Portugal: Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe

Summary

*** Info Session: Wednesday, January 29, 12-1 p.m. Register here ***

Please note: There is a pre-application advising process for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe, Summer 2025 program. In order to apply for this program you must do this pre-application advising first at this link. Although the application opens February 5, 2025 you can start this process any time by submitting the pre-application advising form!

Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe

Join the European Innovation Academy in Porto, Portugal for an intensive, fast-paced learning experience, where you will learn from venture capitalists, serial entrepreneurs, executives from Silicon Valley companies, and experts from across the globe.

This program trades traditional classrooms with challenge labs, where students work with over 60 mentors and 400 students from all over the world to create innovative products. Whether you’re a seasoned student entrepreneur or have barely heard of Silicon Valley, this rigorous program gives you an incredible opportunity to explore your passion and potential within the startup scene and the world of business.
 

Students receive the SCET Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Technology upon completion of this Summer Abroad program.

The program is divided into 2 parts:

• ENGIN 183B: Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (2 units)

The Berkeley Leadership Week: The first week of the program leverages the Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (BMoE) methodology to prepare students to build startups in the next phase of the program. This week will take place in Segovia, Spain and focus on building leadership skills through experiential learning.

• ENGIN 183C: Challenge Lab (4 units)

UC Berkeley Students will join the world’s largest extreme entrepreneurship program - The European Innovation Academy in Porto, Portugal- Where they will develop an idea to a tech start-up in 15 days.

Dates:

• July 13 - August 10, 2025
• Please note that dates are subject to change

Courses:

In this program you will be enrolled in two courses for a total of 6 units:

• ENGIN 183C: Challenge Lab (4 units) +
• ENGIN 183B: Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (2 units)
• 6 units total

Language of Instruction: English

Requirements satisfied on this program:

• L&S International Studies Breadth
• Students receive the SCET Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Technology upon completion of this program
• Consult with your college/major advisor to see which degree requirements this course may fulfill.

Note: Requirements above must be satisfied through full participation (all courses must be completed with C-/P or better)

Eligibility:

• At least one year of college coursework completed by the start of the program
• 2.0 GPA or higher
• May not be on academic probation or under censure for student misconduct at any point from application review to the end of your program.
• Must be 18+ years old at the time of application

Housing and Food:

• Student accommodation in Porto will be single rooms and close to the venue (5/10 min walk)
• Students are responsible for their own meals on the program. Program staff will help orient students to the food options on-site.

Application:

Please note: There is a pre-application advising process for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe, Summer 2024 program. In order to apply for this program you must do this pre-application advising first. Although the application opens February 1, you can start this process any time by submitting the pre-application advising form.

• Complete Pre-advising session before applying (pre-application advising form)
• Application opens February 5, 2025
• Space is limited and applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
• Deadline to submit your application March 12, 2025.

Courses

During the program, you will take two courses for a total of 6 Berkeley units.

Course: ENGIN 183C

Title: Challenge Lab

Faculty Lead Team: Anni Sinijärv, Patricia Soares da Costa, & Ken Singer

Units: 4& units

Prerequisites: None

In collaboration with the European Innovation Academy (EIA), students work in cross-discipline lean start-up teams vying to create innovative products. Teams will navigate realistic weekly challenges introduced through case studies. They will understand real-world constraints, use rapid iterative build, and validate development methods.

Course: ENGIN 183B

Title: Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship

Faculty Lead Team: Anni Sinijärv, Patricia Soares da Costa, & Ken Singer

Units: 2 units

Prerequisites: None

Developed at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, the Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (BMoE) is a unique pedagogy that is offered in three interconnected layers of theory, entrepreneurial mindset, and new venture networks. A seminal aspect of the BMoE is the use of a game-based learning approach to developing the entrepreneurial mindset and social behaviors needed to develop successful new ventures. The curriculum embeds games and exercises within an experiential and competition-based journey of venture creation.

Requirements satisfied on this program:

• L&S International Studies Breadth
• Students receive the SCET Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Technology upon completion of this program
• Consult with your college/major advisor to see which degree requirements this course may fulfill.

Note: Requirements above must be satisfied through full participation (all courses must be completed with C-/P or better)

Course Enrollment:

Summer Abroad staff will enroll you in courses after your acceptance to the program. Please make sure there are no active blocks on your student account that may impact your course enrollment.

Costs

Tuition and Program Fee

The fees to participate in this program are broken down into 1) tuition and 2) program fees, which are applied to your student billing account as follows:

Fees are subject to change. All non-UC Berkeley students must pay an additional Document Management Fee of $71.

Estimated Out-of-Pocket Expenses

In addition to the fees outlined above, Berkeley Study Abroad has estimated costs for out-of-pocket expenses. These amounts are used to calculate financial aid packages for eligible students. Actual expenses will vary depending on your lifestyle and spending habits.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for Berkeley students who are enrolled in at least 6 units during the summer.  Students can request a financial aid package estimate to understand what their individual financial aid package will look like. We recommend all financial aid eligible students request a financial aid estimate.

​​Requesting a financial aid package estimate: If you wish to receive a financial aid package estimate, please fill out this form (CalNet Authentication required). You will receive an email with your financial aid estimate (please allow a minimum of one week for response).

If you have a specific question about a study abroad financial aid issue you are encountering, please email TravelAid@berkeley.edu. Please do not email to request a financial aid estimate, these requests should be made using the form above. 

All other students should contact the financial aid office at their home institution for more information.

Explanation of Fees

Tuition is based on a per unit cost:

• The UC undergraduate student rate is $419 per unit
• The visiting student rate for all non-UC participants is $615 per unit

The program fee includes* the following items:

• Student housing (more info on summary page)
• Excursions
• Participation fees for European Innovation Academy
• Travel insurance to cover accident/sickness medical coverage, emergency medical evacuation, security extraction, and other travel assistance services
• Other program-related costs including fees for group transportation, guest lecturers, museum admissions, etc.
• The $300 deposit. If accepted to the program, the $300 deposit will be applied towards your program fee. If you are waitlisted or denied admission to the program, your deposit will be refunded. If you request to withdraw your application prior to an admission decision being issued, or cancel your participation after being accepted to the program, the deposit remains charged to your account. 

*Please note that the list of items included in the program fee is not all-inclusive and is subject to change.

The following items are excluded from the program fee and included in the Out of Pocket expenses estimate:

• International airfare
• Personal expenses (souvenirs, routine medical expenses, toiletries, etc.)
• Course materials (textbooks and readers). Contact instructors for more information.
• Other travel expenses (passport, visa, etc.)
• Additional meals

Timeline

*The pre-departure orientation is mandatory and takes place on the UC Berkeley campus. If you are not on campus during this time, we will schedule a meeting via phone or Zoom.

†Students should plan to fly to Portugal and check into program housing in Porto, Portugal on July 13, 2025. Students are expected to check out of program housing in Porto, Portugal on August 10, 2025. Students who arrive early or depart after the last day may do so, but they are responsible for arranging their accommodations outside of the program end date.

All dates are subject to change.

Instructors

Faculty Director: Anni Sinijärv

Email: annisinijarv@berkeley.edu

Anni is an accomplished professional with a proven track record in the fields of education and start-up development. With over 10 years of experience, she has made significant contributions to the growth and success of the European Innovation Academy (EIA), establishing it as a prominent educational accelerator worldwide. As a co-founder and former CEO of the organization, Anni not only oversaw day-to-day operations but also forged strong partnerships with renowned institutions such as UC Berkeley, Google, and Stanford University. Under her leadership, EIA expanded its reach to new locations in France, Italy, Portugal, Qatar, and China.

Having lived in France for six years, Anni organized start-up and product launch bootcamps for over 500 students, further honing her expertise in the field. Additionally, her active involvement in Silicon Valley has allowed her to cultivate an exceptional network of tech professionals.

Anni holds a master's degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from HEC Paris, one of the world's leading business schools.

Anni's areas of expertise include product management, business development, strategic partnerships, and team building and leadership. With her comprehensive skill set and extensive experience, she continues to make a significant impact in driving innovation and fostering growth in the education and start-up ecosystem.

Patricia Soares Da Costa

CEO of Marquinista and trilingual consultant on branding, communication and tourism, who travelled to more countries (57) than years of age. 

A fire starter advisor to corporations, governments, startups and creative agencies.

A teacher for branding, and a marketing mentor at +20 global entrepreneurship programs: Arab Innovation Academy (Qatar), European Innovation Academy (Portugal), Swiss Entrepreneurship Program (Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Peru), EIT Food and Cassini Hackatons & Mentoring (European Comission), Enpact COVID-19 Relief Program (Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya and Indonesia), Take Off Istanbul by Türkiye Teknoloji Takımı (Turkey), Visa Innovation Program (Spain and Italy), and in Portugal at Startup Madeira, BIP (Universidade do Porto), Tourism Explorers (Turismo de Portugal) and Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute.

Worked with Wolff Olins, Mybrand, Brand Union, Bloom Consulting and Ivity Brand Corp, in London, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, New York, Madrid, Lisbon and Porto. Also, as a communication advisor to the Minister of Economy for Branding Portugal, Tourism and Innovation.

Ken Singer

Email: ken.singer@berkeley.edu

Ken Singer is a serial entrepreneur, technology executive, university lecturer, and director/advisor to numerous startups in the United States and Europe. A 14-year veteran of the mobile industry (enterprise software and digital advertising), Ken has been creating mobile solutions since cell phones first connected to the Internet at a whopping 28 kbps. Since then, he has founded or co-founded five companies in the mobility space. His experience spans all forms of mobile technology, from mobile video streaming to downloadable mobile apps. He has worked with Bluetooth, HTML5, GPS, SMS, and IVR, and he has served as a guinea pig for virtually every other acronym in the industry. Most recently, Ken was the co-founder and CEO of AppCentral, the first enterprise app store to let companies distribute mobile applications to their employees' iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. Ken successfully led the company through difficult market conditions and several rounds of venture financing.

Since 2008, Ken has been teaching the Mobile Applications and Entrepreneurship course in the College of Engineering. One of the first of its kind, the interdisciplinary course provides Berkeley students the opportunity to develop a working mobile application and business plan. Students pitch their businesses to active venture capitalists for a chance to create a real startup company. Ken has been promoting the curriculum around the world through a non-profit organization he started with two of his industry colleagues. Today, the Berkeley Mobile International Collaborative (BMIC) sponsors international competitions for university entrepreneurs. Ken has helped organize the past three competitions which have played host to the best university-based mobile startups from virtually every continent.

Ken is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and has been a guest lecturer at Tsinghua University and CYUPS in Beijing. As a firm believer in paying it forward, Ken is on the board of several startups and continues to advise and invest in some of the most promising mobile companies in the Silicon Valley, Berlin, and Paris.