Dr Ashenafi Biru is a senior lecturer and program manager for the Strategy and Innovation Major in the Bachelor of Business at the School of Management, RMIT University. His work bridges academia and practice, focusing on entrepreneurship, innovation, strategy, and international business. He collaborates with industry partners, mentors entrepreneurs, and contributes to thought leadership in the field.

Prior to joining RMIT, he held academic roles at Mekelle University in Ethiopia and the Korea Development Institute in South Korea. He also has industry experience with the Millennium Villages Project. He earned his PhD in Entrepreneurship and Management from RMIT University.

Ashenafi’s research sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, strategy, and international business. He has published in leading ABDC A*/A journals, including the Journal of Management, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, International Business Review, and Energy Economics. He has presented at major international conferences such as the Academy of Management (AOM), Babson Entrepreneurship Conference, and Australasian Consortium for Entrepreneurship Research Excellence (ACERE).

He has secured multiple internal and external research grants, supporting projects that contribute to both academic knowledge and industry practice.

In teaching and learning, Ashenafi teaches entrepreneurship and strategy, integrating experiential learning and innovative teaching methods. His work in interactive educational games enhances student engagement and learning. He developed The Entrepreneur Within You, a serious board game designed to enrich entrepreneurship and innovation education. His contributions to teaching excellence have been recognised with several awards, including:

• 2024 Vice-Chancellor’s Citation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Students’ Learning
• 2024 RMIT College of Business and Law Award for Outstanding Contribution to Students’ Learning
• 2023 School of Management Award for Collaborations in Learning and Teaching
• 2022 School of Management Award for Innovative Learning and Teaching Practice

Ashenafi collaborates with startups, multinational corporations, and government agencies through research, executive education, mentoring, consultancy, and public speaking. His work focuses on fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems and driving strategic innovation.

He is the co-founder and co-leader of the RMIT Entrepreneurial Academics Network, an initiative that supports academics in developing entrepreneurial mindsets, translating research into impact, and facilitating a collaborative entrepreneurial community of practice within and beyond the university’s ecosystem.