-Simran Ajwani, Business Faculty@ StartupYou
Growing up in a business family, I’ve always had a deep-rooted passion for entrepreneurship. My journey began at a young age, as I learned about profit and loss before even mastering the art of cartoons. By the age of 16, I was brimming with business ideas, eager to explore the world of entrepreneurship. In many ways, I didn’t choose to study business for my Bachelors, it chose me.
After completing my Bachelors in Business Administration, I scored 720 (94th percentile) on the GMAT and was delighted to receive a 100% M1 Merit Scholarship for the Masters in Management programme at ESCP Europe (Ranked 4th in the World according to Financial Times). When I pursued Entrepreneurship at their London and Berlin campuses, I realized that I couldn’t have been more wrong! Entrepreneurship is a beautiful infusion of Science, Business, and Art. But most importantly, the methods and principles behind it can be learnt; an Entrepreneurial mindset can be cultivated.
With determined passion and enthusiasm, I co-designed an experiential 5-day program to make ‘quality’ entrepreneurship education more accessible. In 2020, I co-founded Venture Boss and facilitated the program for 98 students from 22 different countries. I pitched my start-up at an international business plan competition and reached the finals, but lost to ONE question- How are you measuring the impact on students of what you claim to teach- The Entrepreneurial Mindset? I had no answer!
My aim is to help and train 1 million young entrepreneurial leaders who solve local challenges in India by 2026.To take a step closer to achieving this aim, I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Entrepreneurship with Atlas Skilltech University, focusing on researching the best practices for entrepreneurship development programmes. Through my PhD, I want to find the most ‘effective’ way of imparting entrepreneurship education and assessing an individual’s entrepreneurial mindset. I believe that a validated assessment tool will play a crucial role in harnessing the potential of young entrepreneurial enthusiasts who lead India’s development.
Educating Entrepreneurs is a unique endeavour that goes beyond traditional classroom settings. Our young entrepreneurs learn best by testing their entrepreneurial ideas in the real world and receiving mentorship from esteemed industry experts. I’m very grateful that the StartupYou management and team have always been extremely supportive in breaking free from the classroom barrier.
