New MSc programme equips engineers for entrepreneurship with a purpose

The first round of students for the new two-year master’s programme in Technology-based Entrepreneurship  begin their studies in September 2023 at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

Programme coordinator Mana Farshid  says the integrated business curriculum replaces a former one-year programme (Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management).

The new programme prepares students for careers in roles such as corporate ventures, venture capital, technology development and commercialisation, product and project management, start-up leadership and other broad management roles.

Farshid says engineering students at KTH particularly will benefit from the programme by gaining new dimensions of knowledge and experience.

“Engineers have a tendency to focus on their product, but usually their blind spot is the demands of the industry,” Farshid says. “Who to work with, how to create a team—it’s about them. About giving them that kind of knowledge that will increase the success factor of their ideas.”

And at the core of the programme are the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which have been described as “a blueprint for peace and prosperity.” The goals are integrated into all master’s programmes at KTH, and Technology-based Entrepreneurship is no exception.

“People are thinking about what kind of problems do we want to solve,” she says. “Is it about serving a small group of people? Or is it about solving major problems that affect everyone?”

In addition to studying at a highly-ranked technical university, students will gain the added advantage of developing business skills in the heart of one of Europe’s most exciting innovation hubs.

“Another advantage of this programme is being in Stockholm – it’s a fully-developed and highly-regarded innovation ecosystem with lots of players and KTH is a highly-ranked university,” Farshid says. “Here the mindset is more inclusive, it's more based on the challenges we have today: how we can empower students to think beyond a narrow segment of society and focus instead on the challenges of environment, poverty and sustainability.”

“That’s a major focus in the mindset, it's a little different.”

The modules are being prepared by a cross-section of KTH instructors, including Professor Terrence Brown , Niklas Arvidsson , Philip Kappen  and Kristina Nyström .

Farshid says the programme’s projects will place students at the forefront of dealing with real-life issues and bring them as close as possible to industry. “The idea is to facilitate opportunities and equip students with “as big a toolbox as possible to make things happen,” she says.

“This can be kind of a ‘dream come true’ opportunity. Whatever your ideas—this is the place that can help make them reality.”
 

David Callahan