DZI Entrepreneurship (Bulgaria) study plan
DZI Entrepreneurship (Bulgaria) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Entrepreneurship fundamentals and the role of entrepreneurs in the economy & Business planning and business model design
Explain in writing the economic functions of entrepreneurs (innovation, job creation, risk-bearing) and distinguish them from managers and investors using at least three Bulgarian market examples
Compare sole trader, OOD, EOOD, AD and cooperative forms on liability, minimum capital, taxation and registration steps, and record the comparison in a decision table
Draft the one-page business model canvas for a chosen venture idea, naming each of the nine blocks with at least one concrete assumption per block
Identify three Bulgarian public support instruments for startups (e.g. Bulgarian Development Bank programmes, Employment Agency incentives, EU-funded incubators) and note eligibility criteria for each
Your checkpoint
A 2-page written note containing the entrepreneur-role summary, the legal-form comparison table, and a completed one-page Business Model Canvas with assumptions flagged.
Business planning and business model design & Finance, budgeting, and sources of business funding
Build a 12-month cash-flow forecast in a spreadsheet for the chosen venture, separating fixed and variable costs and showing the break-even month
Calculate unit economics (price, variable cost, contribution margin, break-even units) for at least two product or service lines
List five funding sources available in Bulgaria (bank loan, microfinance, angel investor, venture capital, EU grant) and match each to the venture's stage and ticket size
Write the executive summary and company description sections of a business plan, keeping the executive summary under one page
Your checkpoint
A working spreadsheet with a 12-month cash-flow forecast, unit-economics tab and break-even calculation, plus a one-page executive summary.
Business planning and business model design & Finance, budgeting, and sources of business funding
Complete the full business plan draft (market, operations, management, financials, risk) to a minimum of 8 pages excluding appendices
Prepare a three-scenario financial model (pessimistic, base, optimistic) and state the key assumptions driving each scenario
Draft a funding request of a specific amount with use-of-funds breakdown and a repayment or equity-return schedule
Review the draft against a standard investor checklist and log at least ten gaps or weaknesses to fix
Your checkpoint
A complete business plan draft (8+ pages) with three-scenario financial model and a written gap log of at least ten items.
Market research, marketing, and customer analysis & Business idea generation, creativity, and opportunity recognition
Design a customer research instrument (survey plus 5 interview questions) and collect responses from at least 15 target customers
Segment the target market into at least three segments and size each using a top-down and a bottom-up estimate
Run a structured creativity session (e.g. SCAMPER or six thinking hats) and record at least 20 idea variants, then score the top five on feasibility, demand and fit
Map the customer decision journey for the primary segment and identify two touchpoints where the venture can differentiate
Your checkpoint
A market research report (3-4 pages) with survey results from 15+ respondents, segment sizing tables, and a scored idea shortlist.
Market research, marketing, and customer analysis & Business law, regulation, and forms of business organization in Bulgaria
Write the marketing plan section covering positioning statement, 4Ps, channel mix and a first-year budget with expected cost per acquisition
Identify the Bulgarian regulatory requirements for the chosen sector (e.g. commercial register filing, VAT registration threshold, sector licences, GDPR obligations) and cite the responsible authority for each
Draft the standard commercial contracts checklist (supplier, client, employment) and note the mandatory clauses under Bulgarian law
Prepare a 10-slide investor pitch deck and rehearse it aloud twice, timing each run
Your checkpoint
A marketing plan section plus a regulatory compliance checklist with authorities named, and a timed 10-slide pitch deck.
Business law, regulation, and forms of business organization in Bulgaria & Management, human resources, and team building
Complete the company registration roadmap for the chosen legal form, listing every document, fee and step in sequence
Draft an organisational chart for the first 18 months with role descriptions, reporting lines and a hiring sequence
Write three behavioural interview questions per key role and a scoring rubric for evaluating candidates
Design a basic onboarding plan (first 30 days) and a compensation approach benchmarked against Bulgarian market ranges
Your checkpoint
A registration roadmap document plus an HR pack containing org chart, role descriptions, interview rubric and 30-day onboarding plan.
Management, human resources, and team building & Risk management, ethics, and social responsibility
Build a risk register with at least 12 risks scored by likelihood and impact, each with an owner and mitigation action
Draft a code of ethics with five concrete commitments and a process for reporting concerns
Identify the social and environmental impacts of the venture and propose two measurable responsibility targets
Create a team communication and decision-making protocol covering meeting cadence, escalation and conflict resolution
Your checkpoint
A risk register (12+ scored risks) and a two-page ethics and social responsibility policy with measurable targets.
Entrepreneurship fundamentals and the role of entrepreneurs in the economy & Business planning and business model design & Finance, budgeting, and sources of business funding
Revise the full business plan incorporating feedback from weeks 1-7 and close all items in the gap log
Re-run the financial model with updated assumptions and confirm the break-even and funding request still hold
Deliver a final 10-minute pitch to at least two reviewers and collect written feedback
Produce a personal exam-readiness checklist mapping each of the eight domains to the materials produced and flag weak areas for final review
Your checkpoint
A finalised business plan package (plan, financial model, pitch deck) plus a domain-by-domain readiness checklist with weak areas identified.
Milestones
Week 2: Cash-flow forecast and unit economics produce a stated break-even month, and the executive summary is complete.
Week 4: Business plan draft is complete and at least 15 customer survey responses have been collected and analysed.
Week 6: Marketing plan, regulatory checklist and company registration roadmap are all drafted and internally consistent.
Week 8: Final business plan package is submitted, the pitch has been delivered to two reviewers, and the readiness checklist shows no domain below adequate.