In response to the evolving demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), business education must equip students with future-orientated skills such as innovation, technological literacy, and entrepreneurial thinking. This study explores the utilisation of design thinking (DT) into undergraduate business management education as a means of cultivating these competencies. The study reports on a micro-level case within an African business management degree programme, where second-year students employed the Hasso Plattner Institute’s DT process in a practical group project. A comparative analysis of two successive student cohorts was used to assess the impact of DT. Findings show that the 2024 cohort outperformed the 2023 cohort in innovation, prototyping with 4IR technology, and entrepreneurship, suggesting enhanced competency in digital business models and market viability. Sustainability scores remained stable across cohorts showing a consistent emphasis on ethical business practices. Regression analysis confirmed that both innovation and prototyping constructs were significant predictors of entrepreneurial success. The findings suggest that integrating real-world calls for innovation and prototyping with 4IR technology in business management studies, guided by DT principles enhances student competencies in entrepreneurial thinking and innovation. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on experiential, interdisciplinary learning in business education and provides evidence for curriculum innovation that aligns with the future of work.