Facilitating learning and startup formation in experience-based courses—A team-centered model

Context: This full research paper presents an experience-based course designed around a semester-long external Innovation Bootcamp. Objective: We evaluated the impact of the Innovation Bootcamp on students' learning and startup formations, measuring how it affected students' perceived challenges related to technical skills, soft skills, project management, and startup-formation mindsets. Method: We conducted design-based research comprising questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups with students and stakeholders participating in the Innovation Bootcamp. In total, 44 students answered the questionnaires conducted before and after the Innovation Bootcamps in both academic years. In the second year, 12 students answered the Berkeley Innovation Index questionnaire to measure their innovation mindsets. We also conducted four individual interviews (student cohort 1), four focus group interviews (student cohort 2), and six individual interviews with stakeholders participating in the Innovation Bootcamp in both years. Results: We found that perceptions of challenges regarding soft and project-management skills declined, while perceptions of challenges regarding technical skills did not vary during the course. Students exhibited increased motivation to engage in startup formation following close collaboration with external stakeholders only after developing their first minimum viable product. Contribution: The study's outcomes contribute to validating a new team-centered model that facilitates startup formation in experience-based courses. We also intend to help educators and researchers adopt Innovation Bootcamps in experience-based, software engineering-focused courses.