Venture Guide

The Venture Guide Program (Elab) is a dynamic and flexible university course designed for students who want to dive deeper into team facilitation, coaching, and innovation processes. The course is highly practical and offers real-life coaching experiences, preparing participants to take leadership roles in interdisciplinary and multicultural settings. Whether you’re passionate about entrepreneurship, curious about team psychology, or simply want to build your facilitation skills – this program offers a unique learning journey.

Structured Touchpoints: Kick-Off, Midterm, and Final Ceremony

To provide structure and a strong sense of community, the course includes several fixed in-person elements. It begins with two Kick-Off Days where students get to know each other, explore their motivations, and receive foundational training. A Midterm Day offers space to exchange experiences and develop personally, while the Final Ceremony is dedicated to celebrating learnings and sharing key takeaways. These anchor points promote connection among participants and allow for shared reflection in a supportive environment.

Real Coaching Opportunities

You’ll gain practical experience by selecting your own “coaching opportunities” – just like a freelancer! Each student is expected to complete 60 hours of active coaching to pass the course. Whether you’re facilitating international student teams during Winter or Summer Schools, supporting early-stage founders in entrepreneurial programs, or guiding teams through reflective team workshops, each experience helps you grow into your role as a facilitator. You’ll learn how to navigate team dynamics, adapt to different group needs, and work with highly motivated, purpose-driven teams in diverse settings. Along the way, you’ll apply and teach innovation methods such as Design Thinking, Lean Start-up, and Rapid Prototyping in real-world situations – not just in theory.

Access to the MakerSpace

Another unique element of the program is the partnership with MakerSpace. All Venture Guide participants receive a special scholarship that grants them free access to the MakerSpace workshops for one semester. As part of the course, students are required to complete the Laser Cutter training (Course A) to familiarize themselves with basic prototyping tools. They can also choose one additional workshop (Course A or B) according to their personal interests. This hands-on experience adds a creative dimension to the course and better equips students to support technical and interdisciplinary teams in building prototypes.

Learn by Reflecting

But the program is not only about action – it’s equally about reflection. After each coaching opportunity, students document their experience in a personal Coaching Journal. This ongoing reflection process encourages them to identify their strengths, recognize areas for improvement, and develop their own coaching style over time. The journal also forms the basis of the final course assessment and serves as a tool for continuous personal and professional development.

Learning Goals:

• Confidently take on the role of a facilitator or coach, guiding teams through complex problem-solving processes.

• Understand and analyse team dynamics in interdisciplinary and multicultural settings. Moderating retros and helping teams to successfully resolve conflicts.

• Apply innovation and start-up methods such as Design Thinking, Lean Start-up, and Rapid Prototyping in real-world formats.

• Develop your own coaching identity, including communication style, leadership attitude, and reflective practice.

• Adapt flexibly to different formats and target groups, from student teams to PhD candidates and international groups.

• Reflect critically on your coaching experiences, document learnings, and identify areas for personal growth.

• Take responsibility for planning, executing, and improving facilitation in dynamic and often uncertain settings.

Certificate & Alumni Network

Upon completion of the program, students receive a certificate as trained Entrepreneurship Coaches – a valuable credential for future roles in innovation, facilitation, or even self-employment. Graduates are also invited to join the Alumni Network. As part of this community, they continue to receive invitations to new coaching opportunities (often paid), workshops, and events – creating a long-lasting impact beyond the semester itself.

If you are passionate about coaching and enjoy working closely with teams to facilitate creative processes, this program could be a perfect fit for you. Ideally, you also have experience with design thinking, innovation methods, and team dynamics – for example, through participating in the Innovation Sprint - plus you like taking ownership, working independently, and communicating with confidence.

To apply for the Venture Guide Program, please submit your CV along with a short video (2–3 minutes) explaining your motivation for joining. In your video, briefly tell us why you’re interested in team facilitation and coaching, and share any relevant experience—such as Design Thinking, Lean Start-Up, Hackathons, Prototyping, or team projects. Don’t worry about being perfect; we want to get a genuine sense of who you are and what drives you. Feel free to get creative—show your face, share your latest hackathon prototype, or anything else that represents you!

Since spots are limited, only the best 12 candidates will be selected.

→ Apply now and send an application to: venture-guide@unternehmertum.de