Innovation Management: Start-up (MSc)
Hamburg School of Business Administration · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The part-time MSc Innovation Management: Start-up at HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration is taught entirely in English and prepares you to move from ideas to start-up implementation, guided by case studies and real-life projects in a Hamburg campus setting.
You can earn 120 ECTS over the regular study duration, including a Start-up specialisation and a master’s thesis in this area, with the programme start on 1 October each year.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Innovation Management (S1)
- Negotiations & Storytelling (S1)
- Programming (S1)
- Data Analysis (S1)
- Entrepreneurial Finance (S1)
- Project Management & Business Plans (S2)
- Applied Econometrics (S2)
- Service & Product Design (S2)
- Specialisation Part I (S2)
- Master Study Trip (S2)
- Specialisation Part II (S3)
- Start-up specialisation modules
- Electives
- Start-up specialisation modules (advanced)
- Project work in the start-up track
- Thesis preparation across research seminar and scientific methods
- Master Thesis
Curriculum
120 CP master's with modules and credits taken from HSBA MSc Innovation Management module handbooks (specialisation: Start-Up).
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | First-year modules (general modules) | Innovation Management | ||
| Innovation Analytics | ||||
| Service & Product Design | ||||
| Entrepreneurship, Intrapreneurship, Business Development and Digitalisation | ||||
| Start-Up Business Model & Validation | ||||
| Digitalisation Lab App Development | ||||
| Negotiations and Storytelling | ||||
| Agile / Project Work (Project Management) | ||||
| Research Seminar Scientific Methods | ||||
| Semester 2 | Second-year modules (general modules) | Case Studies in Innovation | ||
| Consulting Project | ||||
| Future of Work & Human Resources (HR) Trends | ||||
| Smart Cities (Sustainability / Innovation topics) | ||||
| Start-Ups & Fintech Finance | ||||
| Innovation Digital Finance | ||||
| Sustainable Finance | ||||
| Entre-/Intrapreneurship | ||||
| Semester 3 | Start-up specialisation modules plus project work | Start-Up Operation and Processes | ||
| Coaching & Systemic Thinking for Business Development | ||||
| Algorithms for Innovation Management | ||||
| Business Development Seminar | ||||
| Start-up Specialisation elective (from the Start-up track catalogue) | ||||
| Master Study Trip | ||||
| Semester 4 | Master Thesis phase | Master’s Thesis (Master’s Thesis (S5)) | ||
| Total | Total of all modules and Master’s Thesis for MSc Innovation Management (Start-up specialisation) | |||
Career outcomes
- You graduate with start-up and innovation management capabilities that you can apply in start-up incubators and accelerators, venture capital settings, and innovation-focused roles in public institutions.
- You will be trained to develop, evaluate, and implement innovation and start-up ideas by combining theory with real-life projects and case studies.
- Your program strengthens practical business and management skills, including financing and business-plan development, so you can move into roles such as innovation consultant, business developer, or marketing and growth-oriented positions.
- With entrepreneurship-focused modules in your start-up specialisation, you can build a profile that supports progression into managing director, founder, or business development leadership pathways.
- Because the program is taught entirely in English and focuses on applied, project-based learning, you build skills that are transferable across international teams and employers.
Employability rate
Innovation Management graduates typically see an employability rate of around 84% and an unemployment rate of about 16% in Germany, reflecting ongoing demand for innovation and entrepreneurship skills across business and public sectors.
Together, these figures point to a generally stable career outlook with reliable opportunities, especially for graduates who can demonstrate project and start-up experience.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with required ECTS distribution | International applicants must have completed a first academic degree with at least 180 ECTS. The degree should include at least 60 ECTS in economics-related subjects, and the application page allows up to 15 ECTS to be replaced by quantitative/scientific methods and up to 30 ECTS to be replaced by one year of relevant professional experience. The final grade should be at least ‘Good’ (2.5), and if not, additional relevant professional experience is required. |
| Minimum first degree grade | International applicants must have completed their first degree with at least ‘Good’ (2.5). If the grade is below this, HSBA states that applicants must provide additional relevant professional experience. |
Language requirements
This master programme is taught in English. For admission, HSBA requires proof of English proficiency for applicants who do not meet the university’s English-study language situation.
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 22500 / total program | HSBA states the tuition fees are 22,500 euros for the entire Master's programme. The tuition fees include learning materials, examination fees, Microsoft Office 365, access to the library, and supervision and assessment of your thesis; only extra costs are for the study trip. |
Proof of financial resources
International students typically need to demonstrate sufficient funds to cover living costs and tuition-related expenses for Germany. Prepare documents in line with the German residence permit requirements and HSBA admission/registration steps.
- Blocked account amount (Zweckgebundene Unterkunft) or equivalent proof for the German visa/residence process, as required by the responsible German authority
- Other official financial evidence requested during visa/residence-permit processing for studying in Germany
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A |
| Semester begins | N/A |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A |
🎓 Scholarship
| Provider | Scheme name | Coverage | Eligibility notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAAD | EPOS — Development-Related Postgraduate Courses | Tuition fees, monthly stipend, travel allowance, health insurance | DAAD EPOS supports development-related postgraduate courses in Germany and offers scholarships to qualified participants from developing and newly industrialised countries. Applicants for this MSc can consider EPOS if the course is selected by DAAD as EPOS-relevant for the relevant call year. |
📝 How to Apply
Check admission requirements for foreign qualifications
Review HSBA’s MSc Innovation Management (Start-up) admission requirements, especially the ECTS distribution and grade requirement for international applicants. If you are unsure whether your prior studies meet the economics-related ECTS and mathematics/statistics knowledge, HSBA indicates they can check this in advance. Make sure you can also provide English proficiency as required for admission.
Submit your online application
Complete the online application form during the application window using HSBA’s master application portal. Upload your documents as one PDF (maximum 10 MB) as requested on HSBA’s master application page. After you submit the application, HSBA runs a selection process that includes an individual interview.
Pass the selection process and interview
After HSBA reviews your documents and confirms the formal admission requirements, you will be invited to an individual interview with the programme leadership. HSBA states the interview can also be conducted virtually. The interview evaluates your personal, social, and academic suitability to complete the programme successfully.
Receive a study place offer and complete enrolment
If your interview and admission assessment are successful, HSBA will offer you a study place and send the contract and additional information. HSBA states that you complete the process by signing the contract and providing the required proof of financing. After this, you can start your studies with programme start on 1 October.