Syllabus & Calendar

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The sessions for this course are organized into four modules:

1-4: The Entrepreneurial Perspective
5-10: Opportunity Recognition and Evaluation
11-16: Assembling Resources and Managing Growth
17-20: Entrepreneurship and You

1: Course Overview

Date: 
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Summary: This first meeting of the course will provide a complete overview of the course including  introductions and my expectations, and exactly how I plan to exceed students’ expectations.  We will discuss our goals and objectives in examining the fundamentals of technology entrepreneurship practiced in Silicon Valley and similar innovation-rich regions of the world.

Quote of the Day: "A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." Harry Truman

2: Silicon Valley & Key Frameworks

Date: 
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Summary: What exactly is technology entrepreneurship?  We will give an overview of this process of creating and growing high potential ventures using several frameworks.  What exactly is the significance of "Silicon Valley"?  How has it been created?  What is unique about Silicon Valley, and what could be replicated in other regions of the world?  This session will examine the economic and cultural underpinnings of the center of technology entrepreneurship.

3: Creativity & Improvisation

Date: 
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Summary: Every entrepreneur faces endless challenges along the way. These problems never have one right answer, and often they have never been solved before. The only way for an entrepreneur to succeed is to view each challenge as an opportunity for a creative solution. The best entrepreneurs seek out challenges. The bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity! In this class we will focus on stirring up your creative juices so that you can tackle the challenges ahead. You will be given several interactive projects that have no right answer. You will be encouraged to work creatively with your team, to stretch your imagination, and to take some risks.

4: Accounting

Date: 
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Summary

Required Readings (Policy on Required Readings)





5: From Idea to Opportunity 1

Date: 
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Summary: This is the first of two sessions where we discuss the differences between an idea and an opportunity. In this session, we look at the particular challenges of new ventures in information technology.

Quote of the Day:
"The key to a leader's impact is sincerity.  Before he can inspire with emotion he must be swayed by it himself.  Before he can move their tears his own must flow. To convince them he must himself believe." Winston Churchill

Study Questions (Policy on Study Questions.)

6: From Idea to Opportunity 2

Date: 
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Summary: This is the second of two sessions where we discuss the differences between an idea and an opportunity. In this session, we look at the particular challenges of new ventures in the life science industry.

Study Questions (Policy on Study Questions.)

7: Global Marketing & Sales

Date: 
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Summary: This session examines strategy and entrepreneurship including the concepts of disruptive innovations, marketing, customer development, lean startups, and developing a business model. During the first part of the session, the importance and implications of the technology adoption life cycle are examined. We also survey the key elements of entrepreneurial marketing including a compelling product/service strategy, a well-crafted positioning and competitive differentiation and a subsequent penetration strategy (including distribution, promotion and pricing).

8: Business Models & Legal

Date: 
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Summary: This session will focus on the importance of an innovative business model, or how the venture will make money will making meaning. As time allows, we will also examine the importance of intellectual property (IP) and the impact of government regulation.

9: Venture Finance and Resources

Date: 
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Summary: How do entrepreneurs set priorities when gathering financial resources?  Today's session introduces the topic of venture finance. We will also here the draft positioning statements from each team as posted on their term project's website.

Quote of the Day: "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." ~ Booker T. Washington

Study Questions (Policy on Study Questions.)

10: Team Exercise

Date: 
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Summary: In this session we will work through a process to improve the functioning of your team.  We will learn about group dynamics and how to improve the functioning of teams and groups that you find yourself in, both during your educational experience and in your career.

Team Effectiveness Exercise

11: Venture Lab - Field Trip

Date: 
Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Summary: This session features a field trip to a place to be determined.

Regarding your Opportunity Analysis Projects (OAP), please post a revised positioning statement to your websites based upon feedback and research to date. Perhaps share a short explanation of why it has changed. Leave the older draft on the site as well please. There is no need to send it to the homework email alias.

12: Midterm Research Reports

Date: 
Thursday, October 31, 2013

Summary:


13: Startup Teams

Date: 
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Summary Entrepreneurship is a team sport. What are the critical human resource issues for new ventures? The NanoGene case examines the big three: assembling a team, developing a compensation policy, and creating an innovative culture.

Quote of the Day: "Never, never, never, never give up." ~ Winston Churchill  

Study Question (Policy on Study Questions)
  • In start-ups, what are the key actions that a founder or CEO must take regarding human resources?

14: Staged Financings

Date: 
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Summary: What is the value of "staged financings" for both entrepreneurs and venture capitalists? The SolidWorks case illustrates a classic first-round venture capital deal and highlights career paths both in technology entrepreneurship and venture capital.

Study Questions (Policy on Study Questions)

15: Stock Options

Date: 
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
tSummary: Barbara Arneson must decide which job offer to take. With all other factors being equal, she is now down to a decision based on the value of the equity compensation (i.e., the stock options) offered by each company. One company is a public company with easily gathered data on the financial status of the company. The other offer is from a start-up company which has only financial projections.

16: Dress Rehearsal

Date: 
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Summary: OAP Dress Rehearsal

For information on this session please see the Term Projects page.

17: OAP Presentations I

Date: 
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Summary: Opportunity Analysis Projects

For information on this session please see the Term Projects page.

18: OAP Presentations II

Date: 
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Summary: Opportunity Analysis Projects

For information on this session please see the Term Projects page.

19: Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Date: 
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Summary:

Quote of the Day:

Required Readings (Policy on Required Readings)

Recommended Readings

20: Course Summary

Date: 
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Quote of the Day: "To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Study Questions (Policy on Study Questions.)