Gradia Entrepreneurship Path - from an entrepreneurial mindset to developing ones’ business!

An entrepreneurial mindset

The work of today and the future requires an increasing number of entrepreneurial skills and competences, whether ones’ aim is to become an entrepreneur or not. The students are encouraged to take advantage of their strengths, realise their dreams and innovate alone and together with others through various functional courses and projects. The entrepreneurial mindset of the student is thus strengthened.

Experimental entrepreneurship

This phase of entrepreneurial studies allows students to create and test a business idea in a risk-free educational environment, supported by coaches.

In Gradia, students can test what it is like to be an entrepreneur, either

• by setting up a mini company for a year following the JA/YE Company Program or

• by joining a multi-disciplinary, pedagogical cooperative. Gradia supports two student cooperatives Versotaan (Gradia Jyväskylä) and Pegosus (Gradia Jämsä).

Versotaan Cooperative and Pegosus Cooperative

In support of the JA mini companies and cooperative activities, GRADIA provides its students with either sectoral or multidisciplinary entrepreneurial training and coaching.

Starting ones’ own business

At this stage the students work on different aspects of their business ideas independently as well as with other students and take the first steps to starting a business.

A student who is interested in setting up a company during their studies may either:

• take part in a pre-incubator at Yritystehdas (The Startup Factory ) or

• conduct an online course consisting of the following themes: From idea to reality, Networking and profitability & Entrepreneurial readiness

Developing ones’ business

The services at the developing phase are aimed at students or alumni who already run a company. Gradia offers many possibilities to support entrepreneurs, managers and companies develop their business acumen as well as other skills and competences required in the changing world.

• Students of Gradia can apply to participate in the incubator (requires an active company with a VAT number)

• Entrepreneurial and specialised professional occupations include:

  1 Further Qualification for Entrepreneurs
  2 Specialist Qualification in Product Development
  3 Specialist Qualification in Management