Biobased Technology and Business Development

This programme is open to technical, environmental science, economics, business and finance students. It comprises 30 ECTS credits in total.

Modules for all students

Name of module

Module type

ECTS credits

Introduction weeks

In the first two weeks you will have an introduction program. During this program you get to know your fellow minor students and Breda (social program), we introduce you to working in multidisciplinary project teams or a client, and we offer you different games on entrepreneurship, sustainability and creativity to introduce you to the theme of the minor.

Training
session

 2

Group project Biobased chains

Case study for a company that wants to (further) develop and implement a biobased technology and/or become more sustainable. This video gives you an example of a project.

Project

12

Group project CO2 neutral cities

How can you make a city climate neutral and how you can convince the people involved to go for your ideas? With your group you will choose a city and come up with a plan within 2 weeks to make this city climate neutral.

Project

 4

How to write a business plan

This course will teach you more about the content of a business plan. How do you provide a good technical, marketing and financial section for the business plan that you will write for the biobased chains project. 

Course

 1

Financial Management

This course will teach you all about how to write a sound financial section for your business plan. You will learn that your marketing choices will have effect on the business revenues and that costs follow logically from the choices you make regarding partners and resources.

Course

 1

Marketing and branding instruments

this course gives an overview of the different marketing and branding instruments to market a new (biobased) product or technology. You will apply one or more of these instruments in the group projects. For students who do not have a marketing background this is an introduction to marketing.

Course

 2

Sustainable challenges

Course that discusses the challenges that companies face when switching towards sustainability (including the role of the different stakeholders).

Course

 2

Biobased Business Development (MOOC)

This online course teaches you how to use the marketing function as a pivotal tool in building better customer relationships.

Course

 1

Guest lectures

guest lectures from different sectors that are focussing on a biobased and circular economy.

Guest
lectures

 1

Circular Business Models

A successful introduction of biobased products/innovations requires new innovative business models. How can you value the fact that a product reduces CO2 emissions, has less impact on the environment or uses less valuable resources? And how do you relate this to a financial plan? This course will discuss the latest developments. 

Course

 1

Communication Instruments

When you work for a client or when you want to market a product, there are different ways of presenting your results such as infographics, blogs or story maps. This course will give an overview of the different options for you to apply in the projects. 

Course

 1

Background-specific electives

Depending on your educational background you can make a choice of two courses from the following subjects to complete the 30EC of this minor:

Name of module

Module type

ECTS credits

Introduction to Biobased technologies

In this course, you look into the biobased and/or circular part of your biobased chains project. Which question(s) does you client have and how could they be solved. For students who do not have a technological background this is an introduction to biobased technologies.

Course

 1

Advanced Biobased technologies

This course goes deeper into the technologies that are subject of the project Biobased chains. For students with a technical background.

 Course  2

Biobased Battle Brazil

One-week project during which you will work on a bio-based problem for a Brazilian company, together with Brazilian students

Project 1

Doing business with your talent

During this training you will find out more about your talents and entrepreneurship qualities. Can and do you want to become an entrepreneur?
Training session 1

Assessment

The different courses of the minor are assessed separately and each are awarded a number of ECTS. You are awarded the ECTS if you receive a final grade of 5.5 or higher or a pass for a subject. You are assessed both individually and based on group work.

We use different assessment methods depending on the course (written assignment, oral assessment, presence, presentation). There are no exams.