Second Half of 2021 Set to Be an Ideal Time for MBA Entrepreneurs, Reports Find

While the US is known for being a popular hub for start-ups, a report by Dealroom found that Europe is also on track to have its biggest year for start-up investment in recent history.

In fact, the region has been the fastest growing this year, with investment into European start-ups growing to US$57bn and making up 18 percent of global start-up funding.

Europe has also seen a significant growth in terms of business hubs. Multiple countries in the region have emerged as friendly places for entrepreneurs to fund start-ups, including Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Austria, Finland, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, Switzerland Russia, Belgium and Ireland.

Given that entrepreneurship is one of the most popular specialisations at business school, these findings represent a silver lining for MBA applicants, students and graduates around the world.

It’s clear that now more than ever investors are looking to seize opportunities to promote innovation across sectors. And with new, more flexible ways of working, it’s important that entrepreneurs keep up with new trends not only in the market, but on the workplace as well.

Some industries that are expected to continue growing and that are ideal for MBAs to launch a start-up in this year include:

• Healthcare and pharmaceuticals: It’s undeniable that 2020 represented a huge year for the healthcare sector. Never before did access to efficient and effective healthcare seem so crucial on such a large, continent-spanning scale. For this reason, it’s safe to say that investors will look to back entrepreneurs who can provide excellent health and pharma services while also maximising the use of technology.
• Fintech: 2020 was the year of distancing, with use of cash decreasing significantly across all age groups. Unsurprisingly, fintech start-ups emerged as one of the stronger players in the VC market: they received US$1 out of every US$5 invested in the second quarter of 2021, CB Insights found. From online banking to AI investments, there are plenty of areas to innovate in.
• Transportation: Nowadays, convenience is one of the qualities consumers look for the most in products – and this applies to transportation too. The transportation industry is particularly profitable because it includes sectors where tech and innovation have been promoting growth for several years, such as ridesharing, electric travelling and food delivery services.