European Venture Program Week: Learning by doing
What if an international learning week didn’t just inspire; but changed how we build? That’s the spirit of European Venture Program (EVP) Week, and The Gate was excited to be part of it.
From lab to city to market: learning by doing
At the end of August, a group of student entrepreneurs travelled through two leading European ecosystems: Copenhagen and Lausanne. The aim was simple: turn ideas into action. Throughout founder talks, hands-on workshops, and campus visits, participants explored how to validate assumptions quickly, craft clear value propositions, and grow networks that make progress possible.
As Ivan Vincze from LOOP reflected, he had “been to many of these events and never really had such a structured guideline on what to do and expect.” That structure; moving from mindset, to testing, to action, was a key strength of the week.
How the EVP adds value
The EVP approach combines different elements that reinforce each other:
- Science & venture, together. Technology remains center stage, guided toward real-world relevance through practical tools and founder access.
- Two ecosystems, one ambition. Copenhagen’s design-driven validation culture meets Lausanne’s deep-tech rigor, giving participants the chance to compare, adapt, and adopt what fits.
- Practice-oriented learning. Workshops such as Where to Play, assumption mapping, accessibility-by-design, and even rejection therapy gave teams concrete strategies to advance their ideas.
- People & partnerships. Connections with founders, labs, and mentors continue long after the week ends.
For some participants, the experience shifted how they see their own venture. Lucija Ražov from B-Sweaty shared that she “became more ambitious during the EVP.” After earlier competitions she felt unsure, “but now I feel more confident.” Others emphasized the importance of collaboration. As Thomas van Heuvelen from MOTEX put it: “You can’t do it alone, you need strategic partners and to grow your team.”
Copenhagen & Lausanne: snapshots
- Copenhagen: Founder-led, hands-on sessions encouraged teams to talk to users early. Assumption mapping, Where to Play strategy sprints, and accessibility perspectives broadened how teams thought about their products.
- Lausanne: A balanced program with early peer pitching helped quickly clarify each venture. Participants learned to sharpen their value propositions, avoid jargon, and recognize that not every product is for everyone.
The Gate & EVP
We see student entrepreneurship thrive when students are given the tools, the network, and the confidence to act. Whether you’re already building or just exploring, programs like EVP help you take that crucial step: from idea to evidence to impact.
As Parth Kasat from B-Sweaty noted, “There is so much more to a startup than an actual product; it’s understanding the entrepreneurial side, how to communicate, and how to help others truly understand your idea.” That combination of skill-building and mindset-shaping is where the value lies.
