• Jenisch Jan Philipp
• Morschett Dirk

• André Olivia Lina

Teacher: Jan Jenisch, Chairman Holcim Ltd, Designated CEO of Amrize

Assistants: 

• Nimco Moumin
• Jason MÜHLECK
• Olivia André

Course content:

This course offers a practical immersion into international strategy, with a distinct focus on venture-backed startups. The curriculum is uniquely structured around live case studies provided directly by startup founders. Students will apply established strategic frameworks to analyze these real-world scenarios and develop actionable solutions for ventures actively exploring global expansion.

Key topics include market selection, entry modes, timing, scaling strategies, and cross-border challenges. The course also examines how cultural, regulatory, and institutional differences shape global growth decisions.

Students will collaborate in teams to develop in-depth strategic global growth plans tailored to the participating startups. This applied learning experience culminates in a final presentation of these strategic recommendations directly to the involved startup founders and other stakeholders, offering a unique platform to refine communication and professional presentation abilities.

Program

• Introduction Day + Briefing: Thursday, 24.09.2025, 09:15-19:00
• Lecture Day + Q&A: Friday, 25.09.2025, 08:15-18:00
• First group discussion: Thursday, 15.10.2025, 12:00-18:00 (slot of 90 minutes per group)
• Second group discussion: Thursday, 12.11.2025, 12:00-18:00 (slot of 90 minutes per group) 
• Third group discussion: Thursday, 26.11.2025, 10:30-18:30 (slot of 120 minutes per group) 
• Final group presentations with Startup's top management: Wednesday, 09.12.2025, 09:00-18:00 

Upon completion, students will be equipped to:

• Apply foundational principles of international strategy to challenges presented in founder-led startup case studies.
• Analyze and select appropriate international markets and entry strategies for real-world ventures.
• Evaluate timing, scaling, and cross-border operational challenges based on active startup scenarios.
• Assess the influence of cultural, regulatory, and institutional factors on the global expansion plans of participating startups.
• Develop and present comprehensive international strategic plans directly relevant to the participating founders and management

The number of participants is limited to 20. Participants will be divided into four groups with different strategic case studies.

Expectations

Participants are expected to prioritize the seminar. They must attend all lectures and sessions and be able to meet the other students in the group.

Application

When registering online, an application must be sent simultaneously by email to the assistant (olivia.andre@unifr.ch). The application should contain CV, contact details, language skills, Bachelor's overall average grade, and Master's average grade of the already received ECTS.

Selection criteria

1. Profile of the Student
2. Performance of the student
3. Progress in the study

• Lecture materials provided on Moodle
• Grünig R, Kühn R, Morschett D (2022): The Strategy Planning Process, 3rd edition, Springer, Heidelberg
• Grünig R, Morschett D (2017): Developing International Strategies, 2nd edition, Springer, Berlin and Heidelberg

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Assessment of the group presentation

No re-assessment

Course with continuous evaluation on active participation, group work, analysis & strategy, and final presentation. There is no separate exam.

After the registration period, you can no longer cancel your registration (see the session calendar on the Faculty’s website)