A program for people who have creative and innovative ideas and want to see them through to fruition as startup founders
The EMBA in Entrepreneurship is a specialised study stream within the Executive MBA focused on helping you develop and launch your ventures while studying. The program is unique in Australia.
Jochen: Many people have great ideas, but it's often the next step in the journey when you're trying to realize that idea that's the difficult one. It's backing yourself, taking that risk and establishing that startup. There's no shortage of good ideas, but what we find that people need is 4 things: key knowledge, the entrepreneurial mindset, self confidence and networks.
We believe that we can create the conditions in which the entrepreneurial mindset can be taught and your ideas can grow.
Yuxin: It's quite overwhelming information, but it's really fun, especially learning with a group of really smart people.
David: What makes the MBA special is the fact that it's tailored for students, it's informed by great research and it's applied. Students get to work with their material straight away. That opportunity to actually use the knowledge immediately is a great benefit of this program.
Melissa: Two things that you should consider before joining this course is what is your passion and what is the purpose? This is really important, because the subjects are designed in a way to enable you to create that purpose and to find a mechanism or a way of designing an organization that will allow you to achieve that purpose.
Luke: I'm a full believer in what the course is trying to do and I can honestly say, so far it's been absolutely amazing.
Jochen: The course content is being covered, UTS also delivers a whole range of other activities and that could include master classes, hackathons or incubators that will help you to build the networks and get in touch with the kind of people that you need to progress your idea.
Jochen: I'm really excited about this program, because it provides the opportunity for students to meet and to work with like minded people. The MBA entrepreneurship is about change. It's about making things happen. It's for those people who want to grow their idea into something that matters to themselves, to their community or to the world at large.
Work on your startup while studying
The flexible modular structure of the program allows you to study in stages while developing and working on your startup project. The program is taught over six short teaching sessions, with classes held at night and on weekends.
Find out from graduates and current students how the program has given them new skills and knowledge and how it has exceeded their expectations.
What is the Entrepreneurship stream like?
- I would describe it as connected and inspiring.
- It's really like a rollercoaster ride of learning new things.
- It was really aimed at taking things forward straightaway, rather than sitting and watching lectures all the time.
- My MBAe experience has been intensive, in a really good way, very well rounded and holistic.
- Yeah, my MBAe experience has been fantastic at the moment, and I think it's one of the best decisions I've made in my career so far.
What do you love about the program?
- This is gonna sound a little nerdy, but I love the assignments. The assignments are a really practical way for you to really deep dive into your business, understand it, and by the end of the course you know you've got a business plan ready to go.
- I love spending time with my fellow students who I feel like are PLUs, or People Like Us, or me.
- So what I love about the course and why I picked it is it's really the only course in Sydney, and I think Australia, that's focused on startups.
- I've loved the lecturers, I've loved the assessments. There's really nothing I can flaw. Even the bar that's not far by is pretty good as well.
What surprised you?
- It was really surprising to see the diversity of thought through the rest of the students. It was a great cohort of people.
- I really enjoyed, for the first time I really enjoyed group work with the other people because it was genuinely fun.
- How much I've actually wanted to study, you know, I've not been a very studious person in my past life but I found myself wanting to read everything before I get into class.
Why did you decide to take course?
- So I wanted to take the course because I had this idea for a product. I'd run a business before, but I've never bought a digital product to market.
- I wanted to take the course because it was highly practical, and it was heavily focused on your business and not so much theory related.
- I wanted to take the course because it's project driven. It's not driven by course work, and the main focus is me. It's me and my project and me and my ambition.
What has been your greatest takeaway?
- I've taken away the ability always to look at something differently and challenge my own biases. That's grown over time but the pivot point was certainly the start of the MBAe.
- My greatest takeaway from the MBAe has really been the collaboration level and the ability to actually work with other people.
- I came into this course with so many ideas and not really knowing what I wanted to do with them or how to even approach just a head full of ideas. And this gave me clarity in a step-by-step process, I didn't even know it was happening. But by the end of the course I knew what I wanted to do.
What have you done since graduation?
- Since graduating I've worked on two startups. One of the startups is still bubbling away.
- I've been working on my own startup and pushing forward with some actually really well-sourced meetings, possibly working our way through an accelerator program.
- Since I've graduated I've kept going with, I guess, what I was doing during the course which was building WallSync, my company. Since the course we've taken it to hundreds of users. We're part of one of the leading startup accelerators in Australia, Telstra's muru-D program. And that's what I've been up to.
Why did you choose UTS?
- UTS was always a name that I respected, and particularly the Business School. And it was different, I think was the main reason that I chose it, to what other universities were offering. It was hands-on, it was practical, and I wanted a face-to-face experience.
- Yeah, the UTS MBAe offered real world applications.
- I chose to take the UTS MBAe because it was incredibly practical and focused on my startup throughout the program.
- Yeah, I felt like the subject would be really relevant to my career.
- It was just when I saw the subject outline for the MBAe. It chose me, I didn't choose it. It was exactly the course I was looking for.
We help you start your venture
UTS offers a range of support for student entrepreneurs. As an Executive MBA student, you have access to the UTS Startups program, a mentor program, a co-working space, non-award-based masterclasses and events with entrepreneurs and industry partners.
Startup support from day one
The EMBA has its dedicated Venture Lab where you can study, work, collaborate and innovate with other students, teaching staff and industry partners. It's located on Level 2 of our iconic Frank Gehry-designed Dr Chau Chak Wing Building (UTS Business School, Building 8) and is a vibrant space for networking and creating.
UTS Startups is Australia's largest student entrepreneurship support program. The program is designed to inspire UTS students to become entrepreneurs and to support startups launched by UTS students. As a UTS student, you can apply to become a member.
Throughout your EMBAe studies, you can access our Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR), who will support you with mentoring, advice and feedback. The EiR works with students to apply real-world-tested Design Thinking and Lean Startup principles on a one-on-one or small-group basis to refine their business ideas, strategies and execution.
A scholarship for women in entrepreneurship
UTS has established a Women in Entrepreneurship scholarship to inspire and support women in their interest and pursuit of innovation and entrepreneurship.
The $25,000 scholarship, which will support a female student to study the EMBA in Entrepreneurship at UTS Business School, is generously funded by UTS alumnus Ajay Bhatia. For more information and to apply, please go to the UTS scholarship portal.
Off the top 300 companies here in Australia, only 6% had women as their CEOs, female entrepreneurs face many obstacles. One of the top concerns is the lack of funding. I'm personally very proud to announce a $25,000 scholarship for a female student to join the University of Technology Sydney in pursuing an MBA in entrepreneurship. I'm looking for a candidate who has the drive to create a business that creates many jobs here in Australia, a candidate who will in a position to give back to continue the chain and get more students sponsored or support the entrepreneurial framework here in Australia. With our world impacted by COVID-19. A lot is going to change. Entrepreneurs are good at seizing these opportunities that change provides. They are the ones who can create the competitive advantage for Australia. In a post COVID-19 vote. If you're one of those who wants to apply, please go to the UTSA Business School website and have a look at the MBA in entrepreneurship.
Awards and prizes at UTS Venture Day
As an EMBA student, you have the opportunity to pitch your venture, which has been refined and perfected over the year, to experts, entrepreneurs and potential investors.
The winning presenters can secure significant cash awards and support. Learn more about the event here.
Entrepreneurship is something you only learn by doing, and this course does exactly that.
