Interview about the master's programme „Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation“

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In March 2021 the first two graduates from the master’s programme "Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation" completed their studies. Within the standard study period of 3 semesters, Simon Göhler took courses on Entrepreneurship and Digital Technologies as well as Digital Business Models. He also worked in a team of five fellow students on a challenge with an industry partner. This project work, which is the core of the master's degree, takes place over two semesters. In this interview with his programme manager Simon reviewed the past semesters and looked a little ahead into his future.

PM: Why did you choose the DeepDive Master? 

Simon: I came from the practice and wanted to have a change in my career. My girlfriend was doing something similar so I was looking for all the concepts like Design Thinking and Ideation and how they work because I found that very interesting and an interesting path. That’s why I applied for the master’s degree. 

Is it possible to successfully complete the program without a technical background?

Yes. The mixture of skill sets within the team helps to achieve the project goals. You have people with a technical background, but you also have people with skills in other areas that are relevant for the success of the project. 

On what project did you work during the master’s?

I was working on a project with Munich City Utilities (SWM). SWM was planning a smart city quarter within their Munich headquarters and thus we got into the topic of smart cities and what a Smart City actually means.  We had to define that first and really dove deep into the concepts that are already out there. So it was really interesting to work on that project.

What skills did you improve the most during the master’s programme?

When it comes to a toolset that I can use, it is really all about innovation methods such as ideation and brainstorming, i.e. how to get into new ideas and structure them. When it comes to a personal level it is probably patience because sometimes our team discussions lasted hours and we were not getting to the point. Also I had to practice leading my team through phases of insecurity. Many students who come straight out of university often tend to want a clear task and accomplish what they think is expected from them, in particular from the professors. So I tried to encourage my fellow students to be self-confident and make something happen of which above all we ourselves are convinced.

What is unique about the master’s programme? 

I would say having a small batch with selected students and varying skill sets that build up to a passionate big force . When we still had live classes we had really interesting discussions as well which was really good. Then for me a big plus was that the master’s took three semesters. 

What was your biggest key learning from the Deep Dive master’s? 

Probably that on my own I could not be an entrepreneur and that you need a team with different skill sets to really make something happen. That was very interesting because sometimes you look at something and you think you could do that as well, but no, actually there are fellow students who can do it better and that is awesome. 

What do you have planned for your future?

At the moment I am working with my girlfriend on the project Circular Munich which is also supported by SCE’s start-up certificate programme. To finance the living expenses, I am also applying for different jobs within the ecosystem where I can use my new knowledge and skill sets. So coming back to the original question, for me it was the right choice because that has given me a new direction that I was looking for. 

Are you interested in starting your entrepreneurial project in health, mobility, manufacturing, food, … or your topic and get a master’s degree? The next round of applications for the master's degree starts May 2.
For more information on the Deep Dive master’s programme please visit www.hm.edu/deepdive.