Innovation & Corporate Entrepreneurship Essentials Program

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management

Digital Transformation & Innovation

Application Deadline Approaching

Last date to apply: October 24, 2027 · Program starts on November 22, 2027

About Programme

In today’s complex and disruptive world, innovation management is key to staying relevant to customers, keeping ahead of the competition, and taking advantage of emerging digital technologies. The Innovation & Corporate Entrepreneurship Essentials Program will equip you with insights, skills, and tools to act as a frontrunner in innovation and corporate entrepreneurship within your organization. Renowned WHU faculty members and experienced practitioners, with extensive international experience, will share with you the latest research results, practical tools, strategic approaches, and agile methods for fostering an innovative mindset. The program is designed to engage all aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship through guest lectures, group work, case studies, and a Serious Lego Play Session. Special attention will be paid to generative AI and the practical applications of ChatGPT. You will learn how to utilize it effectively in your business development strategies through real-life examples.

Programme Content

Competitive disruption, shrinking product life cycles, and constantly changing customer needs and expectations: these are some of the serious challenges most organizations face today. To survive – let alone thrive – you need to accelerate and sustain innovation by seizing the opportunities emerging from innovative technological advances and new business models, data, and analytics.

This transformation management program is targeted at young professionals, executives, and middle managers from various industry backgrounds who want to apply corporate entrepreneurship and innovation principles to their own enterprises. This in-depth program consists of a range of different teaching formats that help you in engaging with all aspects of innovation management. The learning experience encompasses lectures, group work, case studies, and a Serious Lego Play Session.

Learn how to utilize generative AI and ChatGPT effectively in your business development strategies

One main focus of the program will be generative AI and the practical applications of ChatGPT. Professor Dries Faems, Chair of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technological Transformation will guide you through a series of hands-on examples, providing you with the tools and prompts necessary to leverage ChatGPT's potential to the fullest. Professor Faems will demonstrate with real-life examples:

You will also have the chance to reach out to your program peers and exchange relevant experiences and generate more practical ideas. WHU’s renowned faculty members, as well as experienced practitioners, will share their latest research results and practical tools during the program, giving you cutting-edge science and management insights on entrepreneurship and innovation.

We are happy to announce the following guest speakers:

This innovation training will help you learn how to leverage your organizational talent and resources to foster innovation within your own enterprise. The program explores state-of-the-art innovation practices for a stronger (digital) customer experience, a successful ecosystem of partnerships with start-ups, and strategic relationships with users and communities. To understand the human side of innovation, you will take a deep dive into the culture and leadership styles of innovation. You will also be introduced to the novel structures used by companies to stimulate innovation (e.g. ambidextrous organization, Spotify-model, micro-structures).

Innovation and transformation management is all about dynamics and speed: learn to drive innovation in the market with start-up velocity and gain the necessary innovative tools and frameworks to boost your business competitiveness and power your future growth!

Programme Audience

Young professionals, executives and middle managers wanting to

grasp the importance and applicability of innovation & entrepreneurship in their own organization

cultivate an innovation culture throughout their company

foster and drive innovation

ignite creative talent

recognize, attain and exploit smart ideas from outside your business

better understand and serve customer needs

improve their decision-making process

accelerate the time from idea to market

initiate and lead innovation-driven organizational transformation

transform your business unit/function

This program is suitable for companies of all sectors and sizes, including small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs. The minimum number of participants for the program is 12.

Programme Benefits

Recognize why most companies struggle with managing innovation, why most innovations fail and how breakthrough innovations really happen in leading companies

Understand how to make a compelling case for innovation and lead the charge for innovation processes in your organization

Develop the skills to unleash your creativity, inspire passion for strategic innovation management and build a vibrant culture

Gain a deep understanding of the strategic implications of innovation

Gather insights into design thinking, rapid prototyping, agile implementation, and other start-up like approaches

Learn how to deal with creative destruction and disruption to establish an entrepreneurship spirit within your company

Realize how companies can build successful innovation ecosystems with external stakeholders (start-ups, universities and even competitors)

Upon completion, you will be awarded a WHU Executive Education Certificate, a recognized mark of your commitment to growth, leadership, and lifelong learning, issued by one of Europe’s top business schools.

Testimonials

"Signing up for the Innovation Corporate Entrepreneurship Essentials Program at WHU was like stepping into a playground for grown-up learners. I joined because I wanted to soak up new ideas and grow in a supportive environment. What I found was a lively community where learning didn't stop when class ended. Social events were like mini-mastermind sessions where everyone shared their wins and struggles. These interactions were gold! They gave me fresh perspectives and practical tips that I could immediately apply at work. The mix of formal lessons and casual chats made learning feel like an adventure. Now, armed with new connections and insights, I'm ready to shake things up at my company with innovative ideas."

Dunja Vujosevic

Project Manager, Elanco

"Great mix of theory, case studies and guest speakers that provided an insightful dive into the topic of innovation corporate entrepreneurship."

Stefan Türk

Group Controller, TAKKT AG

"The program imparted invaluable insights into technological advancements, including artificial intelligence and start-up acquisitions. I was particularly impressed by the programs multifaceted approach, which broadened my comprehension of business strategies. It has been a valuable experience that contributed to my professional growth."

Ezgi Onur Şahin

Postdoctoral Researcher, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung

"A really inspiring format, both the guest speakers with their real-life examples, as well as the concepts described by Professor Dries Faems. I especially liked that all content was explained with up-to-date examples, and current topics, like ChatGPT, were also already incorporated."

Antonia Strohschen

Vice President Corporate Development, ARAG SE

"The program offered me insights into how corporates can survive and thrive in times of disruption by effectively joining forces with startups. Apart from great sessions by Professor Dries Faems, which struck an excellent balance between theory, in-class exercises and case studies, the personal experiences shared by guest speakers from different industries opened up new dimensions of thinking about innovation in corporates. I also learned a lot from the other participants during the group work. I strongly recommend this program to managers involved not only in the explore field of their business but also in the exploit field of their business to understand, support and appreciate the nature of their organizations."

Jagmal Singh

Director Product Management, ZF Group

"Innovation Corporate Entrepreneurship Essentials Program has very refreshing content; highlighting todays corporate challenges in creating the right innovation ecosystems, digital models, and transformation culture. Prof. Dries Faems combines the core theories with real-life case studies and guest speakers. I highly recommend this program to all managers, especially those who are driving change in their organizations."

Derya Akar

Trade Marketing Manager, Villeroy & Boch Fliesen

"The Innovation Corporate Entrepreneurship Program was a great experience, which I highly recommend. It consists of a range of different teaching formats in which Prof. Dr. Faems challenged us to understand the definition of innovation. The guest speakers lectures were impressive and very hands-on. I especially enjoyed the exchange with other participants from all kinds of different fields of profession."

Mona Moldovan

Partner Executive, NIKE Deutschland GmbH

Testimonial Source

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Prashansa Uttam

Programme Advisor

+91 9403890085contact@echomind.oneMon – Fri, 9am – 5pm IST

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management

Executive Education Office

https://www.whu.edu/en/

Vallendar, Germany

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