Course Outline

This practical course familiarizes students with concepts of entrepreneurial action and sustainable opportunity creation. Students learn key elements of crowdfunding, especially crowd interaction and digital communication, to foster sustainable entrepreneur­ship via creative ideas. In workshop-like sessions, students are encouraged to develop their own business models and crowdfunding campaign for a social idea focusing on goals such as gender equality, poverty reduction, stronger institutions, and quality education. After the initial block seminar, the project teams get the opportunity to receive hands-on feedback on their business idea during two individual feedback sessions. The course concludes with a final presenatations day.

Learning Outcomes

Students are capable to

• gain advanced insights in venturing,
• work in groups to create a social business model with economic viability,
• understand social and psychological dynamics underlying crowdfunding success,
• craft high quality multimedia content for a crowdfunding campaign,
• pitch their business model in front of an expert jury.

Eligibility 

1. Students from all semesters and faculties (including non-business studies and exhange students) are welcome.
2. Students who took MAN 626 or MBS M1 Summer Course are not eligible for the course.

Registration

Students wishing to take the course must follow the instructions below between 15 January 2026 and 6 February 2026 :

1. Register for the course via Portal2.
2. Send an email to the instructor (baris.istipliler@uni-mannheim.de) with the subject line „MAN 634 Registration“ explaining their motivation.
3. Attach an up-to-date CV and trans­cript of records to the email.
    

Since you will receive the feedback if you are accepted to the course only after the registration period, please refrain from sending Emails beforehand regarding the status of your registration.

Course capacity is strictly limited as the format involves groupwork. Thus, students who registered but decided not to participate in the course have to deregister from the course during the deregisteration period indicated in Portal2.

Please see Portal2 for the periods of deregisteration and notification of acceptance for the course.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory and all students are required to attend all classes! Exceptions can be made for students who provide a medical certificate or have an exam. 

Place and Time

Sessions:

• Bootcamp Day 1:
  09.03.2026, 9:00–18:00; Place: MAFINEX Technologiezentrum, Pioneer Base (Hub 1) (Block C, 2nd floor – above Agáta Café) (see https://mafinex.next-mannheim.de/kontakt/ for the address)
• Bootcamp Day 2:
  10.03.2026, 9:00–18:00; Place: MAFINEX Technologiezentrum, Pioneer Base (Hub 1) (Block C, 2nd floor – above Agáta Café) (see https://mafinex.next-mannheim.de/kontakt/ for the address)
• Feedback Session 1 (optional):
  01.04.2026, 13:00–18:00, Place: EO 237
• Feedback Session 2 (optional):
  06.05.2026, 13:00–18:00, Place: EO 237
• Final Presentations:
  20.05.2026, 9:00–14:00; Place: L 9, 1–2, 001 Hörsaal 
   

Assessment

Crowdfunding video & conventional pitch (75%), campaign- & business plan (25%)

Persons in Charge

Instructors: Dr. Baris Istipliler

Course Load and Language

ECTS: 6

Language: English