Leading Ventures: An Executive Program in Entrepreneurship
1Summary
Senior executives who want to build something new face a different challenge than first-time founders: they already know how to run an organisation, but leading an entrepreneurial venture demands a different mix of vision, speed, and risk tolerance. This executive program is built for that gap — it treats entrepreneurship as a leadership discipline, not just a business function, and starts by examining how today's trends are reshaping what effective leadership looks like.
The program moves through strategic planning, advanced market analysis, and the leadership and team dynamics executives need to drive change inside or outside an existing organisation. It gives equal weight to the financial and risk side — funding strategy, compliance, and crisis management — and to growth levers like marketing, branding, and professional networking. Participants finish by building and presenting a full business plan as a capstone project, applying everything to a real entrepreneurial challenge.
2Objectives and target group
Course Objectives
- Analyse the entrepreneurial landscape and identify trends shaping executive leadership today.
- Craft strategic business plans and a clear vision aligned with market opportunity.
- Conduct advanced market analysis to identify growth opportunities and understand consumer behaviour.
- Lead high-performing teams and manage organisational change with design thinking and agile methods.
- Build a strategic financial plan and evaluate funding options for a new venture.
- Identify and mitigate business risk while building an influential professional network.
Target Audience
- Senior executives and business leaders
- Entrepreneurs seeking to sharpen their leadership capabilities
- Business development managers and strategists
- Professionals transitioning into executive roles
3Course Content
Module 1: Entrepreneurial Leadership: Where Strategy Meets Innovation
- The role of entrepreneurship in executive leadership
- Key trends shaping today's entrepreneurial landscape
- Profiles of successful executive entrepreneurs
Module 2: Crafting Strategic Business Plans
- Building a vision and mission for a new venture
- Setting strategic goals and objectives
- Aligning strategy with market opportunity
Module 3: Market Intelligence for Executive Decisions
- Techniques for comprehensive market research
- Understanding market dynamics and consumer behaviour
- Identifying growth opportunities in competitive markets
Module 4: Leading Teams and Driving Change
- Developing executive leadership skills
- Building and nurturing high-performing teams
- Fostering innovation and managing organisational change with agile methods
Module 5: Executive Financial Strategy
- Reading financial statements and key metrics
- Strategic financial planning and forecasting
- Funding strategies: private equity, venture capital, crowdfunding
Module 6: Brand, Risk, and Compliance
- Advanced marketing strategy and digital channels
- Building a strong brand identity
- Identifying business risk and managing legal and regulatory compliance
Module 7: Networking and the Capstone Business Plan
- Building influential professional networks at the executive level
- Developing and presenting a comprehensive business plan
- Peer review and feedback on real entrepreneurial challenges