“I think this subject really widens the understanding of the students as far as their employment options are concerned”: are the words of professor Luisa Coutinho, one of the entrepreneurship, innovation and technology transfer lecturers at Técnico.
In fact, this is one of the reasons why the subject – optional or compulsory, depending on the program – remains much sought-after among students. “One must create awareness of the subject and demystify the idea that everyone has to work for a company that already exists”, claims Ricardo Amendoeira, a student of electrical and computer engineering (MEEC), who enrolled in the class this semester. “It is also necessary to reduce the fear of creating a new business.”
Still, not all students who choose to attend classes in this area associate it with their immediate future. Carolina Baptista, who is now in her fifth year of chemical engineering, says that she would like to work in the processes area, at least during her first years in the labour market, and that her interest in the class came out of long-term perspective thinking: “Most chemical engineers today are working in the management sector and I thought that the more background I have the better”, she says. After the first semester of the class, her expectations had been exceeded. “I’ve learned things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. (…) I see myself working in management someday, and if I have a good idea, I think I’d like to start a business and become self-employed.”
Mariana Marçal, who is in the same degree program, has a similar opinion. “I don’t have long-term plans for the future, and I would say that the class didn’t change that for me. What I do know is that if I come across an opportunity to be involved in a business, or if I have an idea, I am now much better prepared for that.”
João Lourenço enrolled in the class last year. For him, “entrepreneurship, innovation and technology transfer” complement the subjects that are taught in his program”. One must understand what the customers and users of the product you wish to conceive really care about. This is an issue that had not been addressed throughout the degree program yet.”
The class, which has a very practical philosophy rooted in theoretical sessions that address, for instance, areas such as market analysis, marketing plans, financial plans and case studies, always involves all stages of the development of a product. For Carolina, this was the most complicated part of the process. “I thought that the problem would be to obtain the funding to set up a business, but after completing the class I ended up with the opposite idea: the problem is to find a good idea, to believe in it and convey that belief to other people.”
Each student has a different expectation of the classes: for João, for instance, it would be important to “understand exactly what steps to take” in order to create a viable business, adapting them to “the reality of a specific project”. In turn, Francisco Lemos believes that “entrepreneurship is a fairy tale”. “It’s all very pretty and special, but starting a business and experiencing the difficulties will demolish that dream,” explains the MEEC student, who has twice tried to succeed with his own business. And, unlike other students who have completed the class, he believes that “entrepreneurship is not something you can teach”.
However, professor Miguel Amaral, who is also a lecturer on entrepreneurship, considers that “the countless examples of successful innovative technology-based companies created by students, researchers and professors associated with Técnico prove that entrepreneurship can be a viable alternative to being Employed in someone else’s company; a challenge and a life project”.
In the electrical engineering and computers area, for example, it is a quite a viable alternative, in the opinion of Ricardo Amendoeira. “I think there is a direct relationship between entrepreneurship and my field of study, since engineering is excellent to stimulate innovation and solve problems.”
This student is still unsure about his plans for the future, but his “primary goal” is to do something that will allow him to “work on several different projects over the years and learn with each new project”. He says, therefore, that the idea of being an entrepreneur has not been ruled out, though he knows that he would probably have to move abroad: “There are countries that promise much better conditions for people from my area, such as Northern Europe or the United States”.
In addition to having a management background, knowing how to create a business or marketing plan, and having a “very clear” idea of what one intends to do, most students single out communication as a crucial resource to succeed in the class. “You must be a good communicator, be able to convey your idea very clearly in order to obtain support”, Carolina maintains. Especially because throughout these months students must contact several companies and suppliers – and these are the contacts that can make a difference in the future.
Those who completed the class say that it is very challenging and demanding. “I think others should invest in this kind of class; we learn a lot of things in an easy way. It’s almost like a weekly shot of motivation”, Carolina asserts.
