Engineering Entrepreneurship Fellows II

1 Course Unit

This 1 CU course is the third of a three-part sequence exclusively for the Engineering Entrepreneurship (EENT) Fellows Program. Enrollment is limited to 12 previously selected 12 EENT Fellows. Prior to taking this course, EENT Fellows will have completed EAS5410 Engineering Entrepreneurship Fellows I in the spring semester and will have been immersed in a hands-on internship at a high-growth technology startup company in the summer semester. During this summer internship, Fellows will have: (i) supported significant strategic initiatives at their startup; (ii) had one-on-one contact with top-level company leaders; (iii) kept and shared structured journals of their experiences; and (iv) hosted visits, in-person or remotely, of other Fellows to their startup companies to share experiences. Throughout the 12-month Program, the Fellows will benefit from personal one-on-one mentoring by distinguished alumni, venture executives and investors. The summer journal will be a pre-requisite assignment for EAS5430. It will include the Fellows’ observations and analysis of specific assignment topics within their respective companies which will, in turn, be shared and commented on by the other Fellows. Assigned topics will include origins of the startup’s innovative technology, intellectual property considerations, product-market fit, marketing strategy, business model, venture financing, management, handling adversity, scaling, culture, values, and principled leadership. Journals will be maintained online allowing Fellows the opportunity to share and reflect on their own and their classmates’ summer experiences with the objectives of: (a) comparing and discussing internship experiences; (b) exploring the elements of entrepreneurship; (c) compiling information useful for debriefing and case studies in EAS5430 in the fall; and (d) connecting the theory of EAS5410 with the realities of startups. In EAS5430 Fellows will debrief their summer internship experiences with each other and faculty. Drawing from knowledge, skills and frameworks acquired in EAS5410, as well as guidance from their mentors and their summer internship journal entries, each Fellow will prepare and deliver a presentation of their experience. Executive leaders from each startup will be invited as guest speakers to present their perspective on the creation and growth of their respective companies. Each Fellow will also prepare and present a case study focused on their observation and/or involvement in a significant event, problem, or achievement of the company. Throughout EAS5430, the pedagogic approach will involve lectures, case discussions, assigned readings, and individual and guest presentations. Feedback on verbal presentation skills will also be provided as in EAS5410. Intended Learning Outcomes: Upon course completion, students will be equipped with knowledge and skills to: 1) Connect the academic theory of entrepreneurship with the realities of startup ventures. 2) Select an appropriate intellectual property strategy for a technology- based product in a startup environment. 3) Achieve product-market fit by shaping an innovative technology-driven device into a market-driven product. 4) Identify and validate target customer segment(s) and develop effective marketing, sales, and distribution plans. 5) Develop a business model and competitive strategy for establishing a defensible position within an industry. 6) Determine the capital requirements for a startup venture including the amount, timing, and sources of financing, and be knowledgeable of the terms, conditions, and negotiability of venture capital term sheets. 7) Understand a company’s financial statements and assess key metrics of financial health. 8) Understand the regulatory approval process for medical devices and drugs including its phases, timing, costs, and operational implications for an entrepreneurial startup venture. 9) Recruit and lead an effective, principled team of co-workers an Fall Mutually Exclusive: EAS 5460 Prerequisite: EAS 5410 1 Course Unit