Food Innovation & Entrepreneurship - Galway

Course Overview

ATU Galway has developed this 16-week part-time course to enable ambitious students to transform their ideas into new businesses.



The course is not taught in a traditional classroom setting. Students will have the opportunity to interact with a broad range of project hosts, practitioners, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs.



There will be two days of lectures per week (the majority is online, with three on-campus sessions in the semester). The practical application of learning is embedded in the course through regular real-life project challenges and the incorporation of industry and practitioner guest speakers and contributors into the course.



Multi-disciplinary team participation ensures students are exposed to alternative knowledge, skill sets and perspectives. This exposure broadens participants’ horizons and networks, stimulating the cross-fertilisation of ideas and capabilities. Delivery of the course will be led by the Innovation Hubs at ATU Galway, which have enabled dozens of potential entrepreneurs to take their ideas from concept to full commercialisation.

Modules:

• Creative Thinking and Opportunity Recognition

• Food Sector Specific Skills

• Food Sector Entrepreneurship

Honours Degree (Level 8) in any discipline, or an Ordinary Degree (Level 7) in any discipline plus two years of relevant experience working/ self employed in the area of food entrepreneurship/ innovation, or five years working/self employed of relevant experience in the area of food entrepreneurship/innovation.

1 semester part-time blended delivery.



Recommended Study Hours per week

There will be two days of lectures per week (the majority is online, with three on-campus sessions in the semester).



On-Campus Attendance Requirement

The majority of this programme is online, with three on-campus sessions in the semester.



Note: Check programme Examination and Assessment requirements, as they may involve examinations to be taken on campus.

Start Date: September 2025.

Careers

This course is focused on forming and supporting job creators. Throughout the course, participants are encouraged to seriously consider food entrepreneurship as a viable alternative to employment. There is a strong emphasis on the development of implementable and sustainable economic and social entrepreneurship ventures and projects.



In addition to the development of technical and transferable skills required for entrepreneurial activity, we also offer individual practical supports to participants who have identified business ideas, which they wish to pursue further. In such cases we act as a start-up platform introducing participants to experts and mentors as well as potential sources of funding.



For those seeking employment, rather than hoping to create employment, the course provides participants with sought-after skills in the areas of creative thinking, innovation, opportunity recognition, networking and team building, entrepreneurial thinking and action. Confidence building and ability to act autonomously, as well as peer-to-peer network development will be a strong features of our course. Standard CV and interview preparation are offered to all participants but due to the nature of the course are not always required.