This course brings together the EntreComp, DigComp, and GreenComp frameworks to help learners build the skills needed to start and create businesses that are valuable for viable responsible, and built for long-term impact.
START DSP is a higher-education course designed to help learners develop business ideas that address contemporary environmental, social, and digital challenges. It reflects a growing shift in how entrepreneurship is understood — moving beyond purely profit-driven models towards approaches that balance economic viability with sustainability, ethical responsibility, and long-term value creation.
The course has been developed in response to clear gaps identified across higher education and industry. While many programmes support business creation, fewer equip learners with the ability to integrate sustainability, digital innovation, and societal impact into their thinking from the outset. START DSP addresses this by providing a structured yet flexible learning pathway that connects these areas in a practical and applied way.
There has been a clear rise in businesses designed to respond to global challenges. Organisations such as FoodCloud (Hungry for a Kinder World) and Too Good To Go (Save Good Food From Going to Waste) demonstrate how digital platforms can reduce food waste at scale while maintaining financially sustainable business models. These examples reflect a broader shift towards purpose-led, impact-driven entrepreneurship.
At the same time, European policy and industry trends increasingly emphasise the importance of combining entrepreneurial competence with digital capability and sustainability awareness. START DSP reflects this shift by bringing these elements together into a single, coherent curriculum that prepares learners for the realities of modern business.
START DSP is designed for higher education learners, early-stage entrepreneurs, and individuals who want to develop business ideas that are both viable and responsible. It is particularly relevant for students across business, tourism, sustainability, and digital disciplines, as well as those from non-business backgrounds who are exploring entrepreneurship as a pathway.
The course supports learners at different stages — whether starting with an initial idea or refining an existing concept with a stronger focus on sustainability, digital tools, and long-term impact.
By the end of the course, learners will be able to assess business opportunities in relation to environmental, social, and digital contexts, and develop ideas that respond to real-world needs. They will be able to design and communicate business concepts supported by appropriate digital tools and grounded in sustainable practices.
Learners will also build confidence in decision-making, communication, and strategic thinking, while developing the ability to balance financial viability with broader considerations of impact, responsibility, and ethical practice.
| Module | Title | Why it Matters |
| 1 | Introduction to Mastering the Green Digital Entrepreneurial Mindset | Discover how entrepreneurial thinking, sustainability, and digital skills come together in today’s business world. This module introduces the START DSP mission and helps learners begin shaping their first green digital venture idea. |
| 2 | From Idea to Action: Entrepreneurial Skills in Action | Explore how sustainable ideas become real opportunities. This module focuses on mindset, creativity, initiative, and the core entrepreneurial skills needed to move from intention to action. |
| 3 | Green Digital Business Models – Designing for Impact in a Tech-Driven World | Learn how sustainability and digitalisation work together to power the next generation of business models. This module helps learners design and evaluate ventures that are innovative, resilient, and impact-driven. |
| 4 | Social Impact & Inclusion – Design with Purpose, Equity and Impact | Understand how to build ventures that create positive change, respond to real needs, and embed inclusion and equity into business design from the start. |
| 5 | Inclusive by Design: Leading with Diversity for Green Digital Innovation | Develop inclusive leadership skills and explore how diversity drives innovation, resilience, and stronger green digital ventures. |
| 6 | The Power of Purposeful Communication: Share Your Impact and Inspire Action | Learn how to communicate your idea, values, and impact in ways that build trust, engage audiences, and inspire action. |
| 7 | Communicating Your Mission for Maximum Impact | Focus on crafting a purpose-driven narrative, pitching authentically, and making impact visible through storytelling, communication, and compliance-aware messaging. |
| 8 | Financial Purpose-Led Foundations: Funding, Profitability and Impact | Build stronger financial foundations for your venture by exploring funding, sustainable finance, and profitability models that support long-term impact. |
| 9 | Sustaining Success: Balancing Profit with Purpose | Learn how to manage performance, metrics, pricing, and strategic choices so your venture can remain both financially viable and true to its purpose. |
| 10 | Governance Models for Agility in Digital, Sustainable, and Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship | Explore agile, ethical, and stakeholder-focused governance models that help ventures stay resilient, transparent, and aligned with their mission as they grow. |
