My interest for entrepreneurship was sparked a few years ago when I got into the whole start-up scene in Austria. Since then, I wanted to get into the SBWL E&I and eventually started it in winter semester 2020/21. In my project courses EduTech Strategy and InnoLab I was able to (and still am in InnoLab) work with two very interesting project partners. Not only from the E&I Institute employees and project partners you can learn but also from the amazing E&I community and alumni. Even though the pandemic took a lot of additional value out of the SBWL, the institute was able to still create a great learning experience!

Barbara Binder (barbara.binder1@s.wu.ac.at)

I am a 21 year old business law student from Lower Austria. My high ambition and creativeness lead me to apply for the E&I specialization where I am now a proud student and ambassador of Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Apart from my studies, I am an outgoing, dog loving person with a passion for music and I never refuse a chance to gain valuable new experiences. Don’t hesitate to contact me, if you have any questions, I am ready to help!

Stephanie Casper (stephanie.casper@gmx.at)

Hi, my name is Philip, I am an economics and social sciences student and I joined E&I in SS2020. I attended Core Lecture 1 Business planning and Zone: Private Equity and Venture Capital. During my studies at WU I was always missing the practical experience, just being an eight-digit number and blindly memorizing all subjects for the exam was not the kind of study I was looking for. That was why I signed up for E&I. My first impression after I entered the specialization was WOW. Wow because the demanded effort was huge, but also Wow because the opportunities and experience students can obtain are worth every effort. Establishing your own Start Up in Garage, searching solutions in scenario planning and giving real companies advise in consulting and business planning finally enable students with the much-needed hands on experience. For example, in the project course business planning my team and I had to investigate the aviation industry in order to advise an Austrian manufacture if they should enter into this market. That was one of the most exciting and demanding experiences I had in university so far. And if I can do it you can do it too! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding E&I and my experiences so far.

Phillip Grandl (h11737993@wu.ac.at)

My name is Carl, I’m doing my bachelor´s degree and I´m currently enrolled in the specialization of Entrepreneurship & Innovation. I hadn´t founded a startup when I was applying for E&I, nevertheless I thought that this specialization is the one for me. Later I realized that this is not only about your past; it is also about your potential in the future. The specialization requires a good amount work, but the outcome is more than worth it. If you have any question about the application process or later in the specialization, feel free to contact me. I´m happy to help you.

Carl Horlacher (carl.horlacher@hotmail.de)

My name is Sandra and I am currently enrolled in the specialization “Entrepreneurship and Innovation”. The possibility of developing creative solutions using innovative approaches is what appealed to me most in considering the E&I specialization. Not everything is dealt with by the books and outside-the-box thinking is required to solve real-world meaningful problems. The ability to apply the knowledge obtained in practical ways also attracted me to E&I. This specialization is highly applied in its nature and allows students to work with real world project partners. The hands-on style of teaching facilitates the development of approaches and solutions faced by entrepreneurs on a daily basis. and the curriculum enables one to develop their individual skills and expertise. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions considering the specialization.

Sandra Kieffer (sandra.kieffer@s.wu.ac.at)

I developed my enthusiasm for start-ups and the founder spirit at a very early age. When I had to choose an SBWL in my business law studies, the decision quickly fell on E&I. The inspiring group dynamic, the mindset of my fellow students, and the insanely interesting courses made these two semesters a very special time for me. The Garage course, where you can realize your own start - up idea, is in my eyes the best foundation for an innovative, motivated and aspiring founder. Personally, this course has helped me a lot in my professional career. As a founder of several companies in the energy sector, I have learned through the course to look at many things from a different perspective and to find innovative solutions to any kind of problems. I am always up for any help, chats and drinks. Cheers!

Stefan Ortner (stefan@ortner-energy.com)

The specialization Entrepreneurship and Innovation not only combines theoretical modules with practical experience through the individual project courses but also helps to convey important topics to the students and thus broaden their horizons. Particularly with regard to the project courses, students can choose from a wide range of options to register for 2 project courses in the course of specialization based on their existing interests and thus work together with renowned partners. This cooperation has not only helped me in the course of the specialization but has also helped me to connect my ambitions and innovative ability with important projects. However, not only my motivation is a decisive point, but also the opportunity to work with highly motivated and committed fellow students and to make a difference. If you have any questions about project courses such as Business or Scenario Planning, please send me an email and I will be happy to help you at any time!

Julian Pfeifer (h11702436@wu.s.ac.at)

Even before starting my studies at WU, it was my goal to specialize in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation. My high motivation, interest, and work experience in the start-up ecosystem supported my application and made the admission into the E&I community possible. In addition to a fundamental knowledge about the theory and concepts of innovation, I was intrigued by the idea of becoming a founder myself. Understanding that failure is not the end of all efforts and that pivoting is often the way to great innovations in our lives made me venturous enough to start my first company. If you want to know more about the requirements for this SBWL or are particularly interested in Garage or Innolab, do not hesitate to text me.

Jana Sabel (jana.lisa.sabel@s.wu.ac.at)

My name is Alexandra, and I enrolled in the specialization Entrepreneurship & Innovation in SS2021. Due to my ambitious and creative mindset, I decided to apply for this specialization which not only taught me a deep understanding of relevant theories but also how to cope with highly challenging tasks. In my chosen project courses Consulting and InnoLab, I therefore got to know very interesting project partners and gained a vast understanding of what it means to work in a team and to organize oneself. What is more, throughout the entire time, I got in touch with very interesting and inspiring students, highly qualified E&I Institute employees and alumni, that always try to bring out the best in everyone. So should you have any open questions regarding project courses or how to best structure your semester, do not hesitate to contact me!

Alexandra Schatzer (alexandra.schatzer@gmail.com)

Hi! :) My name is Thomas and I finished the specialization E&I in the summer term 2021. The program was an unforgettable experience as I not only could broaden my horizon in the field of innovation and the theory behind it but also discovered my passion for entrepreneurship and starting my own venture. Throughout the different courses I was able to collect a very diverse skill set that I can make use of in my professional career. E&I is the place where like-minded colleagues become friends or even co-founders. That is what I find most inspiring about this network and this SBWL.

Thomas Schmidle (t.schmidle1999@gmail.com)

Open minded, creative and aspiring. That’s how I would describe myself. And E&I offers me the perfect place to be open minded, creative and aspiring. Thanks to the core lectures, I was able to gain the necessary theoretical knowledge and apply it directly in the practical project courses with real project partners. Even if the projects require a lot of input, the learning outcome is definitely worth it. Also, the strong community and the opportunity to connect to fellow students as well as project partners was a chance for me to expand my network and to get to know amazing people. Get in touch if you want to know more about E&I or have any questions :)

Felicia Schneider (felicia.schneider@s.wu.ac.at)

I found my passion for the startup ecosystem as I started studying, becoming part of various student organizations and organizing events. Finally, various internships in HR, venture capital and Edu-Tech made me realize that the next step would be to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. I have completed the specialization Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the summer semester of 2021. In the Garage course of the specialization I had the amazing opportunity to develop and work on my own startup idea, Artheca, a digital online art gallery. The specialization has provided me with practical tools and theoretical foundations in order to become a better leader and change the world through my own contribution. I love reading and learning whenever I get the chance to, and through the startup rollercoaster one can gain practical experiences and grow with each challenge.

Denise Alessia Steger (denise.alessia.steger@s.wu.ac.at)

Hi guys :) My name is Karolina, I am part of the third cohort of Business and Economics and I joined the E&I community in the winter semester 2021/2022. For me, E&I not only stands for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, I think it stands for the opportunities we can take to further develop our skillset, for the chance to meet like-minded people that thrive for the extra-mile and for the opportunity to challenge ourselves and our abilities. That is, what makes this specialization special to me. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me! I´d be very happy to help :)

Karolina Wick (karolina.wick@s.wu.ac.at)