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School of Business donor stories: Lisa Schröder

Published: 12.10.2021

‘May Aalto University remain this forward thinking, empowering and ever evolving institution that I got the privilege to attend!’

Tell us about you

Hi, my name is Lisa Schröder. In fall of 2016, I started my master’s studies in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management at Aalto University School of Business. During my time at Aalto, I got the chance to collaborate on ‘The Missing Entrepreneurs 2017’ report. The research project on addressing redundancy with entrepreneurship policies at Aalto University School of Business was used for OECD's report on ‘Policies for Inclusive Entrepreneurship’. In addition, as part of the team at Aalto's Entrepreneurship Department, I conducted research on German policies addressing unemployment with entrepreneurship.

Through my summer internship in Switzerland with a FinTech Incubator & Accelerator in 2017, I was offered a program management position in Zurich at said startup incubator and relocated in 2018. At the incubator, I became part of a network of startups, corporate partners, mentors, and investors, and found my place as an innovator among them!

From Zurich, I finalized my master’s thesis on ‘The Journey is the Reward: Internationalization as a Strategy for the Development of Startup Support Organizations’ in 2019. My journey from a student to a full-time working individual has thus been a fluid one and I am grateful for the flexibility Aalto provided. The academic guidance allowed me to explore and create my own opportunities outside of university life.

Today, I work for a Swiss startup in Singapore, which I met during my time at the FinTech Incubator & Accelerator. Since Aalto is a praxis focused school, I could make use of a few of my learnings; courses like data-driven business, market entry strategies for entrepreneurial businesses, or venture ideation, were a perfect setting to put theories into practice that I still apply today. Most of my courses included group work projects, which I still benefit from today as a project manager, who is setting up a new entity in Asia.

Aalto certainly equipped me well for my work in the world of entrepreneurship and innovation in my chosen industry - finance - and I could not have chosen a better program to set me up for life.

I hope to contribute in many more ways to Aalto’s growth going forward.

Lisa Schröder, School of Business alumna and donor.

Your memories when studying at the School of Business

My time at Aalto University School of Business was comparably short – out of the two-year-program I only spent 12 months in Helsinki as I was spending one semester in Paris on exchange, worked at the incubator in Switzerland for an internship and finished my master’s thesis from Switzerland after having finished all my courses in Finland. I guess I took the Dean’s statement from his welcoming speech too seriously. He said ‘You are not here for your studies; you are here to prepare for life. Make friends, expand your network, focus on your interests and deepen and/or expand your skillset.’ Well, I guess, I did just that when I pushed my personal boundaries and lived and worked in different cultural settings. Thank you, Dean!

The time I did have in Helsinki was incredible! Starting a new student-run organization with fellow students (180 Degrees Consulting), working in student groups with Finnish companies on strategy projects, volunteering at Slush, or simply indulging in Finnish lifestyle (sauna and mökki) – there are simply too many good memories to list them all!

What inspired you to donate to the School of Business?

The opportunities Aalto creates for its students are numerous and my time at this university has shaped my path in many obvious (entrepreneurship) and less visible aspects. For the great work all employees and professors of Aalto do, there is no limit to repay my gratitude and I hope to contribute in many more ways to Aalto’s growth going forward.

Your birthday wishes or greetings to the 110-year-old School of Business?

Happy Birthday, Aalto University School of Business!

May Aalto University remain this forward thinking, empowering and ever evolving institution that I got the privilege to attend!

Your greetings to other School of Business alumni and current students?

Kudos to being part of a great pool of entrepreneurs, designers, economists, technologists, and simply incredible individuals that dare to make a difference! Let’s keep improving ourselves and the world around us J

Our warmest thanks to you Lisa for supporting the School of Business and sharing your story with us!

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Donors' greetings for the School of Business.

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