Finalist

Male Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year Award

João Cotter Salvado

Finalist of the Male Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year Award

Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics - Portugal

"Empowering next-generation entrepreneurial leaders for a better world"


Have a say and vote for this entry to win the People's Choice Award!


Registered vote
500 points per vote

Provide your email address and click on "vote". You will then receive an email that enables you to verify your vote by clicking on a link.

 
Social media vote
1500 points per tweet. 500 points per retweet. 250 points for a like.

Support this entry by engaging with it on Twitter. Tweet or retweet using the following two hashtags to support this entry (use both hashtags in the same Tweet). Also, if you "like" an existing Tweet with these hashtags, the entry gets points.
#ACEEU_Awards
#2023Entry648

Live voting at Awards Ceremony
7500 points per vote

Join the Awards Ceremony online and vote live for this entry. Register here and we will send you a reminder and streaming link closer to the event.

The Award Ceremony for this entry (award category "Male Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year ") will take place on 27 June 2023, 17:30 to 18:30 CEST.

Summary

My unique methodology combines innovative, challenge-based approaches, state-of-the-art tools, and an ecosystem-building philosophy. This methodology allows entrepreneurs to learn by doing, taking their ideas from the classroom to the field, where they interact with potential clients, suppliers, or investors. By facing real-world challenges, they robustly validate their business ideas. To support their progress, the methodology provides entrepreneurs with targeted challenge questions, tools, and frameworks, customized at each stage of the process. Finally, my approach replicates the ecosystem- and community-perspective that entrepreneurs encounter in the real world.

With a solid belief in the power of entrepreneurship to drive positive change, my approach has been designed to break down silos and draw from the best insights across multiple fields and disciplines. By establishing key partnerships with university stakeholders and external partners, I aim to create a collaborative ecosystem that nurtures innovative and impactful ventures. But I did not stop there. As an entrepreneurial educator, I recognize that we must reach beyond the classroom. That's why I have been scaling up this teaching approach to empower high-school students, social entrepreneurs, and isolated communities with the tools and knowledge to create positive change in their own lives and communities. Through my advisory roles and active mentorship, I have cultivated strong ties with the entrepreneurial ecosystem around the university, constantly contributing to events and initiatives that inspire and support the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. With this holistic approach to entrepreneurship, we can create a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world for all.

Key People


Filipe Santos
Professor of Social Innovation and Dean
Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics



Kamalini Ramdas
Professor of Management Science and Operations
London Business School



Daniel Traça
Professor of Economics
Nova School of Business and Economics



Freek Vermeulen
Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship
London Business School


Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Kyryl Lakishyk, Academic Director of the Master of Science Programs in Management at Católica-Lisbon, for trusting me to teach both the Lean Entrepreneurship Project and the Social Entrepreneurship course. I must also express my admiration and gratitude to José Vasconcelos Sousa, my co-teacher for the Lean Entrepreneurship Project. His wealth of experience and invaluable insights have been instrumental in shaping the course, and I have learned so much from him. Lastly, I would like to thank Céline Abecassis-Moedas, Pierre Gein, and the Católica-Lisbon Center for Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Through their guidance and support, I have been able to immerse myself in the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to contribute to its growth and success.

Images

Debriefing

Delivery of Diplomas

Listening I

Listening II

Manual para Transformar o Mundo

Teaching Award I

Teaching Award II

Social Entrepreneur Guide to Changing the World I

Social Entrepreneur Guide to Changing the World II

Teaching I

Teaching II

Teaching III

Writing

IMPACT STORY

Impacting lifes

As an entrepreneurship educator, I have been fortunate enough to witness firsthand the profound impact that my work has had on the lives of countless individuals and communities.

One particular experience that stands out is the intensive impact accelerator program we developed for the European Investment Bank, aimed at helping early-stage impact ventures throughout Europe accelerate their growth. The program was replicated with the Brazilian Cooperative Learning Service, targeting social innovations implemented in Brazilian cooperatives and impacting many communities.

Another project I am incredibly proud of is the leadership and social innovation program I developed and coordinated in collaboration with Girl MOVE Academy, designed to empower young Mozambican women. Through this yearly executive program, I taught social business modeling and prototyping. It was incredibly rewarding to see how these women went on to create impactful businesses that addressed unique challenges faced by their communities.

Lastly, I had the privilege of developing a program on impact entrepreneurship for high school students with Junior Achievement Portugal. The aim was to equip these students with the tools and knowledge they need to create positive change in their communities. The program was so successful that we are scaling it up and making it a reference program in the field.

Overall, these programs have allowed me to impact the lives of many individuals and communities. Witnessing firsthand the power of entrepreneurship to effect positive change has been truly inspiring, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have played a role in this transformative process.

LEARNINGS

Lessons learned

One of the most important lessons I have learned is the significance of proximity to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. By immersing myself in decision-making and advisory roles within the ecosystem, I can gain valuable competencies that can be brought to the classroom. This includes access to real-world cases and examples, networking opportunities with entrepreneurs and policy-makers, and access to resources such as funding, mentorship, and incubation programs. The closer you are to the ecosystem, the more relevant and up-to-date your teaching will be.

Another essential aspect of entrepreneurship education is being dedicated to your students. Creating a student-centered environment responsive to their needs can foster an inclusive and supportive classroom culture that encourages active participation, customized feedback, and mentoring. This requires being actively involved in your students' learning process, taking action to address their concerns, and providing them with the resources they need to succeed.

Lastly, I have learned that continuous improvement is critical. The field of entrepreneurship education is constantly evolving, and it is vital to stay up-to-date with the latest trends, best practices, and high-level academic research. By seeking feedback from students and colleagues, attending professional development opportunities, and experimenting with new teaching strategies, you can continually improve your teaching materials and reflect on what works and what doesn't.

In summary, being close to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, dedicating yourself to your students, and continuously improving your teaching materials are essential elements to succeed in entrepreneurship education and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.

FUTURE PLANS

What's coming?

Looking toward the future, I am committed to advancing entrepreneurship education based on three key priorities. Firstly, I plan to democratize entrepreneurship education by increasingly making it accessible to all university students. This includes developing new interdisciplinary courses and programs that provide practical knowledge and skills to prepare (non-business) students for successful entrepreneurial careers. I believe that providing access to experiential learning opportunities is critical. This includes initiatives such as hackathons or startup days that enable students to work on real-world problems and learn from experienced entrepreneurs.

Secondly, I will continue to foster a culture of innovation and risk-taking by promoting entrepreneurship at the societal level. This will involve advocating for government policies that support student entrepreneurship, as well as creating recognition programs that celebrate successful entrepreneurs (in particular, our university alumni). I also plan to continue collaborating with local and national partners to strengthen the university's entrepreneurial ecosystems. This includes providing access to capital and resources for early-stage student entrepreneurs, as well as creating networking opportunities and mentorship programs.

Finally, promoting diversity and inclusivity in entrepreneurship education is crucial. I will continue to develop and implement programs and initiatives that support underrepresented groups, such as women, minorities, and individuals from low-income backgrounds. The Women Entrepreneurship Award is an excellent example of the type of initiative that can be successful, and I will continue to think about further initiatives to create a more inclusive environment for all students.


KEY STATISTICS

399

Degree-level students

97

Early-stage ventures generated

45

Jury members involved

42

Alumni mentors engaged

27

Guest speakers invited

289

Executive-level students

2024 © ACEEU. All rights reserved.