ELI co-founders

Marco & Martí met in Tilburg in 2019, and shared a common vision for an initiative that would give students the information and tools to decide whether an entrepreneurial career would suit their goals and talents. Their ambition is to make students ‘literate’ about what entrepreneurship means as a career, bringing them to make informed career choices.  

Our long-term ambition is to create a global platform that equips students worldwide with the entrepreneurial skills and self-awareness needed to make informed career choices

Missing step in entrepreneurship programs

The Entrepreneurial Literacy Initiative (ELI) was created to address a missing step in traditional entrepreneurship programs. While most programs focus on students already committed to starting a business, ELI reaches students who are only exploring the idea of entrepreneurship or may not have considered it yet. ELI began as a small initiative for Tilburg School of Economics and Management master students but quickly expanded to include bachelor students, and students from other Tilburg University schools. Last year, ELI attracted over 400 participants across all disciplines. Building on this success, ELI is now expanding internationally within the ENGAGE.EU alliance, with a first experimental implementation already at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business and initial conversations with NHH Norwegian School of Economics. 

A path of personal growth

Marco and Martí: “Entrepreneurship takes many forms—from launching a startup to running a small business or innovating within a large company. At its core, it’s about seizing opportunities, taking thoughtful risks, and staying resilient in the face of challenges. It’s a path of personal growth and discovery. ELI reflects this view by helping participants to explore their goals and ambitions, and to decide whether entrepreneurship aligns with those.”

Many programs focus on practical tools like crafting business plans, attracting customers, or assessing competitors. At ELI, we come one step before

Preparation comes before practical tools

“There are no perfect recipes for success,” say Marco and Martí. “However, certain skills can be prepared, cultivated, and practiced before diving into entrepreneurship. That is partly what we want to transmit at ELI. One of our main messages is that building credibility and competencies is essential for attracting external resources and managing risks. Many programs focus on practical tools like crafting business plans, attracting customers, or assessing competitors. At ELI, we come one step before. We emphasize the importance of building strong networks, developing drive, grit, and resilience to navigate uncertainty and create value. We also provide research-based insights to help students plan, adapt, and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

We need to go beyond the idea that entrepreneurship is for business-related students. Reaching all disciplines is key

The role of educational institutions

“Our long-term ambition is to create a global platform that equips students worldwide with the entrepreneurial skills and self-awareness needed to make informed career choices. Universities and other educational institutions have a crucial role in this, as they can widely share initiatives like ELI. Importantly, we need to go beyond the idea that entrepreneurship is for business-related students. Reaching all disciplines is key. By offering flexible programs, such as online and extracurricular offerings, universities can foster an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset in the next generation. This is a unique opportunity we can’t afford to miss.”