Career prospects

Graduates of the Master’s in Business Development and Entrepreneurship are equipped to thrive in careers where entrepreneurship, innovation, and business growth are central. 

Depending on your ambitions, you can position yourself in three distinct profiles:

  • Venture Builder: Drive, shape, and grow new ventures from within. You may become a founder or co-founder, or join a startup or scale-up as an early employee. Typical roles include (co)founder, business developer, sales or growth manager, operations associate, or entrepreneur-in-residence.
  • Business and Innovation Consultant: Advise organisations on how to explore, validate, and scale opportunities. Graduates take roles such as innovation or strategy consultant, business analyst, venture strategist, or management trainee in corporates, consultancy firms, or public organisations.
  • Ecosystem Enabler: Foster entrepreneurship by creating the conditions for ventures to thrive. You may work for incubators, accelerators, venture capital firms, or government bodies, in roles such as programme/community manager, venture analyst, startup scout, or policy officer. 

Skills and competences

Across these profiles, BDE graduates stand out for their ability to combine economic and managerial insights with entrepreneurial skills. You will be able to:

  • Analyse opportunities and markets using rigorous methods.
  • Build and manage entrepreneurial teams and networks.
  • Develop strategies, business models, and financing plans through evidence-based approaches.
  • Understand and help shape the ecosystems that support entrepreneurship
  • Communicate effectively and work in multidisciplinary settings.

Career development

The programme actively supports your career preparation and connection to the labour market through:

  • Guest lectures from entrepreneurs, investors, consultants, and corporate innovators.
  • Career events organised with the student association ECU’92, connecting you with employers and alumni.
  • Business challenges and live cases brought in by startups, corporates, and ecosystem partners .
  • The course Professional Skills, which strengthens your entry into the labour market through skills workshops and career reflection.
  • Thesis projects linked to questions from established companies or entrepreneurial organisations.

Alumni stories

Curious about the jobs our alumni got? Browse the LinkedIn profiles of some of our graduates.

  • Marketing and Business Development Manager at Active Ants

    Utrecht, the Netherlands
     

    LinkedIn
    Maria Startseva
    View my profile on LinkedIn

  • AI Transformation Lead at Ultimo

    Nunspeet, the Netherlands

    LinkedIn
    Felipe Seixas
    View my profile on LinkedIn

UU Career Services

UU Career Services offers training related to career orientation and job application skills; examples include writing an application letter and CV and conducting a job interview. You can find more information about career services on or  Furthermore, the alumni network supports graduates with workshops and meet-ups after graduation to expand networks and skills.

UU Careers Day

Once a year, Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ organises a . The Careers Day offers the opportunity to sign up for workshops and trainings, have your resume assessed, and meet recruiters.