Unknown University of Applied Sciences

Unknown University takes learning by doing to a whole new level: from day 1 you will practice real entrepreneurship skills by creating and validating actual business propositions. Over the course of 4 years students learn about themselves, their purpose, leadership skills and how to create propositions that add real value to the lives of customers and society. I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in the creation and delivery of the modules that form the creative core of the program.

Impact Entrepreneurship - True positive impact can only be made when you believe in what you do and you’re driven to make the change. But how do you align your skills, talents and interests to create the positive impact that you were made for? I created this module to help students find the connections between what drives them creatively from the inside to eco-social challenges in the world outside.

Anthropology for Entrepreneurs - With cultural anthropologist Anne Knoop, I developed a unique module that combines two seemingly unrelated worlds: anthropology and business. This module will help students dive deeper into the topics they’ve identified in the Impact Entrepreneurship module. They use explorative and participative research methods to talk to stakeholders, map their relationships, and understand their motives, needs and desires. This overview will give them a thorough understanding of the context of the problem they want to solve and helps them to pinpoint which potential customer to focus on.

Value Creation - Zooming in further, students now focus on their potential customer and their specific needs. The entrepreneurs get acquainted with MOM-test interviewing techniques, empathy maps and value proposition canvases. This module was created in collaboration with Noorderwind and Noor Figdor.

Design Thinking - Design Thinking teaches you to develop tested solutions to complex problems in a systematic way. In this high octane 5-week module, students take their insights from Value Creation and develop innovative solutions to their customer’s needs.

LEAN Start-up & Validation - Building on their validated solution from Design Thinking, students now refine and shape their product and its messaging. Based on the LEAN Startup-theory of Eric Ries, this course gives students hands-on experience with failing fast and failing small. This course was developed in collaboration with Noorderwind and Jeroen Coelen.

Systems Thinking - How do you increase your positive systems impact in alignment with your business vision and mission? In this module we apply various systems mapping tools to explore the connection between values, purpose, eco-social challenges and systemic impact to supercharge business models to build a better future.

Future Proofing - In a quickly changing world facing many complex challenges, how do you make sure your business can survive? Future Proofing applies tools from Trendwatching, Design Thinking and Effectuation that will help you predict what’s coming and develop strategies not just to survive, but to thrive.