Expand+This course is taught in a non-traditional manner, designed to help the potential entrepreneur develop their business idea to its potential. Attendance on campus is expected 2 days per week, during which time the student will be based in AIT’s Midlan...

Hide-This course is taught in a non-traditional manner, designed to help the potential entrepreneur develop their business idea to its potential. Attendance on campus is expected 2 days per week, during which time the student will be based in AIT’s Midland Innovation and Research Centre (MIRC). Workshops and master classes will be delivered on the themes of Professional Development and Technical Development. Topics will be determined in consideration of the needs of the particular group, and will be targeted to maximise the benefit to each student’s business, taking into account the skills they already have, and their developmental needs.

Business success is not necessary to succeed on this programme. Rather, the aim of the course is to provide graduates with the toolkit to succeed in any business, large or small, for or not for profit, domestic or global.

As a business owner, you will experience intensive mentoring and advice. You will be expected to take workshops in key business disciplines, focused on the areas necessary for business success. You will be expected to deliver high quality output, for example business plans, marketing material, and documents to support funding pitches. You will develop professional, managerial, technical and personal skills. You will be expected to apply those skills to the development of your business idea. The Business Model Canvas will be the framework used to develop the final business plan.

You will be allocated business mentors, who will assist and encourage you in your endeavour. The mentors will set demanding targets and milestones for you to achieve.

The successful graduate will have the skills to take a business idea from zero, and develop a competent plan to take this idea to the implementation phase. The skills can be used to start or improve your own business, or to work with enterprises already in existence. The knowledge and skills thus achieved will give you the confidence to assess, develop and launch your business. Being a successful business owner is the ultimate opportunity opened up by this programme.

Expand+Year 1

The programme is delivered over 2 academic semesters. The modules defined are as follows:

•Entrepreneurial Strategy and Business Model Development

•Marketing Strategy

•Innovation and Creativity

•The Entrepreneurial Mindset

•...

Hide-Year 1

The programme is delivered over 2 academic semesters. The modules defined are as follows:

•Entrepreneurial Strategy and Business Model Development

•Marketing Strategy

•Innovation and Creativity

•The Entrepreneurial Mindset

•Operations and Lean Start Up

•Entrepreneurial Finance

•The Pitch: Selling you Business Idea

•The Business Plan


Workshops will be delivered in 3-hour blocks, up to 3 per week. Attendance on campus is expected for 2 days per week. Self-directed learning is crucial.

Expand+The assessment of this programme is entirely continuous, and non-examination based. The assessments will be formative and summative, and will be portfolio based. Students are expected to maintain a portfolio in 2 parts: (1) Professional Development, ...

Hide-The assessment of this programme is entirely continuous, and non-examination based. The assessments will be formative and summative, and will be portfolio based. Students are expected to maintain a portfolio in 2 parts: (1) Professional Development, through which the student will document the validated learning in a form representative of a reflective report, in which the learning from application of theory and skills is recorded; and (2) Technical Development, through which core concepts are applied and evaluated in the context of the student’s own business from concept to commercialisation.

THe final deliverable, the Business Plan, will be assessed in terms of its investor readiness and commercial standard.

Each module will have other deliverables, such as projects, presentations, and portfolio entries spaced out appropriately through the academic year.