Study on the Impact of Customer Discovery Entrepreneurship Program on University Students' Entrepreneurial Intentions

The importance of entrepreneurship education for university students is increasingly emphasized, yet research focusing on customer discovery entrepreneurship program remains limited. This study aims to empirically analyze the significance of such education and its impact on entrepreneurial intention. Data were collected from 405 students in customer discovery entrepreneurship program(KDB customer discovery program) at 14 universities during the spring semester of 2024. The findings reveal several implications. First, learner competencies positively influence entrepreneurial interest and investment, highlighting the importance of active participation and self-directed skill development in entrepreneurship education. Practical, project-based learning and mentoring contribute to learners' confidence, skills, and networks, thereby fostering entrepreneurial intention. Second, educator competencies partially affect entrepreneurial intention, emphasizing the critical role of educators' expertise, creativity, and field knowledge in shaping educational outcomes. Third, the positive impact of educational content on all aspects of entrepreneurial intention, including interest, investment, understanding, and planning, highlights the importance of content quality and structure for effective entrepreneurship education design. Lastly, while customer discovery exercises positively influence entrepreneurial interest, investment, and understanding, they do not significantly affect entrepreneurial planning. This may be because learners recognized realistic difficulties during the practical training. These results suggest that tailored approaches to entrepreneurship education can enhance its effectiveness by addressing both learner capabilities and educator expertise while refining content to meet practical needs.