Business meeting
Business meeting

Starting Your Own Business - Applications closed

Do you want to know what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Or do you have an innovative business idea, but don’t know how to take it forward? Join us for this one week program, in which you will work together with other entrepreneurs on improving your business or business concept. We will give you a proven methodology for assessing and shaping your venture as well as plenty of time to discuss your idea with your peers, investors and experienced entrepreneurs. 

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    General

    Course is confirmed

    This Summer School course is an intensive, hands-on program for aspiring entrepreneurs ready to launch their (tech) business. Participants bring their ideas and apply the lessons directly to their projects.

    Key topics include understanding the realities of entrepreneurship, identifying personal strengths and weaknesses, and learning how to build and sustain effective teams. The program helps participants identify and segment their customer base, understand customer needs, and align their products or services with real-world problems.

    Participants gain expertise in the lean startup method, learning how to create Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), validate ideas, pilot solutions, and pivot when necessary. Additional focus areas include creating products customers love, competitive analysis, protecting intellectual property, and scaling production.

    Business strategies are covered in-depth, including crafting a Business Model Canvas, assessing market opportunities, defining USPs, and building a go-to-market strategy. Participants also learn to gain visibility through marketing and social media, deliver compelling pitches, and secure funding through seed investments or crowdfunding.

    The program features one-on-one mentoring, a pitch competition, and the development of a professional pitch deck. Graduates leave with practical tools, actionable insights, and a Mercator Launch startup certificate to help drive their business forward.

    Learning objectives

    In this course you will:

    1. Find out whether an entrepreneurial career is suited for you
    2. Discover your own entrepreneurial skills, talent and ambition
    3. Create and fine-tune a solid business Pitch Deck

    What Our Alumni Say

    Starting date

    23 June 2025, 8:30 am
    City
    Nijmegen
    Costs
    €888
    Discount
    15% when applying before 1 April 2025
    VAT-free
    Yes
    Educational method
    On-site
    Main Language
    English
    Deadline registration
    15 May 2025, 11:59 pm
    Teacher(s)
    Maximum number of participants
    15

    Factsheet

    Type of education
    Summerschool
    Entry requirements
    This course targets Bachelor, Master, PhD students and researchers. Young professionals and other participants can be allowed in depending on available spots and motivation.
    Study load (ECTS)
    2
    Result
    Certificate, Edubadge
    Organisation
    Knowledge Transfer

    Contact information

    Radboud Summer School
    Postbus 9102
    6500 HC NIJMEGEN

    radboudsummerschool [at] ru.nl (radboudsummerschool[at]ru[dot]nl)

    Week 1:
     

    Start date: Monday the 23rd of June 
     

    End date: Friday the 27th of June

    Summer School 2025 Timetable

    Costs

    Early bird | €754,80

    The deadline for our early bird application is 31 March 2025.

    Regular | €888

    The deadline for our regular application is the 15 May 2025.

    Includes

    Your course, coffee and tea during breaks, warm lunch every day, welcome dinner on Monday, Official Opening, Official Closing.

    Excludes

    Transport, accommodation, social events and other costs. 

    Discounts and scholarships

    There are discounts and scholarships available for our partners. Click below to find out if you are eligible. 

    Discounts and scholarships

    Admission

    Level of participant

    Advanced Bachelor, Master, PHD, Postdoc, Professional.

    Admission requirements

    The Startup Summer school targets Bachelor, Master, PhD students and researchers. Young professionals and other participants can be allowed in depending on available spots and motivation. 

    Admission documents

    1. Personal mission statement (max 1 page): Clarity about your personal mission, aspirations and propensity for risk will have an enormous influence on the nature of your entrepreneurial vision, as well as your ability to realize it. This statement should set out what you would like to achieve and why you would like to achieve this. Remember, this is your PERSONAL mission statement, and will be uniquely special – there are no right or wrong answers. The clearer, and more honest, you are about it, the better equipped you will be to contemplate the life of an entrepreneur.
    2. Short description of business idea (max 250 word) .