This research aims to assist in narrowing the existing gap in technology entrepreneurship education and training between Finland and the global leaders in the field to increase technology entrepreneurship potential and further economic growth of Finland.
To do so the project implies first, conducting a comprehensive critical analysis of the educational programs and national policies on science-based and technology entrepreneurship existing so far globally; second, identifying the gaps in particularly Finnish education and training landscape on the topic as well as potential sources of insight to fill those gaps; third, developing a curriculum, set of recommendations and measures for technology entrepreneurship education and policy; and finally, conducting a series of practical trials including a research focus group, an educational module, and a policy workshop.
The project aims to construct a foundation for a curriculum on technology entrepreneurship for postgraduates as well as a report with recommendations on project continuation and policy recommendations on the policy changes required to make the postgraduate program effective on the national level.
The broader impact of the initiative to be founded by this project implies a significant shift in the number of science-based spinoffs and thus returns on Finnish investments into scientific research at universities and research institutions.
DSc (Tech) Ekaterina Albats is a postdoctoral researcher at the LUT Business School. Albats studies innovation management and technology entrepreneurship. Her project supported by Liikesivistysrahasto in 2024 combines research and education goals. This project is a continuation of Katja’s PhD research and postdoctoral work carried on academia-business collaboration and academic entrepreneurship in Finland, greater Europe and the US.
In the 2024 grant round, Ekaterina Albats received a grant of 15,000 euros from the Foundation for Economic Education for her project ” Mind the gap: growing Finnish science-based ventures through enhanced entrepreneurial training.” Albats’ research is a thematic special project of the Foundation for Economic Education in the focus area Entrepreneurship, Scaling and Growth.