Analysis and Value Proposition (Group)This assignment requires you to submit a 3000 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. |
20% |
MVP Video Demonstration (Group)You will be required create a video demoing your working Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This video should explain your decisions around defining 'the minimums' for your product 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, working, usable product. Refer to the Assignments section in Canvas for instructions and submission guidelines. |
15% |
Investor Pitches (Group)You will pitch your startup to a panel of investors and will have a maximum of 10 minutes per team to speak. 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 us 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.
The assessments weighted so that a poorer performance in one assessment will not derail your entire semester performance. The grading will be an honest snapshot of your performance in relation to the grading criteria, not a reflection of you personally or your effort. 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 24 hours an assignment is late, you will lose 10 points. We 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. If your foresee yourself submitting work late, please write before the deadline. If an extension is granted, you will be required to submit work you have completed so far by the original due date.
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 us. If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure we 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:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|