MBA Student Team Gets Real World(wide) Experience in Czech Republic

UPDATE: According to Linda Thomas, Professor in the College of Business, Sensoneo has taken recommendations from the Bellevue University MBA 680 study abroad students and forged a new relationship with a new partner in a new market – the paper shredding industry. Representatives from the Czech-Republic based Sensoneo also plan to attend the Waste Expo in Las Vegas in May, which was also recommended by the Bellevue University student team. “This is very exciting for our students,” said Thomas, “and a great reflection on Bellevue University’s College of Business.”

A small but talented team of Bellevue University Master of Business Administration students recently put themselves on the worldwide map by presenting a strategy and marketing plan to Sensoneo, a technology company with a growing global client base located in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Four MBA 680 and 635 students traveled to Brno, Czech Republic, and presented their plan for successfully growing and marketing the multinational firm to the Sensoneo leadership team, including company CEO Martin Basila. Sensoneo specializes in ultrasonic smart sensors and software applications to optimize waste management and “enables a world that is green, clean and free of litter.”

The trip was the culmination of a semester-long project that included bi-weekly Skype sessions with Basila and Miloš Sochor, Managing Partner at Y Soft Ventures. Y Soft Ventures serves as an incubator for innovative business-to-business hardware and software start-ups, like Sensoneo, in Central and eastern Europe.

College of Business Professor Dr. Linda Thomas and Assistant Dean Dr. Sharon Rea accompanied the team on the international study trip. According to Dr. Thomas, while in the Czech Republic, the students visited the South Moravian Innovation Center and Mendel University, where they participated in a strategic management session.

The group also immersed themselves in the country’s culture, participating in a walking tour of the city of Brno, touring landmarks in Prague and Vienna, and attending a Czech string chamber and organ program at St. Giles Church in Old Town Prague.