Students are 'getting out of the building' to explore innovation and entrepreneurship Amsterdam
Read the report about the eight KBE students' study visit to Amsterdam, 26-28 November 2014.
You can learn as much theory as you want, but you are still asking yourself, how innovation management and entrepreneurship look like in practice.
With this study visit sponsored by the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Sten A Olsson Foundation, the second year Master Students from the programme Knowledge-based Entrepreneurship (KBE) had the unique opportunity to explore innovation and entrepreneurship in Amsterdam, one of the ¿hottest¿ Startup Capitals in Europe.
In Amsterdam, the KBE students visited innovative companies such as Google and Smart.PR and talked with them about innovation and entrepreneurship.
- It was interesting to see that how companies apply the Lean Startup methodology we learn in the classroom, says Rick Middel, -Google's Driverless car project shows that sometimes crazy ideas are worth pursuing. They allow companies to have a fresh mind for innovation and do such radical innovation projects.
Amsterdam - A Hub for Innovation?
- Amsterdam is an adorable city. It has a great mix of dynamic, historic charm, fashion and creativity. For example you get free high-speed Internet in every small boutiques. In exchange, you just have to like their Facebook page, explains Simon, one of the students.
The study visit in Amsterdam enabled the KBE student to 'get out of the classroom', in order to learn and find inspiration for their entrepreneurial endeavor in real-life stories.
- The company visits in Amsterdam showed me how important it is to foster a creativity 
working environment, concludes Regina, one of the students, - It includes not only a cool office space, but also providing opportunities for people to connect and to develop an idea together. A creative city like Amsterdam contributes to that creative development process as well.
So, when asking the students about their most valuable learning from the trip, they agree: Entrepreneurship is hard work. But if you pursue it with a creative mind and work closely with your customers, your hard work will eventually pay off.