Students put on their entrepreneurial hats

Entrepreneurship is often described as a mindset shaped by creativity, resilience and resourcefulness. But for many students, it remains a black box until they are asked to build something themselves. As the NTU Honours College welcomed its first cohort, one of its priorities was to give students an early, structured exposure to how ideas are translated into impact. This led to the “Startup Sprint: Entrepreneurship in Action” course designed by NTUpreneur to help students understand not just what founders do but how value is created in conditions of uncertainty.

The course posits that students who are strong in technology also need the confidence to apply it meaningfully. Drawing on the Tech for Good movement, the curriculum encourages students to see beyond ingenious technological solutions and start with problems that matter — to themselves, their communities and the broader society. Instead of assuming that ideas are self-evident, students are guided to recognise unmet needs, query their assumptions and understand how technology can address topical challenges.

The course’s learning format reflects this intent. Out are traditional lectures and slide-based deliverables; replacing them are teaching formats ranging from short seminars and workshops to interviews with real users, prototyping sessions and regular iterations of business models. Students are expected to make decisions with incomplete information, confront ambiguity directly and refine their thinking through evidence rather than theory. Along the way, they interact with mentors, instructors and members of the startup community, giving them a flavour of how ideas evolve in real-world settings.

Show, not tell

A distinctive feature of the course is the emphasis on reflection before problem-solving. Students begin with two customised tools — Founders Fit GPT and Breakthrough Thinking GPT — that prompt them to clarify their personal motivations, values and long-term perspectives. This early exercise helps them define the kinds of problems they care about solving, anchoring their later work in purpose rather than convenience.

The course is also built around close guidance. Instructors serve a dual role as educators and industry mentors, offering conceptual framing and practical advice drawn from their experience. They ensure students receive continuous feedback as they test assumptions, conduct interviews and shape early prototypes. Resource support from the NTU I&E ecosystem — including project funding of up to S$2,000 — allows teams to build and test their concepts without the limitations that typically constrain early-stage experimentation.

Throughout the 13-week sprint, students develop three core capabilities that underpin responsible venture creation. The first is empathy, cultivated through direct engagement with users and stakeholders. Students observe how people behave, ask open-ended questions and learn to parse actual needs from perceived ones. The second is evidence-based thinking, which teaches students to validate problems rigorously and avoid becoming attached to initial ideas. They gather first-hand insights, learning to evaluate market urgency, feasibility and desirability. The last is resilience, as each team navigates pivots, conflicting perspectives and the natural tensions that arise when ideas ebb and flow.

These elements come together in a learning experience that mirrors the early stages of venture building. Students quickly realise that progress is rarely linear. Many teams revisited their assumptions multiple times as new information surfaced. Others reshaped their concepts after encountering unexpected user feedback. Over the semester, teams moved through the familiar forming–storming–norming–performing pattern, gradually building confidence in their ability to make informed decisions and articulate their ideas clearly. Ultimately, when it was time for Demo Day, a Shark-Tank-styled pitching exercise, what stood out was not the sophistication of their prototypes, but the maturity with which they explained their thinking, handled questions and reflected on their journey.

This growth has been one of the most encouraging outcomes for instructors. Students developed a more grounded understanding of what entrepreneurship entails — a disciplined, iterative process that demands curiosity, clarity and persistence.