About the trainee program
Entrepreneurs in Residence is a well-established trainee program developed by the business incubator LEAD, offering you an opportunity to grow both personally and as an entrepreneur. As an Entrepreneur in Residence at LEAD, you’ll be paired with another individual, working together on a clear mission—to transform new ideas or technologies into startup companies. The pairs are designed to complement each other through different skills and experiences, aiming to recruit 1-2 pairs for the program.
As part of the program, you’ll receive coaching and support from experienced business coaches at LEAD, which is a key component of your entrepreneurial education. The goal of the trainee program is to create conditions for participants to kickstart their development and become top-notch entrepreneurs and future key figures in startup companies. This is achieved through education, training, and coaching in business development, project management, and business acumen within real-life cases. You’ll receive paid education while experiencing real entrepreneurship but completely risk-free.
The application period for Entrepreneurs in Residence 2025 is now open.
Last application day: 16 February 2025
As an Entrepreneur in Residence, you will get to
- Develop a diverse skill set with tools and methodologies in business development.
- Evaluate the business potential of cases and technologies stemming from research and/or companies in the region.
- Individual coaching in areas such as leadership, self-leadership, and personal development.
- Opportunity to lead real-life cases with the potential to become successful companies.
- Collaborate in an environment alongside other entrepreneurs and be part of a startup community.
- Opportunity to position yourself as a key individual/co-founder in a startup company.
Your tasks
Initially, as a pair, you’ll be assigned several cases and technologies stemming from research and/or companies in the region. These cases vary in nature but all relate to technology, new innovations, and sustainability. Your task, together with your partner in the pair, will be to identify potential markets, test hypotheses, verify business ideas, and develop possible business models—essentially, the initial steps on a journey towards establishing a company. This involves:
- Market validation
- Value chain mapping
- Networking
- Interviews with key stakeholders
- Validation of potential business plans
- Development of workflows, among other tasks.
Your profile
We believe that applicants should be attentive, reliable, possess strong social skills, and enjoy working closely with another individual. You likely have an analytical mindset, work in a structured manner, and prioritize high-quality work. Furthermore, you’re probably someone who thrives on challenges and is not afraid to go the extra mile to achieve your goals. During the program, you’ll delve into new innovations and technologies, so we highly value curiosity and problem-solving skills in candidates.
To fit well in the program, we believe you have a keen interest in business development and innovations or are motivated by creating value and benefits for both customers and society at large. Hence, we think that applicants have a desire or ambition to eventually lead or become a key figure in a startup company.
Requirement: English. You can express yourself fluently in English, both verbally and in writing.
Desirable: A desire or ambition to eventually lead or be part of a startup company.
The majority of the program will involve working in pairs, so we aim to match individuals with complementary strengths and skills. Therefore, you can apply to the program even if you don’t identify with all the mentioned qualities.
