Do you have a groundbreaking business idea or want to contribute to one? In this minor, you’ll gain the skills, mindset, and cutting-edge tools to turn ideas into successful online startups! 

Join forces with fellow students as co-founders to create and develop your own startup. Together, you’ll tackle the challenges of building a new IT-related business. Understanding customer needs, validating solutions, and refining your business model are key. This program guides you step-by-step, combining interactive lectures with coaching from experienced startup mentors. 

You’ll learn how to leverage AI to rapidly test and validate your assumptions, giving your team a competitive edge. Refine your ideas with feedback from instructors, peers, and customers, and tackle real entrepreneurial challenges. 

By the end, your team will have a functional prototype, a compelling pitch, and the confidence to launch your online business.

Starting a successful online start-up requires a different approach than starting a traditional company. Instead of creating an extensive business plan, you learn how to build your company by continuously improving your concept based on the Build – Measure - Learn strategy. How? 

• Analysing: Students will analyse the market, their team and their idea. They will make assumptions about their target group Research Skills: Students continuously measure whether an idea actually adds value from the perspective of the primary target group. 

• Managing the Project: Students will build a team and divide the roles and the work within the team with Lean Start up. 

• Pitching: Students will have to convince a jury of their own idea with a pitch in English.  

• Co-creation: Students need to work in smalls teams where effort and investments must be divided equally. 

• Build-Measure-Learn: Students will validate their assumptions and learn from feedback to make a pivot and change their original plan. 

• MVP: Students will be transforming an idea into a concrete (online) product (MVP) with market potential with the help of Lean Start up and Business Model Canvas 

• Product- or service development: Students from multidisciplinary teams will develop their idea into a real IT related product or service.

 

A-1: Analyseren probleemdomein & opstellen probleemstelling 
 
A-2: Informatie vergaren, analyseren, beoordelen & verwerken 
 
F-21: projecten managen 
 
G-a: effectief (Internationaal)Communiceren 
 
G-b: (internationaal) Samenwerken 
 
G-c: kritisch, onderzoekend & methodisch werken 
 
G-e: innovatief en creatief werken 
 
G-g: Ondernemend Handelen 

There are no formal entry requirements. However, we encourage students who have an idea for an online or software-based concept—such as a website, app, or cloud application—or who are passionate about addressing a specific problem area, to apply. Even if you don’t have a clear idea yet, a willingness to contribute to a team is highly valued. 

We recommend forming groups with diverse academic backgrounds to foster creativity and innovation. Ideal fields of study include software application or interface design, business IT management, software development, user experience design, marketing, business development, process engineering, data analysis, and AI. A mix of technical, creative, and business skills is key to building a successful startup. 

Book: Eric Ries, The lean startup (recommended purchase) 

The module has the following teaching methods: 

Lecture 

Practice (Research and Development) 

Contact hours per week: 

12 per week (over 20 weeks) - Total approx. 240 hours 

The module has the following tests: 

Testform  Percentage   Week             Retry 

Portfolio     75%              wk 1 t/m 18   Same term, wk 19-20 

Assessment  25%            wk 19            Same term wk 20   

(oral exam)  

Requirements: Students must pass all weekly assignments as part of their portfolio (minimum 5.5 per product).

Location of the minor is the Dutch Innovation Factory in Zoetermeer. The Dutch Innovation Factory is a breeding ground for innovative start-ups, with walking distance from the train station.