Innovations in the process of training young entrepreneurs: achieving a balance between theory, practice, and market conditions

The current article aims to address the issue of insufficient integration between theoretical and practical training in entrepreneurship education. The primary objective of the present study is to analyze the results of implementing innovative educational approaches, such as internships, participation in business projects, and interaction with mentors. The intervention program aimed to equilibrate theory, practice, and market conditions by tracking the effects of the intervention. The participants comprised 100 students studying for an MBA in entrepreneurship from two Canadian universities. The analysis focused on the results of the final five academic exams of the respondents, as well as the criteria for the success of business projects. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed intervention. In terms of business project success, the intervention group also outperformed the control group on all indicators: financial profitability was higher by 5.46%, strategy effectiveness by 9.60%, loyalty index by 9.62%, survivability by 44.86%, growth by 7.73%, job creation by 8.03% (p < 0.001 for all six criteria). Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews using NVivo software revealed the need for certain improvements to the current intervention. Recommendations include the introduction of acceleration and structured mentoring programs and the use of interactive simulations and role-playing games. The practical significance of the study lies in demonstrating the effectiveness of the discussed teaching methods, enriching theory and methodology through real-world application experience.