This summer, I’ll be leading a group of students to Porto, Portugal to take part in EIA 2025, the European Innovation Academy, one of the most impactful and globally recognized entrepreneurship programs in the world.
EIA isn’t your typical study abroad or summer program. It’s a fast paced, immersive, 15 day accelerator where students from around the globe come together to build startups from scratch. They form diverse, cross functional teams and work alongside mentors from Silicon Valley, Europe, Asia, and beyond, all with the goal of taking an idea from concept to pitch in just two weeks.
I’ve led students to this program before in Turin, Italy, and it’s hard to fully explain how transformational it is. It pushes students outside their comfort zones. It challenges them to think differently, collaborate across cultures, adapt, lead, and learn. We’ve had students pitch in the finals, win awards, and walk away with new ventures, global networks, and a renewed sense of possibility.
Here’s what’s in store for Porto 2025:
✅ 400+ students from around the world
✅ Immersive experience in the local culture and cuisine
✅ Daily mentoring from global innovation leaders
✅ A crash course in real world entrepreneurship
For those of us passionate about building the next generation of globally minded, entrepreneurial leaders, this is the kind of program that makes an impact far beyond the classroom.
This summer, follow us on our CEI social media accounts as our students who are participating in this experience will take over and share their incredible journey overseas.
Shorouq Almallah, MIS, MBA
Director, Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
NEU 