Real Experience Workshops – Implementation Guide 

(Practical workshop model for universities, educators and training organisers)

1. What is this guide?

This guide provides a ready-to-use framework for organising entrepreneurship workshops based on the BSR DeepTech Launch approach.
The workshops are designed to help students and young researchers explore:

• technology entrepreneurship,
• startup development,
• market validation,
• and communication with investors and industry experts.

The guide is designed to support institutions with limited prior experience in entrepreneurship education and can be implemented using existing university resources.
It is intended as a practical “workshop-in-a-box” solution that can be adapted to different educational contexts.

2. What does “Real Experience” mean?

The “Real Experience” component is based on direct interaction with:

• entrepreneurs,
• startup founders,
• mentors,
• investors,
• or innovation ecosystem practitioners.

The objective is to expose participants to real entrepreneurial journeys, practical business challenges, market realities, and decision-making processes.

This interaction may take different forms:

• live guest sessions,
• moderated discussions,
• Q&A sessions,
• startup case studies,
• or hybrid/online participation.

The emphasis is placed on practical exposure and interaction rather than theoretical lectures alone.

3. Recommended workshop format

The recommended model consists of three workshops that can be organised:

• on one intensive day,
• over several days,
• or as part of a longer entrepreneurship programme.

Workshop 1 – From idea to opportunity

Main objective
Help participants identify problems worth solving and transform interests or research ideas into potential business opportunities.

Recommended duration
2–4 hours

Suggested activities

• Introduction to technology entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneur or startup founder story
• Team-building exercise
• Brainstorming session
• Opportunity recognition exercise
• Short “micro-pitch” activity

Expected outcome

Participants:
• understand basic startup concepts,
• identify initial business ideas,
• and begin working in teams.

Workshop 2 – Market validation and real-world perspective

Main objective
Help participants understand whether an idea solves a real problem and has market potential.

Recommended duration
2–4 hours

Suggested activities
• Trend analysis exercise
• Introduction to market validation
• Discussion of real startup examples
• Investor or entrepreneur guest session
• Group work on customer and market analysis
• Feedback discussion

Expected outcome
Participants:
• learn how to evaluate business opportunities,
• understand market and customer perspectives,
• and refine their ideas.

Workshop 3 – Pitching and business communication

Main objective
Support participants in presenting and communicating their ideas effectively.

Recommended duration
2–4 hours

Suggested activities
• Pitch structure introduction
• Preparation of short presentations
• Final pitch session
• Feedback from entrepreneurs, mentors or investors
• Reflection and discussion

Expected outcome
Participants:
• improve presentation skills,
• gain confidence in discussing business ideas,
• and receive practical external feedback.

4. Recommended minimum setup

The workshops can be organised with limited resources.

Suggested minimum setup

• 15–30 participants
• 1 workshop moderator/facilitator
• 1–2 guest mentors or practitioners
• classroom or online meeting room
• projector/screen or online platform
• simple presentation materials

The format can be scaled up or simplified depending on institutional capacity.

5. How to find speakers and practitioners

Recommended speaker profiles:

• startup founders,
• university spin-offs,
• incubator or accelerator mentors,
• innovation support organisations,
• investors or VC representatives,
• alumni entrepreneurs,
• industry experts.

Practical recommendation:
Start with local contacts and existing university networks. Even one experienced entrepreneur can provide valuable “real experience” input.

6. Suggested preparation timeline

3–4 weeks before the workshop

• define workshop format and dates
• invite speakers and mentors
• reserve room or online platform
• prepare registration form
• prepare feedback survey

2 weeks before

• open participant registration
• publish promotional materials
• contact student organisations and faculties

1 week before

• confirm agenda and speakers
• prepare presentations and exercises
• send practical information to participants

Workshop day

• facilitate sessions
• encourage interaction and discussion
• collect participant feedback

After the workshop

• share materials and photos (if applicable)
• send certificates or confirmations
• analyse feedback
• encourage follow-up networking or mentoring

7. Promotion and communication

To increase participation, organisers are encouraged to use:

• university mailing lists,
• faculty communication channels,
• social media,
• student organisations,
• entrepreneurship centres,
• local innovation ecosystem networks.

For additional guidance, organisers may use communication approaches described in the Toolbox resource: Mapping of Communication Channels for Students

8. Example workshop flow (3-hour format)

4.2. Quick Scoring Guide for Participants

1–2:

Focus on understanding the basics — revisit your idea, problem statement, or pitch logic.

3:

You are on the right track — practice refining clarity and addressing gaps.

4–5:

Strengths are solid — reflect on fine-tuning details and applying skills to real interactions.

4.3. How This Applies to Each Game

Lab to Market – Reality Check

• Problem clarity: Are you clearly defining the customer problem, not just the technology?
• Value beyond research: Can you explain why this idea matters outside the lab?
• Communication without jargon: Is your explanation accessible to non-technical stakeholders?
• Openness to feedback: Do you accept suggestions without defensiveness?
• Entrepreneurial mindset: Are you thinking like a founder, not only a researcher?

The First Yes or No – Investor Reality Game

• Vision coherence: Is your long-term vision logical and compelling?
• Understanding of uncertainty: Do you recognize and address risks realistically?
• Credibility: Do you inspire confidence in your knowledge and decision-making?
• Quality of answers: Are responses clear, concise, and evidence-based?
• Communication under pressure: Can you maintain composure while answering challenging questions?

5. After the Game

1. As a Mentor, reflect on how to strengthen your ability to:

• analyse early-stage ideas critically but constructively
• prioritise feedback instead of overwhelming with suggestions
• communicate clearly, empathetically, and in a solution-oriented way

Develop a mentor mindset that is directly transferable to:

• peer mentoring
• team leadership
• project supervision
• investor, jury, or evaluator roles

2. As a Student/Researcher, reflect on the feedback received and identify:

• which elements are already solid
• which areas need improvement before the next iteration
• Decide what to improve first and why.

3. Role-switching for deeper learning (recommended):

• Replay the game by switching roles to experience both perspectives.
• Optionally replay the game at a higher maturity level, applying lessons learned.

This repetition helps users better understand:

• how ideas are assessed
• how feedback is formulated
• how expectations change as maturity increases

The game is not about finding a “perfect” mentor or idea, but about learning how to think, assess, and communicate from both sides of the entrepreneurial process.