General Information
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Target Audience
This course will be of interest to students who are engaged in a venture start-up, would like to start a venture, or would like to work with early-stage ventures. This course is part of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship major, as well as the Health Sector Management and Real Estate majors.
Format
12 in-person sessions
Course Mission
The objectives of the course are to sharpen your ability to:
- Determine if you want to become involved in a business start-up;
- Recognize and analyze new venture opportunities from the viewpoints of the entrepreneur and potential stakeholders;
- Anticipate problems faced by new ventures so they can be managed effectively;
- Prepare and communicate a persuasive business proposal for a new venture.
Course Scope
Entrepreneurs and their firms are celebrated by the media and their communities. But what does it take to develop a new venture concept? The major emphasis in the course is a real-world hands-on approach to learning what it’s like to pursue an entrepreneurial opportunity. You will pitch venture ideas, research the market for your product or service, prepare marketing and launch plans, develop financial projections, and prepare a business plan. The course will be directly useful for students with an interest in starting a new business or working in a start-up environment, and provides an “entrepreneur’s view” for those planning to work in banking, finance or consulting.
This is a highly experiential course where you will be able to apply and integrate your entire business education and experience to a practical project. Using a mixture of readings, exercises, cases and speakers, a broad spectrum of issues are introduced, covering the entrepreneurial process. You will interact with the business community and potential customers, work effectively in teams, and participate actively in class discussions and exercises.
Evaluation and Grade Breakdown
| Component | Team/Individual | Due Date | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opportunity Assessment | Individual | June 7/10 | 20% |
| Class Prep Assignments (5): June 3, 5, 12, 17, 19 | Individual | Ongoing | 20% |
| In-class Contribution | Individual | Ongoing | 20% |
| Market Validation Presentation | Team | July 8 | 10% |
| Business Plan Presentation | Team | July 22 or 24 | 10% |
| Business Plan Slide Deck | Team | July 24 | 20% |
Required Resources
The instructor will post links to most of the material, and provide a coursepack containing the cases and a few readings that you need to purchase.