Business Development and Entrepreneurship

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  No. 1 University in the Netherlands (Shanghai Ranking)

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  50% international students

New world of business

Our globalised, digital economy and disruptive new technological innovation is creating virtually unlimited opportunities for new ventures and innovative organisations alike. Human creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset are needed to initiate successful new ideas, and develop sustainable new markets and business models that benefit society as well as economic growth. If you are energised by the dynamic possibilities of the rapidly-evolving new world of business, the Utrecht University Master's programme in Business Development and Entrepreneurship gives you the practical abilities, networks, and strong academic foundations you need.to promote entrepreneurship in new businesses and existing organisations alike.

The real world perspective

The Utrecht University School of Economics (U.S.E.) aims to contribute to an economy where people flourish. We enrich economics with other disciplines to better solve problems and identify opportunities, from a business and a government point of view. Scientifically rigorous and societally relevant. The real world perspective.

Research Expertise

This Master’s programme is based on Utrecht University’s world class research in the domain of entrepreneurship and innovation, and the interaction with business strategy and policy practice by U.S.E. staff members and lecturers. The programme also draws upon the broad international research and teaching network of the Utrecht University Centre for Entrepreneurship, the Utrecht University Social Entrepreneurship Initiative, the Sustainable Finance Lab and various local and international networks. Inclubators (e.g., UtrechtInc.) and local partners (e.g., Holland Startup) actively contribute to the Master's programme and its courses.

Impactful new businesses, with ground-breaking innovations, promoting sustainable economic growth and a better future… our conviction is that all of that starts with the entrepreneurial mindset.

Content of the programme

In the Master's programme in Business Development and Entrepreneurship you focus on:

• venture development, creating the right environment and context for new ventures to thrive;
• capturing value from innovation;
• product and service development;
• entrepreneurial marketing using methods like co-creation with customers and design thinking;
• obtaining and managing (venture) capital.

Read more about the study programme.

Programme objectives

The Master’s programme in Business Development and Entrepreneurship provides you with:

• the tools, skills and techniques to recognise and develop new opportunities within established organisations as well as start-ups;
• market analysis and empirical techniques for such analysis, including customer development;
• strategy creation abilities. Special attention is paid to the launch of new products and services;
• competences for organising and managing fast-growing corporations and corporate units, internally as well as in value-creating networks;
• knowledge of how to finance new ventures, especially in a corporate environment.

Career prospects

Upon completion of the Master's programme in Business Development and Entrepreneurship  you are an expert in creating an environment in which new ventures can take hold and flourish. This expertise is highly sought after in business development functions (including innovation, marketing and finance) in large (multinational) corporations. The same applies in entrepreneurial teams, start-ups and various other economic development functions. Read more about possible career prospects.