Third-year students learn the practical side of entrepreneurship

INNOVENT 310: Women in Entrepreneurship is a third-year course based within the Innovation and Entrepreneurship major in the Bachelor of Commerce. While based within the INNOVENT major, the course is open to any third-year student across the University.

Exploring the opportunities and challenges women entrepreneurs face in today’s global economy, the course examines issues related to gender bias, entrepreneurial finance, and growing entrepreneurial venture. It develops and encourages skills for starting and growing an entrepreneurial venture through collaborative, real-world opportunity-based assessments, and interactions with successful female entrepreneurs.

Professor Christine Woods, course co-ordinator for INNOVENT 310, Theresa Gattung Chair in Women in Entrepreneurship at the Business School, and Director of the Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women, explains that this course is about creating practical knowledge based on theory for students to gain a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurial business world.

“This paper is taught as a mix of theory and practice, with an understanding that there is nothing as practical as a good theory.

“Frameworks, models and ways of thinking enable us to understand what is going on and when there are challenges; frameworks will often help you address those challenges and issues.

“And alongside that, we want to show the practical element of working in the business world as a woman. The students will hear from women who are running and building enterprises, look at case studies, and learn about real-world situations, all to integrate our students into the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

The course will run as a two-hour in-person workshop and a one-hour lecture. The workshops also include guest speakers, such as Melanie Spencer, Group CEO of the Socialites Group, a social media agency.

“It’s important to understand that women in business have a different journey to get to their destination, but that pathway provides women with a whole other perspective and lens that is now so intrinsic and paramount to the success of modern-day businesses.

“It brings me so much joy watching young entrepreneurs shine, and if I can impart some of my experience – the good, the bad and the ugly – to help them along the way, I’m happy,” Melanie says.

These speakers will talk through their entrepreneur journeys, sharing advice, challenges, and the practicalities of starting a business with students.

The INNOVENT 310 course will be available from Semester One, 2023. Click here to see the course outline.