Sponsored by EDHEC Business School
While for some people a university degree is merely a stepping stone on the path towards a full-time job at a major company, other talented students look to take what they’ve learned and forge their own path.
Lara Schuhwerk is one such individual, who saw an opportunity to take the skills she’s learned and use them to tackle the increased demand for food around the world. With a growing global population, innovation is going to be necessary to avoid famines and Lara’s company hopes to revolutionize the market by offering a more ecologically friendly source of protein than traditional livestock (protein).
None of this would have been possible without the skills and knowledge Lara developed while studying the MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at EDHEC Business School. We chatted to her to learn more about her plans and to find out how you could follow in her footsteps as a student entrepreneur.
Hi Lara. So, why did you choose to study the MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at EDHEC?
I got to know EDHEC Business School for the very first time in March 2017 when I visited a fair in Zürich where a lot of different universities presented their master’s programs. After studying my bachelor’s degree in business administration, I was always certain about two things: I intended to specialize in a subject I am really passionate about and I wanted to study in a foreign country.
When I read through the whole course descriptions and semester structure for EDHEC, I knew instantly that this programme was exactly what I was looking for. Furthermore, I immediately fell in love with the school’s slogan “Make an impact”. I’ve always searched for an opportunity to grow and make something meaningful.
Later, I compared the program with other universities and I was convinced that EDHEC is the one and only campus where I could learn to become a successful and innovative entrepreneur. I chose EDHEC’s Entrepreneurship program because it embedded me in an international environment and valuable network, and helped me to develop on a personal and professional level.
What skills and experiences have you gained from the program?
The MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation helped me to think and act like an entrepreneur. Apart from all the theoretical skills, EDHEC’s professors and teachers enabled me to build a strong, resilient and creative mindset to tackle all the upcoming challenges as a future entrepreneur and to watch out for opportunities of all kind.
EDHEC provided the perfect environment for being proactive. Consequently, I didn’t only develop my start-up idea, but also worked with my closest friend, Adeola Soyemi, on an enriching student initiative – TEDx. I expanded my network and got to know inspiring, motivating, and smart fellow students and company founders.
How has the program prepared you to make an impact?
EDHEC empowered me to pursue my dreams and become a future entrepreneur. So, I am currently working on my own business – Beneto Foods. I intend to revolutionize the sports nutrition market with cricket protein. From there, I plan to produce and sell my flagship product, Beneto’s High Protein Pasta.
This career perspective adds meaning to my professional life because I can have a real impact. Research proves that the word will face a food crisis in 2050 when the population will have reached 10 billion people. The demand for conventional animal protein will increase by 60 percent, although our environment and production capacity has already reached its limits.
With Beneto, I want to offer a more sustainable and ecological protein source to our society in the future. It will be a path of trial and tribulation, but the MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation has prepared me for this challenge.
Learn more about studying an MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at EDHEC Business School by clicking here.
