Throwback to our Masterclasses

Last month we organised 4 interactive masterclasses to take the entrepreneurial skills of our IMPROVE alumni to the next level: Build your founding team, Get connected, Pitch perfectly and Promote your startup. With more than 50 applicants in total the masterclasses were almost completely filled. Time to find out what we’ve learned!

Masterclass 1: build your founding team

Founding a startup takes place in an uncertain and complex environment, and requires a lot of knowledge, experience and expertise. More often than not, this cannot be found in one single person. That is why finding the right co-founder is so important! In our masterclass, ‘Build your founding team’, business coach Britta helped IMPROVE alumni create a clear vision for their startup and helped them gain insight into their own competences and skills, and what qualities to look for in a co-founder. One of the participants said: “It was nice to hear team challenges of other start-ups and how they try to solve them. A great workshop where we learned a lot from each other and the input of the coaches.”

Want to know more about building your founding team? Get in touch with Britta.

Masterclass 2: get connected

One of the most important parts of being an entrepreneur is networking. Networking can bring you valuable contacts that could take your startup to the next level. Our second Masterclass, ‘Get connected’ was all about communication and building relationships. Ed and Saskia helped the participants to map out their current network and gave tips on how to approach people, start networking and how to sustain and build professional relationships! The verdict? “It was a very interesting masterclass with enough practical tips and tricks!”.

Need some help in the networking department? Or looking for a great tip or connection? Contact Ed or Saskia.

Masterclass 3: pitch perfectly

Pitching is key when you want to sell your idea to the world. A great pitch is just as important as a good business plan. But pitching is an acquired skill you should definitely put time and effort into. Professional Pitch Trainer Mark Robinson created the perfect Masterclass and taught us all about what to do and, more importantly, what not to do while pitching, in a way that you are able to pitch your startup to anyone. Everyone worked on their pitches and presented them to the group. And there was only one rule: only give each other positive feedback. One the participants commented: “I loved the positive feedback. Never had done this before and it made me realize what I did right instead of what was wrong.”

Struggling with your pitch? Maybe we can help!

Masterclass 4: Promote your startup

If you have a great business idea, you want people to know about it. The Masterclass ‘Promote your startup’ was very useful for startups in the phase of entering the market. Trainer Aline showed the participants how to translate your company goals and message into a well-functioning and practical marketing plan! We couldn’t have said it better than this participant: “I gained fantastic insights and I’m sure that my company will benefit a lot from this.”

Questions about marketing? Or would you like to join one of our next sessions?

Let us know! And keep an eye on our website for the next series of masterclasses.Please contact us!