
How to Become an Entrepreneur as a Student: 3 Things You Must Know Before Starting
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Do you have a business idea, lots of energy, and a dream of building something of your own?
Becoming an entrepreneur while you’re still a student is possible — but only if you know how to start in the right direction.
📚 Pro tip: Read The Lean Startup by Eric Ries – it’s a must before you launch anything → Get it here
Here are 3 key things every student entrepreneur should know before launching their first startup.
1. 🔍 Learn How the Local Innovation Ecosystem Works
Every city and university has an innovation ecosystem — a mix of people, spaces, events, and programs designed to help you grow your idea.
What to look for:
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University incubators or accelerators
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Coworking spaces open to students and young founders
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Startup events, pitch nights, hackathons
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Mentorship programs, youth entrepreneur associations, local foundations
👉 Start with your university: most have resources for entrepreneurship, business plan competitions, or internal grants.
🔑 Tip: Find a mentor who’s done it before. Real advice and real connections go a long way.
2. 🤝 Don’t Build Alone: Find the Right Co-Founders
Even the best idea won’t work if you’re doing everything yourself. You’ll need a founding team with complementary skills.
Essential co-founders:
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Tech lead (CTO) – If your idea involves tech, you need someone you trust to build it
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Marketing/sales – You need customer acquisition from day one
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Product/operations – Someone who understands your market and sets priorities
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Finance/strategy – Someone who can handle budgets, pitching, and fundraising
💡 Where to find them:
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University startup events
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Online communities like the Startup Founder & Co-Founder Italia LinkedIn group
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Hackathons and pre-acceleration programs
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Student clubs in business, engineering, or economics
🔑 Tip: Choose people who believe in your mission but bring different expertise. Test-drive the collaboration with a side project before launching officially.
3. 💸 Can You Start a Business Without Money?
Absolutely. Many great startups started broke — but they got started anyway.
Once your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is ready, here’s where funding can come from:
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FFF: Friends, Family & Fools – People who believe in you, not just your idea
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Grants for students or innovation projects – Check regional or university calls
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Crowdfunding or pre-orders – Great for simple, physical products
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Free tools – You can launch and test with very little using today’s digital platforms
🔑 Tip: Launch with the smallest version of your product. The sooner you validate, the faster you can get real support.
🚀 Ready to Take the Leap?
Becoming a student entrepreneur takes vision, focus, and the courage to make mistakes quickly. But if you start small, work with the right people, and stay consistent — your idea could become reality sooner than you think.
Got a project but don’t know how to start?
🎯 Check out Startup Fashion — the brand launched by Campus Innovazione to help young entrepreneurs network better, stand out at events, and spark conversations with bold T-shirts and hoodies.