Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship Certificate

This course focuses on how large organizations manage innovation, technology commercialization and entrepreneurship. Key activities and processes are explored in the class, including innovation management, research and development, technology commercialization, corporate entrepreneurship, incubation, corporate venturing and corporate venture capital. The class will also engage students in practical projects associated with innovation and entrepreneurship within companies.

In this class students will learn how to use common tools and techniques to generate, validate and assess new venture ideas. The class will be principally practical focusing on ideation efforts and will engage students in a process of screening, validating and building new business concepts. Students in this class will learn how to use the business model canvas and other lean launch techniques to validate their business models. Critical skills, such as, pitching and selling concepts will also be acquired.

Students will focus on detailed planning and validation of new ventures. This class will use a business planning format to engage student teams in industrial analysis, market research, sales and marketing planning, operations and financial planning for a new venture concept. Students will learn key aspects of venture planning and will acquire skills in business planning, market research and investment due diligence presentations and processes.