Designing Effective Solutions for the Growth and Improvement of Startup Curriculum

Abstract

This study aimed to identify and conceptualize effective strategies for improving startup curricula based on the lived experiences of managers and experts in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This applied qualitative study was conducted within an interpretive paradigm. The research population consisted of university experts, experienced startup managers, and relevant academic documents. Purposive sampling was employed, and theoretical saturation was reached after nineteen semi-structured interviews. Data were collected through documentary review and field interviews and analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological analysis based on van Manen’s approach. Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, dependability, confirmability, transferability, and inter-coder agreement procedures. The findings indicate that effective startup curriculum development requires a multidimensional framework consisting of four core dimensions: learning orientation, learning domains, learning mechanisms, and learning monitoring. These dimensions were operationalized through twelve key components including entrepreneurial skill development, market knowledge enhancement, customer experience, user experience, marketing, data analytics, active learning, adaptive learning, technology utilization, learning assessment, and performance management. The model highlights the central role of aligning formal education, experiential learning, and market feedback in achieving sustainable startup success. The study concludes that sustainable startup growth depends on the establishment of dynamic, flexible, technology-driven curricula aligned with real market demands, and that implementing the proposed framework can significantly strengthen the connection between education, practice, and organizational performance.