Many activities at CDTM revolve around entrepreneurship and often aim at strengthening the community of existing CDTM start-ups and creating a fertile ecosystem for potential founders. However, we do not only focus our efforts on existing companies but also try to provide courses which encourage our current students to start their own companies.

During the recruiting interviews, a lot of CDTM students express the desire to found their own company. In the end however, many students do not follow their original plans but seem to be drawn towards consulting and working in the industry in order to make a safe career move and avoid the risk of failing. Moreover, a lot of students avoid the risk of founding a company during their time as a student on the expense of their academic performance. One could of course argue whether this is actually a real risk or whether it might in the end advance a career. (If for example a student takes a semester off to take a shot at an entrepreneurial idea). As many of our students have such concerns, we are constantly trying to lower the barrier for starting entrepreneurial projects and encourage entrepreneurial careers as an alternative to a corporate future.

Having this in mind, we initiated a new course that facilitates the founding of a company: The Internet Entrepreneur School - a course about starting an internet based venture.

The Internet Entrepreneur School teaches the students the necessary skills to found a successful internet start-up. Along the course, the students launch an according portal, win first customers and generate first revenues. At the end of the semester, there is an opportunity to actually become an entrepreneur and be amongst the founders of a start-up based on the results of the course.

A group of six students who are more or less finished with their regular studies has started the Internet Entrepreneur School in the winter term 2010/2011. In the beginning, the team had to come up with an idea that is feasible, has enough potential and seems fun to realize. The course provides the knowledge to implement such an idea in weekly coaching sessions and lectures held by successful founders and other experts who give valuable input and provide information and guidance to the upcoming founders. The first lecture was held by Jan Bromberger, a CDTM alumnus and founder of various internet companies. Jan helped the team evaluating ideas and provided insights into the life of a serial entrepreneur. Armin Bauer, also a CDTM alumnus and co-founder of Amiando, advised the team regarding the IT that is needed for a startup with respect to its individual business model. Recently Philipp Moeser, co-founder and CTO of wooga, gave some insights into success metrics and A/B-testing while also challenging the team’s start-up idea. Amongst others, upcoming sessions comprise a lecture and coaching by Dr. Dirk Lorenz and Dr. Peter Hellich, both partners with the law firm Taylor Wessing. Furthermore there will be a session about online marketing with Benjamin Günther and Sebastian Schuon, both CDTM alumni and co-founders of Stylight GmbH. Alexander Blume, Head of Sales and Marketing at Experteer GmbH, will also hold a session for our team.

Having set up this package of accompanying coaching sessions, we are very confident that the team will have started up and launched their venture by the end of this semester.