Curious Mind: With a technical background to a Master in Design & Creative Leadership

Starting a Master's in Design and Creative Leadership with a technical background? This is exactly what is possible at the FHV. "Nacho", as José Ignacio Durán González is known, studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cádiz in Spain. He has now discovered completely new perspectives at the FHV and, as a trained design engineer, has deliberately set himself new challenges. "I wanted to reorient myself professionally and the Master's in Design and Creative Leadership immediately appealed to me. I found the combination of graphic craftsmanship, music, but also leadership and solving complex problems exciting." During a stay abroad in Limerick, Ireland, as part of RUN-EU*, he focused on sustainable industry, circular design and additive manufacturing. There, he worked with others to develop a physical prototype of a shoe. An experience that left a lasting impression on him. The 33-year-old, who has lived in Vorarlberg for nine years, describes himself as a "curious mind": "I'm interested in disruptive tech - in other words, which technological developments emerge and how they change people's behavior."

Founding a startup

Parallel to his master's thesis, the native of Dornbirn is currently setting up a startup in the field of sustainability. On the Innovation Ecosystem study trip to Tallinn and Helsinki with Thomas Metzler, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Innovation and Startup @FHV Coach, he discussed business ideas in depth and got to know the Startup Vorarlberg programmes. "Without further ado, I applied, was accepted and am now being coached by Saša Filipović with my business idea. I'm learning a lot about problem fit, MVP validation, pitch preparation and market entry from others. It's really fun," says Nacho enthusiastically. He is also impressed by the study atmosphere at the FHV: "I gain valuable insights, exchange ideas with experts from a wide range of fields and have many resources available for projects." A particular highlight for him was the "Design Challenge" subject in his first semester. His path makes it clear how enriching it is to look beyond one's own subject boundaries and how strongly the combination of Engineering and Technology and Design can open up new professional horizons.

* The Regional University Network-European University (RUN-EU) is a European university alliance consisting of ten partner universities that offers FHV students interdisciplinary learning opportunities and (short) stays abroad. You can find all the information here.

Would you also like to found a start-up? Then contact Bettina Grabher or Thomas Metzler from Startup Vorarlberg @FHV directly.

Are you interested in the Master in Design & Creative Leadership? Find out more here.