Course Code: 30522, Lectures: 6, Credits: 6

Objectives
Use of the material studied in the Technological Entrepreneurship Program, to transfer an innovative idea into a commercial venture; to move from theory to practice, while translating the theoretical material acquired in the study program into practical language. The project will allow a combination of the scientific, engineering, technological world with the world of business; to touch and to do “the Real Thing”.

Content
The course will combine guidance and practical work, with the objective of building a commercial venture and presenting it, through a business plan, up to the level of an attempt to raise the resources for its establishment. We will learn how to transfer an original idea, with technological aspects, into commercial activity and the establishment of a new company or organization. The students will be divided into working groups, which will research and deal with the different connotations of the business plan, such as the idea, survey of competitors, market survey, characterization of products, and/or services, commercial models, economic analysis including profit and loss, work program, strategic plan, plan for risk reduction, plan for raising money, plan for recruiting people, plan for entering the market and meeting with investors. At the start of the course there will be a “Spark!” workshop, the objective of which is to reinforce the participants’ self-confidence, and their ability to give commercial expression to their entrepreneurial concept – the art of technological entrepreneurship. The College’s AtoBe accelerator, and its support system, with its echo system will be at the disposal of the participants and will serve then as a laboratory or “Field Trial”. In addition to the routine meetings, as will be required by the individual projects, or as will be determined by the person in charge of the course, there will be, during the year, three obligatory “Program Progress” meetings, in which defined topics for the level of the meeting will be presented. All the groups will participate together in these meetings, with the objective of achieving mutual learning by all the groups. At the end of the course. The participants will present a full commercial model and the technological ventures that they have built.

Outcome
The students will be prepared to handle the difficulties involved in the establishment of technological ventures, increase their chances of success, and identify the risks involved.

Reading

  1. “It’s not luck”, Eliahu Goldart and G. Cooks
  2. Turning the Flywheel”, Jim Collins
  3. Geoffrey A. Moore, Crossing the Chasm, Collins Business Essentials, 3rd Edition

Further Reading
Papers and newspaper articles