Designpreneurship: A Research-Driven Framework for Cultivating Creative Entrepreneurs in Higher Education

The creative industries are undergoing a transformative shift as traditional freelancing business models are increasingly replaced by entrepreneurial approaches emphasizing scalability, innovation, and sustainable income streams. This shift necessitates rethinking how creative professionals, particularly graduates in design and the arts, are prepared for their emerging careers.This paper introduces Designpreneurship, a research-driven framework bridging traditional creative education with the entrepreneurial competencies required for sustainable careers. By integrating theories such as Systems Thinking, Value Creation, and Business Model Innovation, this framework enables graduates to transition from time-for-money service work to scalable, idea-driven enterprises. Using qualitative interviews, ethnographic observations, and case studies of successful creative entrepreneurs, the study identifies the 3P Business Model (Platform, Product, Packaging) as an effective pathway for employability and societal impact.The paper critiques the freelancing model, explores the implications of digital technologies on creative industries, and outlines strategies for embedding entrepreneurial thinking in higher education. Findings emphasize curricula that empower resilient graduates to thrive in an economy shaped by innovation and rapid change.