Business and Finance Without Illusions: Alumni of the Entrepreneurship Minor Back at VSE

As part of the course 3PO542 Foundation of Business, we welcomed two inspiring guests from Česká spořitelna – Ondřej Vaněk and Marta Hejlová, alumni of our Entrepreneurship – Startups and Innovation minor. Their lecture gave students a direct look into how banks approach business financing, from startups to established companies.

Through practical examples from winemaking, construction, and services, students explored the differences between short- and long-term financing, the role of guarantees, and how bankers assess risk. The discussion also highlighted what banks really monitor, why even small debts matter, and how financing options differ between bank loans and venture capital.

Interactive and open, the session showed how valuable it is to connect academic knowledge with real-world practice.