Bringing people together
At the heart of the programme was the idea that entrepreneurship thrives when diverse minds come together. Students didn’t just attend lectures, they played the Triple Connection Game, a dynamic simulation that challenges participants to think strategically about supply chains and sustainability. They also pitched business ideas on topics ranging from circular economic solutions across the globe to teamwork within their small groups. These activities were engaging, but the real value lay in something deeper. The connections made between people from different cultures, disciplines, and perspectives. Individuals brought together by a shared desire to learn and develop themselves. Why does this matter? Because entrepreneurship, just like life is not a solo journey. It’s all about collaboration, sharing ideas, and building networks that cross national and cultural borders. Meeting new people during the BIP wasn’t just a social experiment. It was a professional investment. Students learned how to communicate across cultural contexts, negotiate and work in diverse teams, and leverage global insights to solve local problems. Problems that while local are often shared worldwide. These skills are essential for any future entrepreneur or business leader. And this BIP journey makes students think about what they want today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Matching the vision of one of the organizations that students cooperated during the week Kennispoort.
Local organizations as part of the experience
Kennispoort was one of the organizations we had the possibility to work with. The entire Zwolle region seems to offers a strong example of how education, innovation and business can be closely linked. Kennispoort Zwolle plays a key connecting role by supporting SMEs with independent advice while translating real business challenges into learning opportunities. Through projects, challenges and workshops, students work on practical company cases, gaining hands-on experience while companies benefit from fresh insights. Through the week we also learned about ZWINC (Zwolle Incubator) that complements this is idea by focusing on startups and innovative entrepreneurs, especially in IT and manufacturing. It provides an environment where companies can work and innovate and students can visit to engage on projects and collaborations with early-stage companies. This gives students direct exposure to entrepreneurship and innovation in practice and provides the start-ups with alternative views on their challenges.
International collaboration in action
Adding a hands on learning experience, Inchainge’s Triple Connection game allowed students to take their knowledge to practice and explore sustainable business decision-making through a realistic simulation. By balancing people, planet and profit, participants develop a shared understanding of complex business trade-offs. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how regional ecosystems can effectively bring students and companies together, turning learning, innovation and entrepreneurship into a shared, practical experience.
Events like this remind us that education is not confined to classrooms or national boundaries. When we step into international spaces, we open doors to creativity and innovation that would be impossible in isolation. The friendships formed, the partnerships initiated, and the ideas exchanged during Global Entrepreneurship Week will continue be held dearly by the participants. Shaping their life, careers and their individual paths in business for years to come.
In short: international collaboration is the cornerstone of modern entrepreneurship. And at Windesheim, we saw that in action. Thank you Dinand Warringa and the entire Windesheim team for making this possible!
