Gamifying entrepreneurship education: An AI-assisted innovation for neurodivergent and neurotypical students in Brazilian private universities

This article presents an instructional innovation that integrates gamification and generative artificial intelligence (AI) to teach entrepreneurship to neurodivergent students (specifically those with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia). Grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the ‘NeuroVenture Quest’ exercise transforms traditional business planning into an interactive, AI-supported role-playing simulation. We evaluate the effectiveness of this pedagogical intervention using a quantitative approach with structural equation modelling (SEM) based on survey data from 215 undergraduate students across Brazilian universities. The results demonstrate that the gamified, AI-assisted approach significantly enhances entrepreneurial self-efficacy, student engagement, and perceived learning outcomes among neurodivergent students, while also benefiting neurotypical peers. This study contributes by providing a detailed, replicable framework for inclusive entrepreneurship education and empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of combining gamification with AI tools to foster entrepreneurial mindsets in diverse classrooms.