Blueprint For Success
Building a startup is more than just having an idea. Our master's in entrepreneurship program will help you maximize your success as a startup founder. You'll get the tools, skills, and networking to thrive. Gain lifelong relationships, essential knowledge, and strategies to drive your startup’s growth and success.
Build the foundations that will help your startup successfully scale and manage growth.
Reduce time to market and getting your first customers with a clear plan and product concept.
Be investment ready with a compelling pitch and roadmap to profitability and sustainable growth.
Globally, only 10% of startups survive beyond their initial years. There are recurring reasons behind this data, and our program will help you understand them in detail. It will also give you the guidance and skills to avoid these mistakes and identify potential threats at an early stage (before you've burned through your life savings).
Nexford's MSE is an immersive program that will help you get your first customers quickly and profitably. It will also give you a strong signal about how your startup's product or service addresses market demand.
Start here. Think hard about why this idea matters. During this process, your idea will go through its very first validation filters; if it passes, the business concept will become the foundation of your future startup.
Prove that your idea has legs by establishing the unique value you're solution brings to the market. You need to know your ideal customer profile’s pain points before building a Minimum Viable Product.
Your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is crucial. This is a simple yet sellable product with essential features that offer value to your early customers and provides invaluable feedback for fine-tuning your product.
Product-Market Fit (PMF) is the sweet spot where your product solution addresses customer needs. It's how you confirm revenue opportunities and strengthen your value-proposition.
You have customers and a working product. It's time to scale. This stage might be celebratory but remember, it's just the beginning. Focus on your ongoing growth strategy, and evolve as you expand.
If you are currently a startup founder or looking to become one within the next 12 months, this program was built for you. As an aspiring or recent startup founder, you'll get the necessary skills and support to set your business up for success. Going solo may seem the easiest path, but the truth is that having a peer group and someone to hold you accountable while learning and building will provide the fuel you need to accelerate your business.
Throughout the program, you'll create the tools to launch and grow your startup. The MSc in Entrepreneurship is an immersive, project-based experience for those ready to build.
Build: A strategic plan aligned to your startup’s financial forecast
Develop a strategy and plan to steer your startup toward sustainability and profitability. This exercise isn't just theoretical. You will synthesize your startup’s financial forecasts, key performance metrics, and leadership strategies into a step-by-step strategy for your startup. In this course, you will demonstrate strategic alignment of your startup's purpose with its financial viability.
Build: A product roadmap that connects development to business strategy
Learn to fuse product development with your business strategy. It's not just about designing a product, it's about aligning it with your strategic goals to ensure market success. Build a product roadmap that demonstrates this critical correlation. When product development is in sync with business strategy, it boosts market relevance and ensures resource effectiveness.
Build: A funding strategy and an investor pitch that justifies your business model
Crafting a convincing pitch for your startup's value proposition and communicating your plans for the use of funds is not just an option, it's an essential requirement for securing the funding that drives startup success. With a confident and well-articulated pitch, you can confidently attract investors and propel your business towards its goals.
Nexford's Startup Coalition Program is more than a feature of our MSc in Entrepreneurship. It's a life-changing opportunity to capitalize on the benefits of mentorship and industry connections. We have put together a coalition including leading investors and former successful founders, committed to helping you succeed.
Led by former founders, learn first hand from real success stories and void critical mistakes.
Get feedback and potentially find funding when you pitch your startup to seasoned investors and executives.
Build connections with leaders in the startup ecosystem and like-minded innovators.
Tools and resources such as free and discounted cloud hosting credits from coalition members.
The MSc in Entrepreneurship is a hands-on program of curated learning that will guide you through the process of launching your idea and improving your startup's performance. The course list below provides a glimpse into the comprehensive program that awaits you. So, gear up for an exciting and guided journey of building.
This survey course introduces fundamental concepts of the entrepreneurial process that must occur to go from a business concept to the launch of a new venture. Learners improve their entrepreneurial skills through content and interactive activities around the processes and steps that an entrepreneur must take to go from A to Z in successfully launching a business.
By the end of this course, you will not only have developed a comprehensive business pitch but also gained the confidence and knowledge needed to embark on your entrepreneurial journey with conviction. Whether you're an aspiring founder or a future business leader, this course is your gateway to the world of entrepreneurship. You will gain a well-rounded skill set and knowledge base, enabling them to transform ideas into compelling business pitches and thrive in the entrepreneurial landscape.
This one-month seminar will examine the aspects of an entrepreneurial mindset that founders need to succeed in their start-up businesses. An entrepreneurial mindset is resilient, resourceful, and solutions-oriented. In this seminar course, aspiring entrepreneurs will assess their readiness for the entrepreneurial journey, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and determine what skills and traits they should look for in a co-founding team.
There are two live sessions in this seminar with required attendance.
Learn how to bridge the gap between abstract ideas and tangible products. This course is designed to equip learners with the necessary skills to validate ideas, conduct effective user research, and apply design thinking principles. We delve into the creation of personas, story mapping, and prototyping, all crucial elements in the design thinking process. The course also offers an in-depth look into engineering strategies, focusing on decision-making processes such as build vs. buy, and leadership. We explore Agile development and SCRUM practices, providing students with a solid foundation in modern, efficient product development methodologies. The course also covers the business aspects of new product development, ensuring learners are well-versed in the complete product lifecycle.
This course is perfect for aspiring product designers, engineers, and entrepreneurs who are eager to turn their innovative ideas into reality.
This practical course explores the strategies necessary for startups to succeed. Startups are resource-strapped and must be creative and innovative with their ideas, strategies, and actions to drive their business to succeed. This course covers concepts including monetization, profitability, and key success measures among other startup strategies. Learners will apply concepts from this class to their own startup ideas so they can further their strategy development.
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the legal aspects of founding a company. You will explore various legal entities and companies and delve into corporate/constitutional documents, such as Articles of Association. A significant portion of this course is dedicated to understanding investor rights, terms, and jargon, and the business impact of each of these elements, including Right of First Refusal (ROFR) and Anti-dilution.
The course will also offer an in-depth look into the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) Standards, a set of guidelines most venture capitalists use globally. It will cover topics such as Term Sheets, Subscription/Stock Purchase Agreements, Shareholder agreements, and Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFEs). You will understand how to build and manage capitalization tables and cover core policies like diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Learn how to secure funding for your startup. This course will teach you how to secure the funding you need to build your startup. You will learn about the various funding options available for your startup, including bootstrapping, microloans, bank debt, crowdfunding, angel investment, and venture capital funding. You will also learn how to formulate a funding strategy, prepare accurate financial projections, and craft and deliver a winning pitch.
As a founder, you must evaluate customer problems and identify solutions with the right product-market fit. This course will use a lean and agile product strategy and design approaches and processes to validate your ideas and implement your vision. In this course, you will learn how to refine your ideas, define your target customer to ensure product-market fit and set yourself up for long-term success as a founder.
This seminar course delves into the art of personal marketing, understanding how to present your skills and abilities in the most attractive and compelling way. You will develop communication skills relevant to selling, including active listening, persuasion, and product knowledge. The course will cover the intricacies of relationship management, and you will gain insights into objection handling, a critical skill in sales that allows them to address and overcome any potential barriers to a deal. It will identify the importance of persistence, self-motivation, and goal setting in the sales industry, providing you with the tools and strategies to stay motivated and driven, even when faced with rejection or obstacles. You will gain a well-rounded understanding and practical skills to market yourself and effectively sell your ideas.
The course covers crucial elements of go-to-market strategy, including identifying market needs and definition the product-market fit for new product offerings. You will gain practical insights into product launch strategies, product positioning, and sales enablement. The course also delves into defining product priorities, understanding market sizing, performing competitive analysis, and developing effective pricing and packaging strategies. The course ensures you will be well-equipped to navigate the dynamic and competitive landscape of product marketing.
Accounting and Financial Reporting engages learners in applying the principles of corporate finance and accounting to business decision making.
Course topics include financial statements and other reports, the basics of financial forecasting and budgeting, accounting analytics, and the communications and vocabulary related to financial statements. Learners reconcile financial transactions and accounting records, and examine the implications of international differences in accounting frameworks and financial reporting requirements.
What is the number one job skill American and global employees are lacking, according to LinkedIn CEO, Jeff Weiner? Communication. The Art of Communication is designed to strengthen and promote a leadership-driven communications model that extends from an audience centered communications approach. How do leaders persuade shareholders? How do leaders negotiate with clients and business partners across cultures?
This course introduces learners to a foundation in rhetorical awareness that will transfer through a variety of contexts, including corporate communications, public speaking, negotiation, and a range of executive leadership scenarios. Coursework includes genre analysis, professional writing, presentation design and delivery, and negotiation workshops.
This seminar aims to provide leaders and entrepreneurs with soft skills essential for excelling in the dynamic and diverse modern business environment. The program focuses on developing communication, leadership, problem-solving, and adaptability competencies. By the end of the course, participants will have improved their ability to lead their businesses, manage teams effectively, and make informed strategic decisions.
There are two live sessions in this seminar with required attendance.
One of the key skills every startup founder needs to know is how to identify, find, and hire the right team to build their business, starting with a co-founder. This course will cover management skills, basic HR skills for founders, key needs for new businesses, and the roles to handle those needs. The course will additionally cover how hiring needs and the organizational chart change as a business matures and scales. Topics include motivating and inspiring employees, leadership development, conflict management, intercultural relations, and change management.
Marketing Strategy focuses on the advanced marketing and leadership skills required in today’s fast-paced technology driven global economy. Learners prepare for roles within the field of marketing, and gain a solid understanding of the role of marketing, both in traditional and digital platforms, in defining and maintaining a brand and in meeting business objectives.
You’ll examine how technology and transformational approaches are critical to developing future-forward marketing strategies. Topics include leadership, strategic partnerships, and negotiating skills that are key contributors to successful business growth and company culture.
This seminar course will enhance your negotiation skills and build your ability to persuade effectively in both personal and professional contexts. You will also learn the art of successfully managing conflict. The course includes class discussions, negotiation assignments, and a practical exercise, allowing participants to identify their own negotiation styles and develop the tools and techniques to manage conflict effectively.
There are two live sessions in this seminar with required attendance.
The Entrepreneurship Capstone is a comprehensive course providing participants the opportunity to apply what they have learned throughout the Entrepreneurship program to create a comprehensive business plan and investor pitch deck for their validated business idea. During this course, you will enhance your business research skills and present their business idea as part of their final project. Participants will be evaluated on their business plan, investor pitch, and presentation and will receive feedback on any needed adjustments.
By the end of the course, you will have a strong pitch deck that you can use to pursue funding for a real business, and the presentation skills to properly present your business idea to potential investors or financial institutions.
Nike, SpaceX, and Netflix—were just ideas that sprinted, streamed, and soared into extraordinary global enterprises. Throughout the program, you will harness lessons from these trailblazing startups to deepen your founder knowledge and apply it to your startup.
Using Nike's journey from a niche running shoe startup to a global lifestyle brand, you will prepare a project showcasing the levers they used to successfully navigate market and audience expansion and how you will apply to your venture.
Investigate SpaceX's groundbreaking public-private partnership, a testament to the relentless pursuit of excellence with sky-high stakes. Learn from SpaceX's meticulous approach to achieving cost-effective innovation and how to apply these practices to your startup.
Dive into Netflix's triumph as a digital disruptor and category creator. From a bold idea to rigorous product-market fit discovery, Netflix's journey illuminates the path for emerging founders who envision the unimagined and are creating a new product category.
Complete a MSE in an average of 18 months or shorter if you want. The faster you finish, the more money you’ll save.
10-15 hours per week which fits into your work schedule so you can earn while you learn.
Learner-centric, mission driven, 100% online, offering a next-generation learning experience. Regardless of physical location.
From ( for 18 months)
The MSc in Entrepreneurship mirrors the entrepreneurial journey. If you’re not ready to commit to the entire program or only need targeted support, you can start with one of our pathways below.
These collection of courses will help entrepreneurs move from "idea" to viable pitch. Learners will build their vision, product roadmap, and business strategy to demonstrate how their idea will become a reality.
Every startup will navigate the journey from product concept to market fit. Achieving product-market fit is a crucial milestone that will increase founders' chances of securing funding and pave the way for growth.
The rigorous work founders do in this final stage provides fuel for sustainable growth beyond their initial launch. Design the right team and transition from early revenue to a scale-up organization.
At Nexford we have reimagined the university experience, torn down the walls of the traditional campus, and designed a learning experience for modern professionals. Our programs blend business knowledge and technical skills that will set you up for leading teams.
At Nexford, you'll graduate with more than a degree and capstone. You'll have a portfolio or projects, tools, and resources to support your startup's success.
Online but never alone. You'll contribute to small-group peer projects, connect with others in our community channels, and strengthen your co-creation and cross-functional skills.
Join a global community from over 110+ countries and build a strong network with professionals from Fortune 500 companies to startups.
Unlike an MBA track, that aims to help professionals build their leadership capacity, and overall business acumen, the MSc in Entrepreneurship is designed for individuals who seek to start or accelerate a new venture. The program design is a deep-dive into building a business as a founder (vs. an employee or contributor).
The program provides multiple networking opportunities through live workshop sessions, peer/cohort meetups, and access to Nexford’s global community (+110 counties with representation across many F500 companies). We know you can’t build and grow alone, which is why we provide a spectrum of networking opportunities.
Yes, absolutely. There are many moments in the founder's journey when you want to expand into a new market or consider adding a new product or service. Separately, some founders just need support in getting “unstuck” in their current building process.
The program serves both current founders and those ready to start the journey for the first time.
While having an idea is a good starting point, this program will walk you through the process of forming an idea. One of the first steps in the startup journey is “formation” and building your idea into a new venture. In this stage of the program, founders will refine any concept into a solution, pinpoint its market, and assess its revenue possibilities.
Great question. Sometimes we hear about these founders who dropped out of school and never received a degree, but it’s important to read beyond that individual and get a bigger picture. For example, did you know that globally, 98% of the CEO/Founders hold at least a Bachelor’s degree; 64% hold at least a Master’s degree or equivalent (including MBAs); and 10% hold a Doctorate degree.
Although a degree alone doesn't ensure startup success, our program delivers valuable startup skills and a credible credential. By participating, you not only acquire the necessary tools for success but also obtain a advanced degree that signals you as a credible, investable, and an attractive founder for potential employees.
We provide learners with access to an ecosystem of veteran founders, investors, and subject matter experts instead of assigning a single 1:1 mentor. You’ll get real-time guidance during our quarterly workshops and tools you can use to grow your network. How much you benefit from this truly lies in your hands.
If you're serious about turning your side hustle into a thriving startup, our program is the catalyst you need. Our program is the perfect launchpad for those who are determined to progress from being a solopreneur to leading a team and achieving ever-increasing revenue. It's the ideal choice for those who are committed to taking their side gig to the next level and turning it into a flourishing, full-scale business.
The entry into our program is simple. You are motivated, ready to do the hard work of building a startup, and have a Bachelor’s degree and are proficient in English.
