Digital entrepreneurship on the Master in Digital Business & Innovation

5 min read

Digital entrepreneurship is a career path, but it’s also a mindset. At IE Business School, the Master in Digital Business & Innovation cultivates that mindset from day one. 

We recently sat down with Master in Digital Business & Innovation students Heaven Nemaungane from South Africa and Gabriela Vlahova from Bulgaria to learn more about their journeys toward entrepreneurship. Both have taken full advantage of the program’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly through the Venture Lab. Their experiences reveal how powerful this program can be for those ready to build something of their own. 

A living laboratory for entrepreneurs

Heaven and Gabriela have already been navigating the startup world through the hands-on opportunities in the Master in Digital Business & Innovation. This means specifically embarking on their newest journey with digital entrepreneurship. The program shaped their understanding of what it means to innovate in today’s digital economy, helping to translate ambition into real-world ventures. 

Both Heaven and Gabriela came into the program from technical backgrounds. Gabriela had a degree in cognitive science and AI, while Heaven had a background in chemical engineering and education. However, both quickly found that the business dimension was what they needed next.

“My background was mainly mathematical, statistical, and more technical,” she continues. “When I heard about how the Venture Lab worked, I knew I had to participate.”

Heaven shared a similar motivation. “I launched a startup in education, and then I went to do a postgraduate in mathematics education. But the missing part was more understanding how to manage digital products. I really liked that the program changes depending on the demand of the tech industry.” 

Building startups with purpose

The IE Venture Lab, IE Business School’s in-house accelerator program that helps participants turn their business ideas into viable ventures, played a pivotal role in these two students’ experiences. 

Gabriela and her team developed a startup focused on an AI-driven knee injury diagnosis platform, inspired by Gabriela’s own career-ending injury as a professional basketball player.  “I suffered an ACL injury that was misdiagnosed twice. It ended my playing career and opened my eyes to the serious consequences of medical errors. This was a turning point in my studies, and I dedicated my undergraduate thesis to developing an algorithm that diagnoses ACL injuries.”

The idea grew from this thesis and took shape during the Venture Lab. “The idea lacked the business side. My team and I expanded the concept into a digital platform called Deep Scans, which is designed to assist clinics in diagnosing knee injuries with great accuracy and efficiency. The program first helped me understand how to negotiate with companies, and the Venture Lab eventually taught me that I cannot do it by myself.”

Heaven, meanwhile, founded Vumba, a chatbot-powered learning tool that helps students with math through adaptive learning and real-time feedback. Initially rooted in tutoring services, his venture started before IE Business School and evolved through the Venture Lab. “We wanted to create a product and the Venture Lab was a vehicle for me to launch it—to be pushed, supported and have a focused deadline. And having a mentor helped me realize what I was thinking.” 

Integrating technology thoughtfully for digital entrepreneurship

For both entrepreneurs, the use of emerging tech like AI and data analytics was deliberate and user-centric. Heaven described Vumba’s functionality: “We’re building a chatbot that helps learners do math. Currently, we’re using AI to generate the tasks and quizzes. And we use data analytics to help the teacher get a better understanding of their class with real-time data.” 

Gabriela’s venture required careful attention around regulation and product-market fit. Her mentor was a key source of support: “My mentor really helped; we were curious about what was the right audience. He introduced us to other companies and talking to them,we learned that we could create a digital platform with a strong understanding of how to deal with Europe’s data protection laws (GDPR).”

Support from faculty, staff and a rigorous curriculum

That both Gabriela and Heaven cite their mentors is evidence of the overall strength of IE Business School’s academic ecosystem. “All of my classes in the program gave me excellent ideas. Along the way, I really learned to navigate the competition and differentiate our product,” shares Gabriela.

Heaven emphasized the mindset shift he gained. “My biggest takeaway is to do and do and do, all while talking less. We focused a lot on user-centered design, and the advice on how to do this well has turned out to be the most critical.” 

Advice for future entrepreneurs 

When asked what they would tell aspiring digital entrepreneurs considering this program, both had forthright pieces of advice. 

“Be confident and don’t be afraid to seek advice,” Gabriela says. “Speak to as many people as you can because the network is one of the best things you can take away from this program.” 

Heaven adds, “IE Business School has a lot to offer. Plan out what value you’re trying to get from this experience. Attend events and don’t get too comfortable with the first people you meet. Branch out, talk to professors, tell people what you’re thinking—you never know who has a connection or resource that might help you take your next step.”

The Master in Digital Business & Innovation offers a practical, hands-on environment that accelerates entrepreneurship and creates the tools to move fast. The program offers incredible specialization tracks, including AI-Powered Business Analytics; Digital Product & Platform Management; Digital Strategy, Transformation & Consulting; and Fintech & Digital Finance. And with the new Digital Entrepreneurship Track, the program sets an even stronger foundation for aspiring startup founders and innovators.

Students come to the program with ideas and walk away with a process, a roadmap and the confidence to execute. And the new Digital Entrepreneurship track will only sharpen the focus of that picture even further.