Technological Entrepreneurship is a module offered in the second year of the Master’s of Engineering Management (MEM) programme.

A prerequisite for MEM enrolment is that students must be employed fulltime. As a result, the course attracts a diverse group of participants, ranging from employees of large corporations and startup companies to those who have ventured into founding their own businesses. Therefore, the module is meticulously crafted to cater to the varying needs of all these participants.

Studies indicate that the failure rates for startups exceeds 80 percent. Nevertheless, there are thoroughly researched entrepreneurial techniques that can be employed to overcome these obstacles. The course covers several of these techniques, including the Business Model Canvas and Lean Startup methodologies. Additionally, a newer approach known as Effectual Entrepreneurship is explored in depth, offering significant promise.

Entrepreneurship is often described as a hands-on endeavour. A key feature of the course is the individual student assignment, which challenges students to create a business model for their own technology-based business concept. This task requires students to validate their ideas by engaging with potential customers outside the classroom setting. The process culminates in a 20-minute presentation to a panel of external experts.

The 2023 assignment requested business ideas within the Wealth Management sector, with Artificial Intelligence acting as enabler. Citadel Wealth Management generously provided a cash reward of R5000 for the most compelling student proposal. Hugo Jeán Truter won the 2023 competition with his business concept, Wealth Intelligence, which proposed a central financial platform offering customers unprecedented access to financial products and services without charge, emphasising support over financial burden.

Jeán is a Mechanical Engineer and serves as the Head of Engineering and a Member of the Board of Directors at an Energy Storage Startup in France. He describes himself as a dreamer and optimist, with a keen interest in Technology, Investments, Entrepreneurship, and envisioning the future.