Tech MBA - The Program

The first specialized MBA focused on the tech sector launched in Europe.

Top-Ranked Business School | IE Business School

The Program: Dive deep into our specialized Tech MBA

Our one-year, full time, intensive, specialized program takes students on a profound and exciting learning journey over four terms, each with its own unique focus.

Students dive deep into an exploration of tech ecosystems through experiential learning courses, learning everything they need to make sure that not only will they not get left behind, but that they can lead the wave of change we are riding.

Our Tech MBA is a tech-centered program that blends three modules – Business Mastery, Technology Immersion and Transformational Leadership – into a seamlessly integrated program by using a three-stage integrative approach: Exploration, Action & Focus.

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Key Areas

Business Mastery

At the heart of any MBA program, whether general or specialized, lies a curriculum in business management, strategy, and economics. In the case of our specialized Tech MBA, this core is designed to ensure you are equipped with the knowledge and lasting growth strategies that every tech-centric business needs in order to succeed in the current landscape, applying case studies and examples taken from the tech context from the very beginning.

Technology Immersion

This module ensures you understand the tech ecosystem, exploring the processes and challenges that underpin technological innovation, and gain the skills needed to manage within firms that are focused on tech and innovation.

Transformational Leadership

The leadership module prepares students to be leaders who can design, drive and manage change by expanding their mindsets, skills and tools, in a context in which the future of work is defined by VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity). This is the glue that holds the program together, differentiating you from other Tech MBA graduates. This is the vital element that will equip you to lead the future.

Your Learning Journey: Exploration, Action & Focus

Your learning journey will ensure you acquire technology, management and transformational leadership competencies by using a three-stage integrated approach:

1. Exploration

Explore tech and business with a program of both business and specialized tech courses.

2. Action

Immerse yourself in our specific technology experiential and action learning approach.

3. Focus

Choose from electives to sharpen your business or tech knowledge.

THE TECH MBA PROGRAM STRUCTURE

During the core modules the focus is about 55% tech and 45% business. However the electives offered in the 4th period mean you can customize your Tech MBA to make it perfect for you. If you choose all tech electives, your percentage of tech courses by the end of the program will reach over 75% of your studies.

Our Tech Career Treks take place regularly throughout all four periods. Students spend 2-3 hours visiting a global tech company with the objective of learning about their company culture, their priorities and also learn more about career opportunities when applicable. These treks typically happen within Madrid or Barcelona.

12 MONTHS
Duration		EXPLORATION		ACTION	FOCUS
Duration		PERIOD 1	PERIOD 2	PERIOD 3	PERIOD 4
Location
Subject	Pre-Term Courses	Accounting Marketing Entrepreneurship Leading people & change — Digital Business & Innovation Programming Database management	Finance Strategy Economics Operations — Data analytics & AI Strategy Software engineering Cybersecurity	Tech Tracks Period	Electives
		Transformational Leadership Module — Tech & Industry Forums		Tech Immersion Trips	Capstone Project

Tech Career Treks: During our Career Treks students spend 2-3 hours visiting a global tech company with the objective of learning about their company culture, their priorities and also learn more about career opportunities when applicable.

PERIODS 1 and 2: CORE

We cover core courses in all three stages, which are completely integrated.

Also included in Periods 1 and 2 are Tech & Industry forums which take an experiential learning approach and provide a practical perspective with workshops on Fin-Tech, Insure-Tech, Edu-Tech, etc., all featuring leading experts. These lead into the next phase of the Tech MBA.

FIRST CORE PERIOD

COURSES
• Financial Accounting
• Marketing Management
• Tech Entrepreneurship & New product Development
• Digital Business & Innovation
• Managing People & Change
• Software Programming
• Database Management
• Technology Industry & Forums
•Transformational Leadership Program

SECOND CORE PERIOD

COURSES
• Corporate Finance
• Managerial accounting
• Strategy for Tech
• Economics
• Operations Management
• Data Analytics and AI
• Software engineering
• Cybersecurity
• Technology Industry & Forums
• Transformational Leadership Program

PERIOD 3: TECH TRACKS

TRACKS ➡

Period 3 offers you the chance to get practical experience in specific Tech tracks – Digital Transformation, Data Analytics & AI and Digital Finance – and to join a Tech Immersion trip. In this phase you’ll bring everything you’ve learned so far into sharp focus on the main areas of digital transformation.
Digital Transformation

Digital Transformation

Traditional organizations are being transformed by technology. New digital entrants are disrupting existing business models, and established brick-and-mortar companies are adapting to click-and-mortar strategies. Learn how to lead and manage these digital transitions. Develop your technology consulting skills through real-world projects with leading companies.

Courses:

• Digital transformation
• Marketing intelligence
• Product commercialization
• Emerging techs
• E-commerce
Data Analytics & AI

Data Analytics & AI

Gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of how organizations today design data-driven strategies. Dive into the world of data science, gaining practical knowledge in a wide range of Artificial Intelligence techniques from Machine Learning, to Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing.

Courses:

• Advanced data analytics
• Data visualization
• Natural Language Processing & Text Mining
• Advanced Machine learning
• Emerging techs
Digital Finance

Digital Finance

Get a grasp on the emerging tools and technologies available to successfully tackle challenges in financial services including fintech, blockchain, big data, robotics process automation and Artificial Intelligence. Learn to design and build an automation strategy for a real company.

Courses:

• Fintech
• Blockchain
• Robotics process automation
• Advanced Machine learning
• Emerging techs

PERIOD 4: Specialization through electives

Period 4 offers a choice of electives, and here you can choose to strengthen the business or the tech side of your career as you wish, choosing from electives from the International MBA or the specialized Tech MBA. You can also choose to participate in exchange programs with other schools such as Cornell, Stern and MIT , or leverage internship opportunities.

In this period, students also write their Capstone project – a final thesis in which they focus on a problem (real, theoretical or academic) working with a mentor over ten sessions and in groups.

Tech MBA

BEYOND THE PROGRAM

Embedded in the real world – Beyond the business school

At IE Business School, we will give you all the knowledge and tools you need to launch your career to the next step. To complement the rigorous curriculum of the business and tech modules and our unique focus on perfecting your soft skills for transformational leadership, we offer our Tech MBA students numerous opportunities to immerse themselves in the real world of the tech sector through networking opportunities, contact with top companies, international exchange opportunities and tech events.

Tech Immersion Trip

1 Tech Immersion Trip

The optional Tech Immersion Trip is a unique experience that allows students to explore international companies that are centers of innovation. During this one-week trip you will discover what it’s really like to run a global tech business, and gain a working knowledge of local business practices. This will happen through lectures and dynamic sessions led by professors and industry professionals from world-class organizations, alongside visits to top companies where you analyze tech success stories through direct interaction with managers. Whether you go to San Francisco, Dublin, Singapore or elsewhere, you won’t want to miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn from the biggest players in the Tech sector.

Possible destinations of the Tech Immersion Trip are:

• United States – San Francisco or Seattle: Silicon Valley and the start-up capital of the world

• Europe – Dublin, Amsterdam or Berlin: The world’s next tech hub

• Republic of Singapore – Singapore: One of the most tech-savvy smart cities in the world

• Canada – Toronto or Vancouver

*Our Tech Immersion Trips are subject to change in every intake. Students will only travel to one destination to be confirmed at the beginning of each intake.
Tech Events

1 Tech Events

Many of the most successful disruptive innovations first raise their heads at international tech events and these play a fundamental role in the tech ecosystem, bringing people together and facilitating communication and collaboration amongst industry players. That’s why we support our students and encourage them to participate in key challenges within a wide range of specialized events You can also pitch your start-up in events like these (among others): Web Summit (Lisbon), Digital Enterprise Show (Madrid), VivaTech (Paris) and Mobile World Congress (Barcelona).
Tech Careers Treks

1 Tech Careers Treks in Madrid or Barcelona

Your time in Spain will provide the perfect opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge of the tech scene in Madrid and Barcelona. These cities are home to the European HQs of important global tech companies, and we arrange visits to cutting-edge players such as EY, IBM, Google, Amadeus, Indra, BBVA, Accenture, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. which will give you the inside track on international careers routes.

TAKEAWAYS

After our Tech MBA you will be ready to:

Dive headfirst into your digital leadership career with all the tech, business and soft skills needed to successfully navigate the tech ecosystem.

Complement your STEM background and passion for tech by becoming fluent in the language of business for tech, enhancing your capacity to think and plan strategically, capitalizing on tech opportunities for both you and your organization.