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28DIGITAL · on Coursera

Innovation & Entrepreneurship: From Design Thinking to Funding

Intermediate English Course CertificateFREE
SkillsInnovationEntrepreneurshipDesign thinkingBusiness modellingFunding strategiesTech startups

Is this course right for you?

Our take
A Coursera course delivered through 28DIGITAL — representing several leading European technical universities, with instructors including Martin Vendel — that spans the entire arc of building something new.

Good for: Aspiring tech founders wanting the full innovation-to-funding arc.

Skip if: You want deep focus on one stage, or a non-tech context.

It moves from design thinking and idea generation through innovation cycles, business modelling and funding strategies, with a clear tech-sector emphasis. That breadth is the draw for aspiring tech founders who want the whole picture in one place, and the reason to look elsewhere if you want deep focus on a single stage or a non-tech context.

Audit it free on Coursera; a certificate needs a subscription (about $49/month) or Coursera Plus, with financial aid available, and marks what you completed rather than a qualification. The end-to-end founder's arc it maps stays broadly relevant (as of 2026).

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About this course

Innovation & Entrepreneurship: From Design Thinking to Funding takes you across the whole arc of building something new. Delivered through 28DIGITAL (representing leading European technical universities) with instructors including Martin Vendel, it covers design thinking and idea generation, innovation cycles, business modelling, and funding strategies — with an emphasis on the tech sector.

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Instructor

MV
Martin Vendel
Coursera instructor

Delivered via 28DIGITAL, an initiative representing a network of leading European technical universities, with a teaching team including Martin Vendel, Frans Nauta, and Mark Coopersmith. The perspective is international and tech-innovation focused.

Frequently asked questions

The journey of turning an idea into a venture — from using design thinking to identify and shape opportunities, through developing the concept, to seeking funding. It aims to connect the creative front end of innovation with the practical business side of building and financing a startup, giving aspiring founders an overview of the whole path rather than deep expertise in any single stage.

Not specifically. Although innovation and entrepreneurship courses often use tech examples, the design-thinking and funding concepts here apply to any kind of venture — products, services, or businesses in any sector. So you do not need a technology background; the frameworks for finding opportunities and seeking funding are general, useful whether your idea is tech-based or not.

It is produced by 28DIGITAL, an independent education provider, rather than a university or accredited institution. That is fine for practical, accessible content on innovation and entrepreneurship, but set expectations accordingly — it is a provider course with a completion certificate, not a university credential. Judge it on the usefulness of the material rather than institutional prestige.

It is typically available to audit on the hosting platform to watch the lectures at no cost, with graded elements and the certificate behind a subscription or fee depending on where it is offered. Since much of the value is the concepts and frameworks, auditing where possible gives you the substance if you want the ideas rather than the credential.

It is a focused course, typically a handful of hours to a few weeks depending on the version and pace. It is concept- and overview-driven rather than a deep, hands-on program, so the time goes into understanding the innovation-to-funding journey, with the real work of building a venture happening as you apply the ideas to your own idea.
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