Timeline & courses
Explore your learning and development journey
The Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE) is a full-time, two-year program (120 ECTS) starting each September. This page outlines the program structure, course timeline, and hands-on experiences that help you develop the skills to launch ventures, drive innovation, and create lasting value.
Throughout the program, you’ll build a strong foundation in business and innovation while applying your learning through real projects, startup initiatives, and internships—all supported by ESMT’s network and Berlin’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The MIE curriculum is structured around into six components:
- Core courses build essential knowledge in Business through, for example, courses on strategy, entrepreneurship, and finance, while developing your ability to identify and capture new business opportunities.
- Electives allow you to explore specialized topics and industry applications, offered in terms four and five.
- Skills seminars build your competencies in business settings such as communication, negotiation, and intercultural collaboration.
- Practice modules including an internship, Sustainability Bootcamp, Summer Entrepreneurship Program, Corporate Innovation Project, and Social Impact Project allow you to test ideas and apply your learning in real-world contexts.
- Master’s thesis lets you apply your knowledge through research, completed under faculty supervision, or together with a company partner.
- Career support is provided throughout, with coaching, employer events, and job search guidance from the Career Development Center.
MIE program timeline and courses
The MSc 2026–2028 cohort will begin on September 8, 2026.
- Business Economics
- Foundations of Strategic Management
- Judgment Decision-making
- Financial Accounting
- Financial Management & Corporate Finance
- Economics of Innovation & New Technology
- Foundations of Entrepreneurship
- Careers Bootcamp
- The Do’s and Don’ts of Meeting Effectively
- Group Dynamics and Teamwork
The Communication & Presentation Clinic is a two-year clinic that teaches you how to communicate clearly and convincingly when it matters most. It is mandatory in Term 1 and 2 and optional in Term 4 and 5.
In the first year, you will practice key moments like major presentations, while also building the skills needed for entrepreneurial journeys and innovative corporate life. While working on real tasks from your own coursework, you will refine your communication skills via feedback from peers and experts.
During your master's program, you can take optional evening German classes in partnership with Inlingua Berlin. Running from October to March with two live online sessions per week, the courses are open to all levels and taught in small groups.
Examinations are administered by Inlingua Berlin, and you will receive a certificate upon successful completion.
By strengthening your German proficiency, you’ll gain valuable skills for internships, student jobs, and early-career opportunities in Germany.
- Operations & Global Supply Chain Management
- Managing Organizations in a Global Context
- Marketing Management
- Entrepreneurial Finance & FinTech
- Innovation Policy & Regulation
- Organizing for Innovation
- Design Thinking
- Vali Sustainability Bootcamp
- The Psychology of Conflict Resolution
- Project Management through SCRUM
The Communication & Presentation Clinic is a two-year clinic that teaches you how to communicate clearly and convincingly when it matters most. It is mandatory in Term 1 and 2 and optional in Term 4 and 5.
In the first year, you will practice key moments like major presentations, while also building the skills needed for entrepreneurial journeys and innovative corporate life. While working on real tasks from your own coursework, you will refine your communication skills via feedback from peers and experts.
During your master's program, you can take optional evening German classes in partnership with Inlingua Berlin. Running from October to March with two live online sessions per week, the courses are open to all levels and taught in small groups.
Examinations are administered by Inlingua Berlin, and you will receive a certificate upon successful completion.
By strengthening your German proficiency, you’ll gain valuable skills for internships, student jobs, and early-career opportunities in Germany.
Summer immersion
During the summer months you will gain practical experience at an internship at a startup or by working on your own company during the Summer Entrepreneurship Program with Vali Berlin.
The Summer Entrepreneurship Program helps entrepreneurial talents to develop and expand upon their startup ideas: from finding co-founders, identifying trends or problems and finding and building solutions, to pitching in front of Venture Capitalists (VCs) and angel investors.
The teams benefit from expert mentoring, access to the ESMT and Vali Berlin network, and a structured program of workshops by entrepreneurs and thought leaders from Berlin's startup scene.
In coordination with ESMT, you may alternatively choose to complete an internship of up to six months with a company and industry that meets your career goals. German students are encouraged to complete their internship abroad.
ESMT currently works with a growing number of companies to offer internships.
Please note that while ESMT has agreements with internship providers to offer internships, participants are still required to apply and pass the target company’s selection procedures. Participants may also source their own internship opportunities.
- The Global Economy
- Status, Power, and Persuasion
- Corporate Impact Lab: Strategy, Innovation, and Organizational Change
- Business Psychology
- Portfolio Theory and Asset Pricing
- Fixed Income Investments
- International Finance
- Introduction to Investment Banking (only for Finance and Investment Certificate)
- Sustainability Information and Analysis in Capital Markets
- MARGA Strategy Simulation
- Data Science for Managers
- Survey Design
- Innovating with AI: Large Language Models in Business
- Entrepreneurial Sales & Marketing
+ MGM and MAAI core courses
- Talent Management: Acquisition & Retention
- Cross-Cultural Management
- Consulting
- Building Professional Networks
- Next - B2B Accelerator Program
- Deep Tech Innovation Program
- Corporate Innovation Project
The Communication & Presentation Clinic is a two-year clinic that teaches you how to communicate clearly and convincingly when it matters most. It is mandatory in Term 1 and 2 and optional in Term 4 and 5.
In the second year, you can sign up for on-demand individual or group support to strengthen your communication, business presentation, and pitching skills. Learn to make an impact during important program milestones, as well as the key career moments that extend beyond the classroom – like job interviews, presenting new initiatives to corporate management, and positioning yourself as an innovative leader and entrepreneur.
During your master's program, you can take optional German classes that integrate language learning with practical applications to enhance your academic journey. Improving your proficiency in German equips you with a valuable skill set that supports both personal growth and future career opportunities.
- Alternative Investments
- Valuation
- Advanced Investment Strategies
- Risk Modeling
- Negotiation
- Open and Distributed Models of Innovation
- Analytics and AI for Healthcare Management (with pre-requisites)
- Machine Learning Models in Production (with pre-requisites)
- Data-driven Solutions for Climate Adaptations, Mitigation and Resilience (with pre-requisites)
- Social Entrepreneurship
+ MGM and MAAI core courses
- Impact Consulting
- Cyber Security
- Stress Management & Resilience
- Leadership in Practice
- Introduction to Research Method
- Research Strategies Week
The Communication & Presentation Clinic is a two-year clinic that teaches you how to communicate clearly and convincingly when it matters most. It is mandatory in Term 1 and 2 and optional in Term 4 and 5.
In the second year, you can sign up for on-demand individual or group support to strengthen your communication, business presentation, and pitching skills. Learn to make an impact during important program milestones, as well as the key career moments that extend beyond the classroom – like job interviews, presenting new initiatives to corporate management, and positioning yourself as an innovative leader and entrepreneur.
The Negotiation Clinic is an optional two-term clinic that drills deeper into the topics learned in the Negotiation elective to make you a more convincing speaker. You will utilize one-on-one coaching and group sessions to strengthen your ability to navigate the moments that define careers.
Practice negotiation scenarios in a constructive, small-group environment, so that when it is necessary for you to perform, you can resolve conflict, build better relationships, open entrepreneurial doors, and become a bold, convincing corporate innovator.
During your master's program, you can take optional evening German classes in partnership with Inlingua Berlin. Running from October to March with two live online sessions per week, the courses are open to all levels and taught in small groups.
Examinations are administered by Inlingua Berlin, and you will receive a certificate upon successful completion.
By strengthening your German proficiency, you’ll gain valuable skills for internships, student jobs, and early-career opportunities in Germany.
While working on your Master thesis, you may seek the opportunity of a second internship and carry out your research with support from practitioners. Alternatively, particularly those who intend to pursue an academic career, you may opt for working on a thesis topic in close coordination with a professor’s own research agenda.
The Negotiation Clinic is an optional two-term clinic that drills deeper into the topics learned in the Negotiation elective to make you a more convincing speaker. You will utilize one-on-one coaching and group sessions to strengthen your ability to navigate the moments that define careers.
Practice negotiation scenarios in a constructive, small-group environment, so that when it is necessary for you to perform, you can resolve conflict, build better relationships, open entrepreneurial doors, and become a bold, convincing corporate innovator.
Master’s thesis
The master’s thesis is your opportunity to apply what you’ve learned to a real business or research challenge. Your thesis can be completed independently or in collaboration with a company, subject to faculty approval and supervision. Many evolve from internships, entrepreneurial initiatives, or partnerships developed during the program.
Past examples of MIE student master theses:
- How TikTok and Instagram Reels Shape Fashion Purchase Intent through Reposting, Algorithmic Exposure, and Comment Engagement
- Why is the German Residential Real Estate sector slow in its decarbonization?
- Predicting the Construction Year of Residential Buildings in Berlin Using Machine Learning
- Leveraging Causal Inference to Enhance Corporate Decision-Making: Capturing the Value of Predictive Maintenance in Power Plants
Enrich your Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship experience
Summer innovation & entrepreneurship programs
- Join Vali Berlin's Summer Entrepreneurship Program from April to July to develop and elaborate your own startup idea.
- Receive expert mentoring, access to the ESMT and Vali Berlin network, and a structured program of workshops by entrepreneurs and thought leaders from Berlin's startup scene
- Alternatively, complete an internship for up to 6 months with one of ESMT’s corporate partners to gain first-hand experience in corporate innovation and insights that help you refine your focus in Year 2
Winter innovation & entrepreneurship programs
- NEXT - B2B Accelerator program: Advance your start-up in product-market fit, human capital, fundraising, legal, administrative, and tax issues.
- Deep Tech Innovation Program: Get insider insights from founders in science- and technology-based startups and advice on how to implement your own innovative new ideas and strategies.
- Corporate Innovation Project (CIP): Collaborate with a corporate partner to deliver an innovation consulting project or develop venture ideas.
- Social Impact Project (SIP): Work with a nonprofit or social enterprise during a five-week consulting project. The SIP challenges you to apply your business knowledge in a real-world setting while contributing to positive social outcomes in Europe or beyond.
Explore additional options
International exchange
Study abroad in your second year at one of ESMT’s top-ranked partner schools in Europe, Asia, or the Americas. Experience new academic environments and broaden your worldview.
Practical internships
Complete up to six months of hands-on experience with a globally active company or organization. Integrated into the curriculum, these internships provide real responsibility at a first-job level – helping you build skills, confidence, and connections for an international career.
Corporate Impact Lab: strategy, innovation, and organizational change
Taught by Torsten Kurth, Managing Director and Senior Parter at BCG Berlin, this elective is your chance to explore the innovation and ideation behind large-scale corporate change, while building your network with business leaders.
Negotiation Clinic
Strengthen the negotiation skills that can help you move your career forward.
During Terms 5 and 6, the Negotiation Clinic elective puts you in personalized, one-on-one or small-group sessions so you can practice real negotiations such as idea pitches, investor meetings, and corporate change initiatives.
Communication & Presentation Clinic
Innovative ideas only make an impact when they are communicated confidently. The Communication & Presentation Clinic builds these skills continuously, starting in Term 1 and running throughout the MIE program.
Group and individual coaching sessions teach you to apply your strengthened skills in real time to projects, presentations, and course milestones, with special focus paid to corporate innovation and entrepreneurship topics like concept pitches as you near graduation.
MSc Honors program
Open to the strongest academic performers across all three MSc programs, the MSc Honors Program runs on select Saturdays in the second year and features advanced academic content, networking opportunities, and mentoring, alongside leadership insights from industry professionals such as the Program Advisory Committee.
Placement in the exclusive program requires students to complete a short selection process at the beginning of Term 3.
Executive Insights Series
As a Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship student at ESMT Berlin, you have the opportunity to attend talks and events from faculty, peers, and guest speakers that can have a transformative effect on your career.
Discover some of our upcoming events here.
Vali Berlin Talks
Vali Berlin Talks are a curated series of events designed to help students connect with entrepreneurs, innovators, and experts to explore the many faces of innovation and entrepreneurship – from early-stage ventures to corporate change and everything in between. Each semester includes a balanced mix of formats aimed at inspiration, connection, and learning.
Today’s Global Leader
An ESMT Berlin initiative where CEOs share their insights with the next generation of innovative thinkers. Topics covered include leadership philosophies, and current economic topics. Interaction with a diverse audience, including young leaders, is guaranteed.
Examples of previous events:
- Today's Global Leader with Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO of the Mercedes-Benz Group. Watch the talk here.
- Today's Global Leader with Bonita Grupp, managing partner of Trigema. Watch the talk here.
- And more
ESMT Insight Hour
A one-hour knowledge exchange that covers the big questions. Innovative thinkers unite to share their insights on business, economics, politics, philosophy, and the arts. With a strong focus on knowledge-sharing, the series ensures you will leave with a better understanding of complex business and societal challenges.
Examples of previous events:
Geopolitical briefings
On-demand, exclusive student events where ambassadors and global experts share insights into current geopolitical questions. Operating under Chatham House rules, these events are ideal for deepening your understanding of the politics, laws, and regulations that help shape the innovative and entrepreneurial decisions of tomorrow.
Berlin Global Dialogue
An innovative global summit that provides a platform to debate and promote solutions for global economic cooperation in times of fragmentation and transition. Decision makers, thought leaders, and young voices from across the globe convene for an open and thought-provoking exchange at eye level in the heart of Berlin. The event, initiated by and hosted at ESMT Berlin, is non-profit, outcome-oriented, and backed by the world’s leading global corporations. Past speakers include Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, and Angela Merkel.
Student-organized events
You have multiple opportunities to learn from entrepreneurial and corporate change makers and build a robust network during your time at ESMT – including via events you can help innovate. Join our yearly TEDxESMT Berlin talks, where students invite big names to share knowledge, or take part in exclusive events run by our student clubs that cover everything from student-led venture consulting, to tech and innovation, to women in leadership and more.
Certificate programs: enhance your innovative and entrepreneurial skill set
ESMT offers you the chance to add additional breadth and skill to your entrepreneurship and innovation studies with add-on, optional certificate courses designed to help you explore finance, investment, coding, analytics, and more.
Finance and Investment Certificate
Enhance your academic credentials and career prospects with an additional ESMT Finance and Investment Certificate alongside your master’s degree.
Take dedicated, advanced electives to broaden your understanding of how innovation and entrepreneurship tie to finance, and gain a deeper perspective on finance theories, institutions, and careers.
Self-guided certificate programs
Self-paced, and run in parallel to your studies, these certificates cover topics that can help you stand out among the entrepreneurs and corporate innovators of the future.
SAP University Alliances Program
Dive into SAP for HR, finance, supply chain, sales, analytics, and more to build a corporate toolkit you can use to run your future business or bring innovative ideas into an existing company. As an MIE student, you can benefit from a free membership with the SAP Learning Hub, and gain access to premium learning content, including learning journeys, practice systems, and free SAP certification exam attempts.
Bloomberg Certificate Courses
Complete Bloomberg’s online, interactive certificate courses to build a foundation of financial management knowledge. Gain finance industry-specific skills, and insights into real-life investment strategies.
AWS Academy
Gain the data-driven skills needed by future innovators and entrepreneurs. ESMT’s membership in the AWS Academy gives you access to a range of essential Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud courses, including AI and Machine Learning.
DataCamp
Explore the technical understanding that shapes innovative decision-making and entrepreneurship. Access DataCamp’s 500+ courses in Python, SQL, Power BI, AI, Java, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, and more – building up your ability to both understand corporate decisions across functions, and your knowledge of what goes into a successful startup.
Collaborative learning in today's business context
In today’s global economy, leaders are expected to work across countries, cultures, and teams—often navigating different ways of thinking and collaborating. At ESMT, that’s how learning begins.
From your first term, you will work in diverse, international teams: challenging assumptions, learning from different perspectives, and developing cross-cultural skills that are essential for global leadership. Collaborative learning is built into every part of the MIE experience, from case discussions to group projects.
As you move through the program, your learning environment expands. Electives, extracurricular activities, and campus events connect you with students from across the MSc programs, as well as the MBA and Executive Education cohorts. This wider community brings fresh viewpoints, professional experience, and global insight into your learning journey.
At a glance: Your community at ESMT
- Around 70 MIE students on campus at any time (across two cohorts)
- 300+ MSc students across all three master's programs (MGM, MIE, MAAI)
- 80% of MSc students from outside Germany, including Asia, Africa, and the Americas
- 1,048 students across MSc and MBA programs
- 95+ nationalities represented in the student body
- 9,000+ alumni from MSc, MBA, and Executive Education
Angeliki Papachroni
Nationality: Greece
Education: University of Warwick, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: Strategy & innovation
Courses taught: Foundations of Entrepreneurship (MIE), Organizing for Innovation (MIE), Ambidextrous Leadership (MGM)
Fun fact: So far I have traveled to 29 Greek islands, there are approximately only 198 to go!
“There is nothing more practical than a good theory” - Kurt Lewin
Linus Dahlander
Nationality: Sweden
Education: Chalmers University of Technology, Ph.D. and Stanford University, Post doc.
Courses taught: Innovation, entrepreneurship, new technologies
Fun fact: I once broke my arm while arm wrestling with a childhood friend. We are still friends even though he won.
"AI is changing how we innovate by opening new ways to solve problems and think creatively. But many people still don’t understand how to leverage it to the fullest potential."
Jens Weinmann
Nationality: Germany
Education: London Business School
Research area/focus: Innovation, digital transformation, design thinking, energy transformation, sustainability
Courses taught: Design Thinking, Sustainable Energy Future
Fun fact: Tried to become rich with producing NFTs and publishing them on web3 marketplaces (failed, at the least the part of becoming rich.
“We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don't let yourself be lulled into inaction.” - Bill Gates
Merih Sevilir
Nationality: Turkey/USA
Education: INSEAD, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: Entrepreneurship, gender gaps in leadership and entrepreneurship, healthcare finance, mergers and acquisitions
Courses taught: Financial Management and Entrepreneurial Finance
Fun fact: Studied, lived and worked in 5 countries in the last 20 years (England, France, USA, Italy and Germany).
"It lays the foundations of modern finance theory based on Nobel Prize winning theories in financial economics. Using finance theory to understand the creation and growth of entrepreneurial startups."
David Ronayne
Nationality: UK
Education: University of Warwick, Ph.D.; University of Oxford, Post doc.
Research area/focus: Industrial organization and behavioral economics
Courses taught: Business Economics
"We will explore business-relevant economic concepts and results, bringing them to life through applications and interactive exercises. The questions we will address range from the fundamental, e.g., 'What are the benefits of a free market?' to the practical, e.g., 'How should you price a product line?'"
Nazlı Sönmez
Nationality: Turkey
Education: London Business School, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: Operational innovation in healthcare
Courses taught: Operations and Global Supply Chain Management (MGM/MIE/MAAI), Analytics and AI for Healthcare Management (MAAI)
Fun fact: I was the co-founder of Bilkent University Baking Club during my college years.
"You can't manage or improve what you can't measure."
Eric Quintane
Nationality: France
Education: University of Melbourne, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: Social network analysis
Courses taught: Managing Organizations is a Global Context (MGM/MIE), Organizational Analytics: Data, Models, and People (MAAI)
Fun fact: I convinced my family to spend a night with me in a treehouse in the middle of the Amazon forest.
“No one can effectively implement third-generation strategies through second-generation organizations run by first-generation managers.” - Bartlett and Ghoshal (1990)
Oliver Binz
Nationality: Germany
Education: Duke University, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: Valuation
Courses taught: Financial Accounting
Fun fact: Lived in 7 countries
"A = L + E"
Bianca Schmitz
Nationality: Germany
Education: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Dr. rer. pol.
Research area/focus: Innovation, hidden champions and family firms, sales
Courses taught: Design Thinking
Fun fact: Being a “Kölsch Mädche” I love the Cologne Carnival.
"Design thinking isn't just a methodology; it's a mindset that transforms human-centered challenges into opportunities for innovation."
Jamie Song
Nationality: South Korea
Education: INSEAD, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: Entrepreneurial strategy, social networks, machine learning
Courses taught: Foundations of Strategic Management
Fun fact: I’ve lived across four continents and seven cities in the past ten years.
“The principles of strategic management will be a compass guiding you through the complexities of business, illuminating paths to gaining and sustaining competitive advantage, and empowering you to shape the future of organizations.”
Julia Langdon
Nationality: Spain/UK
Education: London Business School, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: How we judge unethical behavior, moral lay theories, moral messaging around disability, and negotiations.
Courses taught: Negotiations
Fun fact: I once walked from Bordeaux to Valencia.
"It is not the critic who counts; ... The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, ... who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, ... and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly." - Theodore Roosevelt
Stefan Wagner
Nationality: Germany
Education: LMU Munich, Dr. habil., Dr. oec. publ.
Research area/focus: Technology and Innovation Management
Courses taught: Economics of Innovation and New Technology , Innovation Policy and Regulation.
Fun fact: Despite being German, I have a weakness for vintage Italian vehicles. While still dreaming of owning an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA, I acquired two Vespas with a combined age of 72 years and still uses both of them!
"It is always fun to bring insights from my research to the classroom."
Jan Sebastian Nimczik
Nationality: Germany
Education: University of Mannheim, Dr. rer. pol.
Research area/focus: Labour markets and immigration
Courses taught: Data Science for Analytics (MGM/MIE), Machine Learning and Causality (MAAI)
" In this class we connect the predictive power of machine learning with the quest for answers to causal questions that help us make thorough decisions."
Francis de Véricourt
Nationality: France
Education: Université Paris VI, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: Decision science, analytics and operations, with applications in health care, sustainability and human-AI interaction
Courses taught: Judgement and Decision Making
Guillermo Baquero
Nationality: Ecuador
Education: Erasmus University Rotterdam, Ph.D.
Research area/focus: Hedge funds, mutual funds, behavioral finance, experimental economics, microfinance.
Courses taught: International Finance and Alternative Investments
Per Olsson
Nationality: Sweden
Education: Stockholm School of Economics, PhD
Research area/focus: Financial accounting, capital markets
Courses taught: Valuation
Martin Schweinsberg
Nationality: Germany
Education: London Business School, PhD
Research area/focus: Strategy & innovation
Courses taught: Status, Persuasion and Power in Organizations (MGM), Group Dynamics and Teamwork (MGM/MIE/MAAI), The Psychology of Conflict Resolution (MGM/MIE/MAAI)
Learn from experts shaping innovation and entrepreneurship globally
ESMT’s international faculty actively shapes the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship. Many work closely with startups, investors, and global companies, ensuring that your learning is grounded in real business challenges and informed by current practice. With a commitment to teaching, our faculty fosters a dynamic and supportive environment where students can apply ideas, test business models, and develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
ESMT faculty members:
- Conduct research in areas including innovation, digital transformation, and capital markets, informing course content and case discussions
- Bring global perspectives from studying, teaching, and working at leading universities and organizations around the world
- Regularly advise global firms such as Volkswagen Group and Lufthansa Group, bringing insights from real business practice in the classroom
