DE / EN

MAN 632 Advanced Entrepreneurship (Spring 2025)

Lecturer Prof. Dr. Michael Woywode
Course Format Elective
Course Credit 6 ECTS
Language English
Assessment Final examination (50%), 4 team cases including (40%), peer evaluation (10%)
Examination date 10.06.2025

Course Outline

Successful entrepreneurs pursue new business opportunities in a pioneering way. They significantly contribute to innovation, growth and employment generation. Meet top entrepreneurs who share their experience and insights in MAN 632 and explore their entrepreneurial challenges in real-life case studies.

The course approach:

  • We bring distinguished entrepreneurs to class who share their insights, lessons learned and advice on how to build and grow a business from a Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Business-to-Business (B2B) and Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) perspective.
  • We work on real-life case studies with newly developed and most recent Mannheim Business School Cases. You will prepare your results and suggestions, present in Case Study Sessions and deepen your insights by discussing and reflecting your insights with the founders coming to class (Cases 2025: Amorelie, Stocard, VC-Case, Foodspring).
  • We develop tools and concepts based on an underlying strategic perspective to grow the venture. We will address and connect the three focus areas of 1) Team, Culture and Communication, 2) Growth-Oriented Marketing and Strategy, 3) Financing Growth and Corporate Entrepreneurship

The blend of unique practical insights from top entrepreneurs, discussing concepts on how to advance the business with them, and theoretical insights and tools, will enable you with outstanding skills and a great network. This will support you in advancing your own venture and/or your corporate career in the future. Next to the practical insights and tools, you will also gain fundamental insights into theoretical perspectives on entrepreneurship to prepare your master’s thesis and/ or future research career.

Next to the speaker series in this class, you are invited to MCEI's flagship events – Startup Lounges and Founder Talks. These events will further inspire you in your startup journey, connect you with our startup ecosystem and expand your network even further.

Prerequisites

You do not need any other prerequisites to join than passion for Entrepreneurship and Startups.

The course is open to all M.Sc. MMM, M.Sc. MMBR, M.Sc. Bus. Edu., M.Sc. Bus. Inf., M.A. K&W, M.Sc. Econ. and International Students regarding the Examination Rules & Regulations. For all other disciplines: Feel encouraged to apply/ participate and we will try our best to accommodate you for credit or as a guest listener.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course students...

  • will have gained fundamental insights into both practical and theoretical perspectives on entrepreneurship
  • have learned best practices and gained deep insights from top entrepreneurs
  • will have built a solid entrepreneurial network to advance their own business and careers
  • have gained knowledge on how investors look at new ventures
  • will be acquainted with case study training and elements of problem-based learning (PBL)
  • will have improved their case solving and presentation skills
  • have a solid foundation e.g. for a seminar or master thesis at our chair – especially for the “Inside the Venture” theses
  • have improved their problem solving capabilities

If you want to start your own startup project in class: Apply for our course MAN 631 next semester.

Registration and Final Course Decision

Please register via the Student Portal (https://portal2.uni-mannheim.de) during the central University of Mannheim registration period. It is not necessary to register for case study sessions upfront. We will coordinate case study groups via the MCEI pages when the course enrollment is final. You will form teams of 5–6 for this course and each team has to present 4 Cases each in the Case Study Sessions. Number of teams will be based on the number of students enrolled in this class.

Place and Time

  • Lecture: 13 February – 29 May 2025 (Thursdays) from 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm, O 131 Wilhelm Müller Lecture Hall (Ostflügel)
  • Case Studies: 6 March 2025 (EO 256 | Schloss Ehrenhof Ost), 20 March 2025 (EO 256 | Schloss Ehrenhof Ost), 3 April 2025 (EO 256 | Schloss Ehrenhof Ost), 15 May 2024 (EO 256 | Schloss Ehrenhof Ost)

Assessment

Final examination (50%), 4 team cases including (40%),  peer evaluation (10%).

Students who miss the Case Study team formation and the cases will fail this part of the course (constituting 50% of their grade). Dropping the class after team formation is not possible, as partial grades are obtained.

Persons in Charge

Professor:  Prof. Dr. Michael Woywode

Course Coordinator:  Dr. Nora Zybura, Kyung eun Park

Course Load and Language

ECTS: 6

Language: English

Readings and Resources

Readings & Resources:

See detailed course outline below.

Course Material:

All course material will be provided via ILIAS (“MAN 632 Introduction to Entrepreneurship [V] [1. PG] (FSS 2025)”)

Additional Information and Recommendation

Students are encouraged to join our Startup Lounges and Founder Talks on a regular basis – they are part of your overall entrepreneruial experience. Transferring insights from class to the real world by learning from real startups and their challenges forms a substantial part of your learning. Remember that networking is an enabler of amazing opportunities. Readings are mostly designed as a self-study element for your preparation at home. They form an important basis for a sophisticated discussion from theory and practice in class and put the entrepreneurial realities into perspective. All students are expected to prepare their readings diligently. Your active participation in class will benefit you significantly in preparing for the exam, which is a continuous learning endeavor in this class rather than 1 week of learning materials by the end of class. 

Notice for repeat students: We strongly recommended you fully retake this class with regular attendance – we have changed the grading scheme and some content.

Preliminary Schedule and Course Content for Spring 2025 – Please Check back for Updates (Last Update: 31 January 2025)!


Session 1 | 13 February 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Introduction & Outlook

The Basics of Startup Development

Attention: Make sure to register on Portal2 so we can contact you about the course details. You will receive some course information prior to the first session on your university email address. If you have trouble registering for the course, please contact the course administrator.

Core Readings:

  • Welter, F., Baker, T., Audretsch, D.B., & Gartner, W.B. (2017). Everyday entrepreneurship – A call for entrepreneurship research to embrace entrepreneurial diversity. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 41(3), 311–321. https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12258
  • Achtenhagen, L., Naldi, L., & Melin, L. (2010). “Business growth”—Do practitioners and scholars really talk about the same thing? Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 34(2), 289–316. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2010.00376.x
  • Shepherd, D. A., & Patzelt, H. (2022). A call for research on the scaling of organizations and the scaling of social impact. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 46(2), 255–268. https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258720950599

Recommended Reading:

  • Ash Maurya (2016). Scaling Lean: Mastering the Key Metrics for Startup Growth. Portfolio. ISBN : 9781101980521 (about 20 copies in library: Ausleihzentrum Westflügel   Erdgeschoss – Lehrbuchsammlung   120 QP 230 M459)

TEAM, CULTURE & COMMUNICATION


Session 2 | 20 February 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

High-performance Teams

Forming Case Study Teams (attendance is crucial – coordinate via MCEI Group upfront if you cannot attend!)

Final number of case study groups/teams depends on the number of students participating in the course.

Session 3 | 27 February 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Culture & Entrepreneurship

Guest Talk

Homework: Prepare Case 1 (Stocard)

Core Readings Team, Culture & Communication:

Recommended Readings:

  • Katzenbach, J., & Smith, D. (2015). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high- performance organization. Harvard Business Review Press. ISBN-10: ‎ 9781633691063

GROWTH-ORIENTED MARKETING & STRATEGY


Case Study Session 1 | 6 March 2025 | EO 256 Seminarraum (Schloss Ehrenhof Ost) | 9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Submission Deadline Case Study 1: 5 March 2024, 2 pm

1st Case Study Session (Stocard)

  • Group 1: 9:30 am – 10:30 am (4 teams)
  • Group 2: 10:45 am – 11:45 am (4 teams)
  • Group 3: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (4 teams)

Final number of case study groups/teams depends on the number of students participating in the course.

Session 4 | 6 March 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Setting Strategy

Session 5 | 13 March 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Marketing & Internationalization (App/ Plattform B2C & B2B)

Guest Talk 

Homework: Prepare Case 2 (Amorelie)

Case Study Session 2 | 20 March 2025 | EO 256 Seminarraum (Schloss Ehrenhof Ost) | 9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Submission Deadline Case Study 2: 19 March 2024, 2 pm

2nd Case Study Session (Amorelie)

  • Group 1: 9:30 am – 10:30 am (4 teams)
  • Group 2: 10:45 am – 11:45 am (4 teams)
  • Group 3: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (4 teams)

 Final number of case study groups/teams depends on the number of students participating in the course.

Session 6 | 20 March 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

An Introduction to Startup Growth & Scaling

Guest Speaker

Core Readings Growth-Oriented Marketing & Strategy:

  • Ireland, R.D., Hitt, M.A., & Sirmon, D.G. (2003). A model of strategic entrepreneurship: The construct and its dimensions. Journal of Management, 29 (6), 963–989. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2063_03_00086
  • Webb, J.W., Ireland, R.D., Hitt, M.A., Kistruck, G.M., & Tihanyi, L. (2011). Where is the opportunity without the customer? An integration of marketing activities, the entrepreneurship process, and institutional theory. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 39, 537–554. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-010-0237-y
  • Horne, J., &  Fichter, J. (2022). Growing for sustainability: Enablers for the growth of impact startups – A conceptual framework, taxonomy, and systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production 349, 131163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131163
  • Neubert, M. (2017). Lean internationalization: How to globalize early and fast in a small economy. Technology Innovation Management Review 7(5), 16–22. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3394512

FINANCING GROWTH & CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP


Session 7 | 27 März 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Types of Investors, How They Think, and How to Impress Them

Guest Talk Dr. Michael Hoeck | Earlybird Venture Capital

Please see the reading section below for required readings for this particular session.

Homework: Prepare Case 3 (VC Case)

Case Study Session 3 | 3 April 2025 | EO 256 Seminarraum (Schloss Ehrenhof Ost) | 9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Submission Deadline Case Study 3: 2 April 2025, 2 pm

3th Case Study Session (VC Case)

  • Group 1: 9:30 am – 10:30 am (4 teams)
  • Group 2: 10:45 am – 11:45 am (4 teams)
  • Group 3: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (4 teams)

Final number of case study groups/teams depends on the number of students participating in the course.

Session 8 | 3 April 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Inside View of the Company and KPIs to Measure Success

Guest Talk Dr. Michael Hoeck | Earlybird Venture Capital

Please see the reading section below for required readings for this particular session.

Session 9 | 10 April 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Valuation, Negotiation and VC KPIs

Guest Talk Dr. Michael Hoeck | Earlybird Venture Capital

Please see the reading section below for required readings for this particular session.

Easter Break | 14 April – 28 April 2025

1 May 2025 | Labour Day (Public Holiday)

Session 10 | 8 May 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Corporate Entrepreneurship

Guest Talk

Homework: Prepare Case 4 (Foodspring)

9 May 2024 | Ascension Day (Public Holiday)

Case Study Session 4 | 15 May 2025 | EO 256 Seminarraum (Schloss Ehrenhof Ost)| 9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Submission Deadline Case Study 4: 14 May 2025, 2 pm

4th Case Study Session (Foodspring)

  • Group 1: 9:30 am – 10:30 am (4 teams)
  • Group 2: 10:45 am – 11:45 am (4 teams)
  • Group 3: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (4 teams)

Final number of case study groups/teams depends on the number of students participating in the course.

Session 11 | 15 May 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Exit & Succession

Guest Talk

Session 12 | 22 May 2025 | O 131 Wilhelm Müller Hörsaal (Schloss Ostflügel) | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Course Wrap-Up & Q&A

29 May 2025 | Corpus Christi (Public Holiday)

Core Readings Financing Growth & Corporate Entrepreneurship:

  • Sahlman, W. A. (1987). Note on financial contracting: Deals. Harvard Business School Background Note 288–014.
  • Roberts, M. J., & Stevenson, H. H. (2005). Deal structure and deal terms. Harvard Business School Background Note 806–085.
  • Hipp, T., Mula, C., & Zybura, N. (2022). Perspectives on startup-corporate partnerships’ value creation: An overview on different types of partnerships and practices. In Weber, J., & Elz (Eds.), Corporate-Startup-Partnerschaften. Organisationskompetenz Zukunftsfähigkeit (pp. 135–145). Springer Gabler, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-64051-7_12
  • Arora, A., Fosfuri, A., Rønde, T. (2021). Waiting for the payday? The market for startups and the timing of entrepreneurial exit. Management Science 67(3), 1453-146. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2020.3627
  • DeTienne, R. (2010). Entrepreneurial exit as a critical component of the entrepreneurial process: Theoretical development. Journal of Business Venturing 25(2), 203–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2008.05.004
  • Wasserman, N. (2003). Founder-CEO succession and the paradox of entrepreneurial success. Organization Science, 14(2), 149–172. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.14.2.149.14995
  • Nordqvist, M., Wennberg, K., Bau’' M., Hellerstedt, K. (2013). An entrepreneurial process perspective on succession in family firms. Small Business Economics 40, 1087-1122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-012-9466-4

Core Readings Session 7, 8 & 9 (Guest Lectures Dr. Michael Hoeck):

  • Alemany, L. & Andreoli, J. J. (Eds.). (2018). Entrepreneurial Finance: The Art and Science of Growing Ventures. Cambridge University Press.
  • Session 7: Chapter 4 & 6
  • Session 8: Chapter 7 & 10
  • Session 9: Chapter 8 & 9

Recommended Readings:

  • Roberts, M. J., & Barley, L. (2004). How venture capitalists evaluate potential venture opportunities. Harvard Business School Case 805–019.
  • Hellmann,T., & Puri, M. (2002). Venture Capital and the Professionalization of Start-Up Firms: Empirical Evidence. The Journal of Finance, 57 (1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-6261.00419
  • Wasserman, N. (2017). The throne vs. the kingdom: Founder control and value creation in startups. Strategic Management Journal 38(2), 255–277. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2478
  • Turró, A., Urbano, D., Peris-Ortiz, M. (2014). Culture and innovation: The moderating effect of cultural values on corporate entrepreneurship. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 88, 360–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2013.10.004
Dr. Nora Zybura

Dr. Nora Zybura

Contact person for startups
Team: Entrepreneurship
University of Mannheim
MCEI/ Institute for SME Research and Entrepreneurship
Schloss, Ehrenhof Ost – Room EO 271
68161 Mannheim