I was focused on finishing my degree, meeting deadlines, and trying to go to those boring, typical networking events everybody has to go to. I hadn’t actively sought out entrepreneurship events, not because I wasn’t interested, but because I didn’t realise just how accessible and impactful such an experience could be. It was through a conversation with a friend, almost by accident, that I learned about the programme. I signed up out of curiosity, not knowing it would lead to one of the most enjoyable weeks of my uni years.

What made the programme different was its pace, its people, and its result. For one intense week, we weren’t just learning, we were mostly building, pitching, failing, and trying again. Trying again was kind of the essence. We worked in diverse teams, developed business ideas from scratch, and faced real feedback from real entrepreneurs. The guidance we received was grounded in experience, not just theory.

Confidence

I walked away not just with skills but with confidence, confidence that ideas can grow into action, that collaboration matters more than perfection, and that uncertainty isn’t something to avoid, but to explore. One thing that stuck with me, is that every event is advertised with “come and meet like-minded individuals,” well this was the opposite. I got to know so many people from so many different disciplines that it helped me broaden my horizon more than all those other events combined.

This is exactly the kind of experience I believe more TU/e students should have. Yet many of us don’t even hear about Young Entrepreneurs. That’s a problem. We spend a lot of time talking about preparing students for “the real world,” but opportunities like this one, which actually do that, often go unnoticed unless you happen to be in the right circle or stumble upon it by chance. Why isn’t something this impactful being mentioned in our courses, newsletters, or even during the first-year orientation?

Bridge the gap

TU/e already supports innovation and entrepreneurship through initiatives like TU/e Innovation Space, but we need to bridge the gap between these resources and the everyday student. A central platform listing such opportunities, short introductions during lectures, or student ambassadors who share their experiences could go a long way in raising awareness.

If we want to prepare students not just to graduate but to lead, innovate, and adapt in a fast-changing world, then we need to do more than deliver content. We need to empower curiosity. For me, the Summer School for Young Entrepreneurs did exactly that. I just wish I had known sooner.

Lii Schmidt is a student in Data Science at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science. The views expressed in this column are her own.