Tech Founders Bootcamp

About This Course

This course is offered as an elective and open course opportunity for learners interested in innovation, entrepreneurship, venture creation, digital transformation, and technology-driven business development. It is particularly relevant for students and professionals pursuing careers as founders, startup leaders, innovation managers, product managers, and digital entrepreneurs.

The Transformative Tech Founder Bootcamp – Professional Edition is an intensive 2.5-week innovation and entrepreneurship experience designed for working professionals, aspiring founders, and internationally mobile entrepreneurs who want to validate and develop venture ideas without leaving their current careers.

Combining Design Thinking and Technology Entrepreneurship, participants learn how to identify meaningful problems, conduct user research, validate opportunities, build prototypes, develop business models, and pitch investor-ready ventures. Throughout the bootcamp, learners work in diverse cross-European teams and apply practical tools used by successful startup founders.

The programme is specifically designed around the realities of professional life, with evening and weekend sessions, asynchronous teamwork, and zero annual leave requirements. Participants receive direct feedback from experienced entrepreneurs, venture capital professionals, and startup ecosystem experts.

Learning Objectives

Conduct user research and transform insights into validated problem statements.

Apply Design Thinking methodologies to identify and evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities.

Build and collaborate within high-performing distributed and international startup teams.

Develop and test prototypes using rapid experimentation and user feedback.

Design sustainable business models and evaluate venture opportunities.

Understand how European and U.S. investors assess early-stage startups.

Develop investor-ready venture narratives and pitch presentations.

Evaluate incorporation and funding options for technology startups operating within Europe.

Present and defend a venture concept before a panel of experts and practitioners.

Why Take This Course?

Learn startup creation without leaving your current job.
Gain practical experience in venture design and validation.
Work with international and multidisciplinary teams.
Receive feedback from experienced founders and investors.
Develop a real-world venture concept from idea to investor pitch.
Build connections within the German UDS innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Requirements

There are no formal prerequisites for participation. However, a strong interest in entrepreneurship, innovation, technology, digital business, and collaborative project work is recommended.

General Information

Teaching Format: Experience
Module coordinator: Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert
Assessment: Active participation, team collaboration, venture development activities, prototype validation exercises, and a final venture pitch presentation.

Course Staff

Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert

Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert is a renowned academic specializing in Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management. She served as a Professor and Vice President of Research at XU Exponential University. Her research focuses on disruptive technologies, business model innovation, and sustainability. With a background in migration studies, she has published extensively on topics such as AI ecosystems and platform economies. Her career includes positions at TU Berlin, Universität Wien, and ICMPD.

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