Would you like a team of driven students from Erasmus University to analyze your impact-driven enterprise or entrepreneurial initiative? Sign up!
The minor ‘New Economic Thinking & Social Entrepreneurship’ by Impact Centre Erasmus (ICE) and DRIFT is running again in September and October of 2024 and we are again looking for impact-driven/ social entrepreneurs, sustainable business, and entrepreneurial social initiatives to participate. Taking part as an entrepreneurial partner means a group of talented, driven, international students will analyze your organization and present you with advice on how you can be more impactful.
Wanted: impact-driven entrepreneurs, sustainable business, and entrepreneurial social initiatives!
Are you part of an impact-driven/ social enterprise, social business or entrepreneurial social initiative and are you struggling with questions like: How can my business model have (transformative) impact? What role can my organization play in sustainability/ social challenges? And what social/ecological value does my enterprise create? Then we are looking for you to get involved in our minor ‘New Economic Thinking & Social Entrepreneurship’.
In previous editions, we welcomed organizations as diverse as circular manufacturer Nic&Mic, IT company IamIT and nieuwe economie community Noorderwind. They found the exchange “valuable”, “impressive” and “insightful”.
Bringing students, impact-driven/ social entrepreneurs together
During this minor, which runs from September 2024 to October 2024, students work in groups of four to six to analyze an impact-driven/ social enterprise, social business, or entrepreneurial social initiative. In addition, the entrepreneurial partners can bring in a specific question or challenge related to the content of the course.
The student groups will:
- Analyze the social value creation model and explain what impact your organization wants to have and how you (can) achieve this impact, using the theories on social value creation and the Theory of Change.
- Place your organization in your respective societal transitions using DRIFT’s X-curve model and describing the relevant strategies for your placement.
- Assess the transformative potential of your organization.
- Work on a specific question or challenge you would like the students to help you with. This can be how you might measure your impact, how to improve your social value creation model, how to attract financiers for your kind of organization, or how you can push the sustainable transition of your field further. From an impact and critical transition perspective, students will look for a solution to the question posed while applying their (new) knowledge.
- Reflect on your organization and present concrete recommendations to make your organization more impactful, both in a written report as well as in a presentation at the end of the course.
“The advice the students gave me is very valuable and usable”
-Angela Rooijmans, Ecowings
What's in it for you?
Participating as an entrepreneurial partners means you’ll gain:
- A valuable report and presentation that analyzes your organization’s social value creation, impact model and place in your respective societal transition.
- Get you support from DRIFT and ICE to formulate a challenge that you are currently facing.
- Inspire you through the inputs and support of a group of students.
- Give you access materials and resources such as on social entrepreneurship models, impact thinking and - measurement and sustainability transitions.
- Allow you to network with other impact-driven individuals and organizations.
What do you bring in?
For participating, entrepreneurial partners should:
- Be part of an organization that (tries to) combines social and/or ecological value creation with an entrepreneurial mindset and business model.
- Demonstrate motivation and curiosity to collaborate with an enthusiastic group of students.
- Share your experience, knowledge and network.
- Commit to meet (in person or online) every 2 weeks with the group of students in September and October (final presentation).
- Available to participate in an in-person event on September 10th (matchmaking event with students) and Thursday 31st of October (final presentation/ Dragon’s Den by students). These dates might change and will be finalized and communicated end of August when exact class schedules are announced.
More information on what participation entails, can be found here.
Here’s how to get involved:
You will hear whether your case is selected no later than 20 July 2024. This will be followed by a call with the course coordinator who will help you with formulating your challenge for the students.
About the minor
This minor lets students from Erasmus University Rotterdam and other universities studying disciplines like economics, business strategy, law or governance explore new economic futures by critically engaging with academic debates around the impact of organization, social entrepreneurship, and societal transitions. Students are encouraged to reflect on the propositions and limitations of alternative economic models and to be part of an innovative and collaborative learning environment.
For questions related to your application please contact Marit Schouten (m.a.schouten@ese.eur.nl)