This class provides an introduction to the art and science of starting a new entrepreneurial venture from idea generation, to business plan preparation, to growth and harvesting. You will begin by generating ideas for a new business opportunity. In the second stage, you will develop your ideas into hypothetical business models, and test your hypotheses through interactions with potential customers, partners, and suppliers. In addition to the presentations by your professor for each session, you will have readings, tutorials, and interaction with guest lecturers and entrepreneurs.
Titular Professors
By the end of the course the students will develop skills in:
- Understanding the entrepreneurial process
- Identifying, developing, assessing, and pitching new ideas
- Identifying ideas for new ventures
- Developing your ability to present ideas in a concise, compelling way
- Assessing the potential of new business ideas to become business opportunities
- Developing an awareness of the possibilities and limitations of different business models
- Enhancing your sensitivity and skills in discussing the financial needs of a new venture
- Customer discovery and validation: testing the hypotheses in your initial business model to arrive at your first pivot
Topic 1: Introduction + Ikigai + 10 Faces of Innovation
Topic 2: Finding the Right Idea for You
Topic 3: First Ideas Presentations, Competitive Benchmarking
Topic 4: Entrepreneur Visit
Topic 5: Customer Discovery and Problem Interviews Workshop
Topic 6: Problem + Solution Workshop - Visual Stories (focus on customer + value proposition)
Topic 7: The Customer / Value Proposition Analysis
Topic 8: Assumptions Mapping + Business Model Canvas Workshop
Topic 9: Market Size and Financial Projections
Topic 10: Minimum Viable Product and the Pivot, Startup Dashboard
Topic 11: Prototyping
Topic 12: Financing the Venture
The main project we will work on throughout the course is generating ideas for a new technology start-up, developing the business model for the start-up, and collecting information from potential stakeholders to improve and change the business model based on this feedback. Each team of 3-5 students will have the backing of your tutor who will provide guidance in the development and iteration of the Business Model. You will make presentations throughout the course, and will prepare a final deliverable at the end of the course that summarizes your learning journey in validating your idea.
Class Attendance and Participation (20%)
Failure CV (10%)
Mid-term Presentation (15%)
Team Assignments (30%)
Individual Reflection (10%)
Final Deliverable (15%)
- Fitzpatrick, R. (2014). La prueba de mamá: cómo hablar con los clientes y saber si su negocio es una buena idea cuando todos le mienten. Plataforma de publicación independiente CreateSpace, 2014. ISBN: 1492180742, 9781492180746
- Maurya, A. (2012). Ejecución de lean: Itere del plan A a un plan que funcione. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly.
- Osterwalder, A y Pigneur, Y (2010) Business Model Generation, John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0470-87641-1.
- Mullins, R. y Komisar, R. (2009) Getting to Plan B, Harvard Business Press. ISBN: 978-1-4221-2669-1.