Connecting entrepreneurial learning, academic expertise and real-world experience across Leipzig and Lancaster.
The Lancaster University Network for Entrepreneurship Leipzig is the central platform for entrepreneurship-related activities at our Leipzig campus. It brings together Career Services, academic expertise, industry-led teaching and connections with entrepreneurs and business partners.
The Network supports students and graduates who want to explore entrepreneurship, develop an early-stage idea or connect their academic knowledge with real-world opportunities. It also creates opportunities for entrepreneurs, companies and start-up organisations to contribute their experience to our international university community.
Discover whether entrepreneurship could be the right path for you and learn how to take an initial idea or area of interest forward.
Develop your understanding of customers, markets, business models and the practical steps involved in testing an opportunity.
Contribute as an entrepreneur, speaker, mentor, company partner or member of the regional start-up ecosystem.
Whether you already have an idea or are still looking for the right problem to work on, the Network helps you consider your next steps.
Activities may include:
Support may take the form of workshops, group activities, individual orientation and referrals to suitable internal or external expertise.
The Network brings together academic expertise and practical experience in areas relevant to entrepreneurship, including:
Activities are designed to complement degree programmes rather than duplicate formal teaching.
Companies and entrepreneurs contribute practical perspectives to learning at the Leipzig campus.
Possible formats include:
Industry-led activities help students connect academic knowledge with the realities of developing, testing and delivering ideas.
Our international campus is well placed to connect ideas, markets and perspectives across borders.
The Network supports students in understanding:
Important: The Network provides initial orientation and referrals. Legal, tax and immigration matters require advice from appropriately qualified professionals.
The Network develops opportunities for students, graduates, entrepreneurs and business partners to meet and exchange experience.
Formats may include:
Upcoming activities will be published in the Events section of this page.
The Leipzig Network draws on entrepreneurship expertise, methods and connections from across Lancaster University. This gives students access to a broader community while allowing Leipzig to contribute its own international and regional perspectives.
The Lancaster University Management School Entrepreneurs in Residence community connects students and academics with experienced business leaders. Its members contribute to mentoring, teaching, research and student projects.
The network includes more than 80 entrepreneurs from a broad range of sectors and countries.
Work in Progress is Lancaster University’s gateway to entrepreneurial learning, innovation, employability and start-up support. Its activities include idea support, entrepreneurial competency development, events, challenges and connections with a wider community.
The Leipzig Network draws on this experience and seeks to make relevant opportunities accessible to the Leipzig community.
The Network connects with expertise in entrepreneurship, strategy, finance, responsible management, leadership and business engagement across Lancaster University Management School.
These connections support knowledge exchange between Leipzig, Bailrigg and the wider business community.
The BSc Business Management with Entrepreneurship is an academic pillar of the Network. The programme develops entrepreneurial thinking and practical business skills through subjects including innovation, entrepreneurial skills, enterprise development, funding, finance, business planning and responsible leadership.
Students benefit from an English-language, international learning environment and opportunities to connect academic work with entrepreneurs and business practice.
The Entrepreneurship Network is open beyond the degree programme. It seeks to engage students and graduates from management, computing and related disciplines.
The Network combines expertise from management and computing. This supports an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge-based, digital and internationally relevant ideas.
Our academic and professional expertise includes:
private equity and entrepreneurial finance
The Leipzig campus brings together business and computing perspectives in areas including:
This combination can support interdisciplinary teams in connecting technical possibilities with customer needs and viable business models.
The Network also draws on expertise in:
These areas help participants consider the economic, social and environmental implications of entrepreneurial decisions.
The Entrepreneurship Network brings together colleagues from Career Services, management and computing. The initial team will grow as further colleagues, entrepreneurs and external partners become involved.
Josefine Fitchett joined Lancaster University Leipzig in April 2022 as a Career and Engagement Manager. Her role is to prepare students for their entry into the labour market by training them in CV and cover letter writing and supporting them in defining their career goals and what it takes to reach them. To support students in their pursuit of having a successful career, Josefine also works to establish a network of regional partners from Leipzig’s varied company landscape. Her goal is to match students and graduates with regional companies in need for well-educated, motivated people that contribute to companies’ success and ultimately add to the success of Leipzig and Saxony.
Being originally from Leipzig and holding a Master’s degree from the University of Bristol in Gender and International Relations, Josefine has a deep first-hand understanding of both, German and British work and study cultures. Josefine is an expert building strong professional and interpersonal relationships to attain business goals. She previously worked as operations manager for BaseCamp Student where she established strong partnerships with local universities and corporations like Porsche, Helios Clinic, Deutsche Bahn and Amazon. Before that she was manager student affairs for MSc students at HHL. Beyond that she is trained as a life coach and a freelance writer for local and regional magazines.
• Research focus: Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, Digitalization, sustainable entrepreneurship
• Top publication outlet: Technological Forecasting and Social Change
• Top conference presentation: EURAM, R&D Management
• Industry engagement: Co-founder and chair of the supervisory board co.hilo Kaffeekollektiv eG
• Prior position in higher education: Research associate, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
• Postgraduate education: PhD, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Assistant Professor in Business Studies, Strategy & Entrepreneurship, Accounting & Finance, Research Methods
Research focus: Trust in business relationships, negotiation
Career highlight: Selling my start-up to a private investor
Career highlight: United Nations PRME Co-coordinator of SIP Working Group
The Network is developing a structured programme for women interested in entrepreneurship and early-stage venture development. The proposed programme will combine practical workshops, individual coaching, mentoring by experienced entrepreneurs and connections with regional and international networks.
A particular focus will be placed on the experience of international students and graduates seeking to understand and access the German start-up ecosystem.
The Network grows through collaboration. We welcome conversations with students, graduates, entrepreneurs, companies and organisations that want to contribute to entrepreneurial learning and venture development.
You can:
You do not need to have an incorporated company or a complete business plan.
You can contribute as:
We are particularly interested in a diversity of entrepreneurial journeys, industries, business models and international experiences.
Link: Support the Network
Companies can work with the Network through:
Link: Propose a Collaboration
We welcome conversations about:
Link: Discuss a Partnership
