An ocean of experiences in the Master of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

It is not every master's student who completes their Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE) core courses from a boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but such was the case for Máté Sebestyén Joó, Class of 2027.  

In this blog, Máté reflects on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and how he managed the commitment of keeping up with his cohort while at sea. He also explains what he learned about leadership – and how this can be applied to both academic and professional goals. 

Additionally, Máté shares the MIE highlights he has experienced so far. These include a transformative consulting internship at EOS in Bavaria, deep dives into Deep Tech, and discovering a love of finance that has seen him pursue additional finance and investment qualifications. 

Hi Máté, please introduce yourself   

Hi everyone, I am Máté Sebestyén Joó, but my friends call me Joe. This nickname actually comes from my time as a competitive judo athlete. During European cups and international competitions, my surname was a bit difficult for non-Hungarian speakers to pronounce, so 'Joe' just stuck with me through high school and university!  

I am someone who enjoys giving my absolute maximum in life, whether I’m fighting for success in my hobbies or my career. Over the last two years, I added competitive sailing to my sports repertoire, and last year I had the incredible opportunity to cross the Atlantic Ocean with Hungary’s most renowned offshore sailor, Nándor Fa.  

What drew you to a Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship – especially after having completed a bachelor's degree in business administration?   

I have always found it hard to choose just one direction in business. On one hand, I love working with people and being creative, but on the other hand, I am deeply fascinated by financial modeling and working with numbers. At ESMT, I don't have to choose; I can pursue both of these passions.  

Through the Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE), I am taking part in DEEP, the Institute for Deep Tech Innovation, where I get to collaborate with real deep-tech ventures and startups. I have always been fascinated by human creativity and the people who bring new ideas and innovation to life.  

At the same time, I am part of the ESMT Finance and Investment Certificate program, which has an amazing curriculum. Just one month into it, I can really feel that I am exactly in the right place. 

Why did you decide to move to Berlin to study at ESMT?   

"In 2023, I had the privilege of being shown around the campus by Professor Zoltán Antal-Mokos. I decided right then that after graduating, I wanted to start a new challenge here in Berlin." 

Even before finishing my bachelor’s degree at Corvinus University of Budapest, I had set my sights on ESMT. In 2023, I had the privilege of being shown around the campus by Professor Zoltán Antal-Mokos. I decided right then that after graduating, I wanted to start a new challenge here in Berlin.  

During your first semester at ESMT, you took the unusual step of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean. Can you tell us more about this experience?   

It was the greatest experience of my life, and I say that as someone who once cycled more than 1400km from Budapest to Rome with my high school class, sleeping on floors for days! Crossing the ocean, however, is something entirely different.  

I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Generation Crossing program, which aimed to connect talented young people with successful senior mentors. On our boat, six university students were working under Nándor Fa and under our other captain Zoltán Kovács.  

During the crossing, we operated on strict three-hour watches. The six students were divided into three groups: the resting group (who slept in the cabins if they could), the standby group (ready to jump in at a moment's notice), and the on-watch group (responsible for steering the boat and keeping everything on track). The human body is amazing; looking back, I don’t know how I survived sleeping less than three hours in a row for 16 days, but out on the ocean, you just adapt to it.  

I was, and still am, incredibly grateful to ESMT for helping me find a way to make this crossing possible without sacrificing my degree. To keep up with my cohort, I had to prepare numerous make-up assignments and complete courses online.  

I vividly remember the days leading up to our departure: I was so stressed about falling behind that I downloaded absolutely every file, reading, and assignment I would need so I could work on them from the boat. As soon as I arrived back on dry land, I took my remaining exam and submitted all my assignments, which allowed me to seamlessly rejoin my cohort for the rest of the year.  

Did this experience teach you anything you were then able to apply to your studies – for instance, about leadership, or about working with global teams?   

"That highly structured, disciplined approach to high-stakes problem-solving is something I bring directly into my academic and professional life." 

Actually, my crew consisted entirely of Hungarians, but the experience taught me profound lessons about leadership and life that transcend nationalities.  

On a boat in the middle of the ocean, there is no room for democracy during a crisis. Decisions must be made instantly, and actions must be executed perfectly. There is zero margin for error. We learned that after the critical situation has passed, there is plenty of time to sit down, discuss, and analyze what happened. But during the action, you need exceptionally clear communication, a proactive mindset, and a ready-for-action attitude.  

So many things can go wrong on the ocean, and you have to do everything in your power to avoid those mishaps. That highly structured, disciplined approach to high-stakes problem-solving is something I bring directly into my academic and professional life.  

Back on dry land: you recently completed a consulting internship with EOS in Bavaria. What did this this involve?   

"My boss and mentor, Michael Wohlfart, placed a lot of trust in me and gave me fantastic opportunities to take ownership of projects." 

In mid-April, I joined the Additive Minds Business Development & Academy (AMBDA) department at EOS in Krailling. EOS provides responsible manufacturing solutions via industrial 3D printing technologies to organizations around the world.  

My boss and mentor, Michael Wohlfart, placed a lot of trust in me and gave me fantastic opportunities to take ownership of projects. Being able to witness his leadership skills firsthand was incredibly valuable.  

During the internship, I wore many hats: I conducted in-depth competitor research that was presented to the C-level executives, and I successfully automated management reports, saving the team hours of manual work. I also identified a target group and developed a go-to-market approach for micro gas turbines in the UK. In my final month, I was even asked to build a cost-per-part and print-pricing tool for our teams in Krailling and Düsseldorf.

I started my job hunt in early January. By the end of February, I spoke with my ESMT career consultant Andreza about some challenges I was facing in finding the right fit. She gave me fresh ideas on which companies to research and specifically mentioned EOS.  

After our discussion, I found a job advertisement on LinkedIn and applied. As part of my interview preparation, I researched the company deeply and reached out to an ESMT alum working there, Likhith Saliseema. He was super kind, open to my questions, and gave me great insights that helped me throughout the application process.  

How have you been able to use your MIE learnings in this role? Have any particular topics or skills seminars stuck with you?   

I was very eager to see how a German corporation operates in real life, experience the culture, and absorb everything I could at EOS. At ESMT, I had participated in a workshop on Status Spirals with Professor Matt Bothner, which aligned perfectly with Professor Eric Quintane’s classes on Managing Organizations in a Global Context.

When I started my internship, I found myself actively combining what I had learned in those classes with what I was observing in the office. It helped me navigate the corporate environment. I could draw conclusions about organizational dynamics, team structures, and corporate culture based on the frameworks we studied at ESMT.  

Is consultancy a career you plan to pursue? What other career paths are you exploring in the MIE?   

I have not fully decided yet. I really enjoyed the problem-solving at EOS, but I know that I want to break into the finance sector for my next chapter. That is why I am pursuing the finance track at ESMT and am currently preparing to take the CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) Level I exam next year to deepen my knowledge in investments and valuation. 

The internship was a fantastic experience, but my current plans are leaning heavily towards a finance goal.  

Between the sailing and the internship, you have spent part of your MIE off campus. Have you still been able to bond with your cohort?   

Yes, absolutely. There is a strong Hungarian community at ESMT, and I naturally spend a lot of time with them, but I have also formed close connections within the MIE cohort and across other master's programs. Even though I was off campus for parts of the year, I feel like I’ve bonded not just with my own 2027 cohort, but with the 2026 cohort as well. I'm really looking forward to making meaningful connections with the new 2028 cohort, too. 

It is hard to choose just one favorite memory because there have been so many interesting events and happenings. However, during the second trimester, I participated in the Sustainability Bootcamp (now called the Ideation Bootcamp), which I absolutely loved working on with my team. 

Looking ahead to this year, I am most excited to see how the DEEP program unfolds and to get hands-on experience working alongside Deep Tech startups.  

 Thank you, Joe! 

If you would like to hear more from Máté (Joe) about master's life at ESMT, or see insights from his global experiences, you can follow him on LinkedIn