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Participants in the unconventional Amazing Business School course worked on their own projects for three days, from initial idea to final presentation, developing their business skills under the guidance of experienced mentors. They spent a significant part of the course itself on a train.

From November 3th to 5th, on the route between Pilsen, Prague, and Brno (there and back), they gradually developed their initial problem into a specific business idea. "This year, for the first time, we managed to involve students from other faculties. In addition to participants from the Pilsen and Cheb branches of the Faculty of Economics, there were also students from the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art (FDU) and the Faculty of Applied Sciences," said Petra Taušl Procházková, the main coordinator of the project, praising this year's participation. 

For the students, the course began with an introductory meeting before departure. After the participants and mentors got to know each other, teams were formed, and each team identified its business problem. This year, the teams focused on creating a platform for sharing events in the area, developing a smart ring for tracking time spent on social networks, building a space for finding shared housing and creating an application that helps people learn new things.

The teams then presented their finished business ideas to experts at the University of Economics in Prague during a stop on their way back to Pilsen. The expert jury most appreciated the project, which focused on creating a platform for sharing events in the area, and believed it would contribute to better opportunities for young people, particularly in terms of socialization. One of the members of the winning team was Štěpán Kapko from FDU. He evaluated the course very positively: "After three intense days and more than 600 kilometers, I feel a little tired but full of enthusiasm. I was surprised how much you can learn in such a short time – from prototyping to financial planning to teamwork."

In addition to the University of West Bohemia, the Amazing Business School course is also supported by other academic and innovation institutions – Impact Hub Brno, Brno University of Technology, and the South Moravian Innovation Center (JIC). These institutions provided participants with facilities for further work on projects, lectures by mentors, and presentations to experts from the field. At JIC, entrepreneur Libor Hoření delivered a lecture on his entrepreneurial journey and provided students with practical advice on starting a business.

Petra Taušl Procházková has been leading the project since its inception. Still, she says she is always surprised by how far the participants have progressed from one year to the next: "With this kind of approach, I have no fears whatsoever about the future of the startup environment in Czechia." According to her, previous years have brought many interesting business ideas, such as the Ergosenc startup, which focuses on developing smart ergonomic chairs. However, the following year could bring significant changes. "We would like to take Amazing Business School to an international level in the coming years. We want to go beyond the borders of Czechia," explained Taušl Procházková. 

Amazing Business School is a course at the Faculty of Economics and also a project sponsored by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. This intensive business workshop was modeled after the teaching system at UWB's partner university, Häme University of Applied Sciences in Finland. Participants can gain valuable business skills and the opportunity to launch their own startup. Course graduates also earn 4 credits. 

Details about the project can be found on the Center for Entrepreneurship and Sustainability website.