Accelerate and Celebrate Entrepreneurship

In this powerful learning experience, students of the alliance are given the unique opportunity to prepare for starting a business. Learning to think, work and act in a broad, flexible and future-oriented way is possibly even more important. In this perspective sustainability and circulair entrepreneurship are regional topics and will be embedded is this learning opportunity. This LEXS is a partnership between NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences and Howest University of Applied Sciences. 

At the Center for Entrepreneurship (NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences) students participate in this program from the 9th till the 13th of March 2026. It is all about increasing entrepreneurship skills, knowledge and attitude. In a pressure cooker context, the students are challenged to transform ideas and innovations into feasible solutions for regional challenges that can end up in promising entrepreneurship. Circularity and sustainability will be on top of the list for successful entrepreneurship. This ‘accelerator’ will confront students with the essentials of starting entrepreneurship. The participant goes through three entrepreneurial journeys in five days. On the 11th of March, all participants will compete for the best solution/ business idea. Their organizational skills and creativity will be put to the test in a challenging Festival.  

Students will work on the following issues: 

• What is entrepreneurship and how does it arise?
• What problem does my innovation solve? 
• The importance of the early-vangelist, connecting to the wishes of the ‘customer’.
• The usefulness of testing, trying, failing and adjusting.
• Where is my customer and how do I reach them? 
• Who am I as an entrepreneur and innovator? Do I have what I need? 
• How are turnover, costs and margin connected?
• The secrets of building a customer relationship, branding and networking. 
• Discovering my personal entrepreneurial mindset, leadership and creativity. 
• Set up a pitch and a pitch deck. Essential cooperation with investors/partners and customers. 
• Creating a business operational approach to begin their business.

Special Conditions:

This LEXS is the kick-off of the Mentoring Program of the RUN-EU alliance. Mentoring is offered to students who want to continue building a business after the first LEXS week. They can use the expert network within the alliance for this purpose. A platform has been made available for this network in which students can ask their support questions and find knowledge and inspiration. This network will be available during the period between March 2026 and April 2027. This period may be extended later. The Platform is maintained by the Center for Entrepreneurship of NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, and frequently supplemented by the partners. 

If an entrepreneurial attitude and even entrepreneurship fits your ambitions and the role you want to fulfill in the business world later has these characteristics, this learning experience is a powerful way to grow in it. This vibrant week, is all about increasing entrepreneurship skills, knowledge and attitude. In a programmatic mix, we challenge you to transform innovations into promising entrepreneurship. An pretty fast accelerator in which all the essentials of starting entrepreneurship are discussed. You go through three entrepreneurial journeys in five days. During the fourth day, organizational skills and creativity are put to the test and will end up in a festival where music and innovation come together. On the fifth day, you will create a business operational approach to begin your business.