STARTUP LAB 2
None.
The course aims at providing the basics for starting-up a startup a new venture and spin-offing a research project. Specifically students will work with entrepreneurs and mentors to identify the best business model, write a business plan and pitch a business idea. A Startup/spinoff company with their management team will be invited in class to pitch their idea and discuss their business model with top notch mentors and investors thanks to a partnership with Mind the Bridge Foundation, Top-ix and CrESIT. Students will have the chance to work with the startup company that will be invited in class to share their experience. Stage and thesis opportunities may arise.
At the end of the course students have to prove they can manage all the tools presented during the course, i.e. writing a business plan, representing a business model and effectively pitching a business idea.
DETAILED PROGRAM:
• How to identify your business model:
o Startups vs. Spinoffs
o GBF firms vs Life Style Companies
• How to structure and pitch your business plan:
o Main elements
o Effective communication techniques and presentation skills
• How to identify and represent your business model
o The Milestone Bridge approach
• The Startup Lab
o Startup #2: pitching & business model analysis (startup-mentors-students interaction)
o Startup #2: groupworks (startup-students interaction)
o Startup #2: presentation of groupworks (startup-mentors-students interaction)
MODE OF DELIVERY
Lectures, case discussions, groupwork, presentation
ASSESSMENT
For students attending class, the final valuation is based on in-class interaction and working groups. Specifically students will work in small groups with entrepreneurs and mentors to identify and fine-tune the presented best business model, write a business plan and pitch a business idea. Students are stimulated to get out of the building and test their hypothesis with short market tests. Tailor-made work assignments to be assigned by the teacher to students who are not able to attend the class. The goal of the evaluation is to assess the student’s ability to interact with entrepreneurs/mentors and peers as well as his/her ability to process the information learned, gather additional information and synthetically pitch in front of an audience.
RECOMMENDED READINGS:
- Onetti A. – Zucchella A. (2014), Business Modeling for Life Science and Biotech Companies: Creating Value and Competitive Advantage with The Milestone Bridge; Routledge Studies in Innovation, Organizations and Technology, Routledge.
- Onetti A. - Marinucci M., Introduction to Entrepreneurship. From Startups to Venture Financing. Mind the Bridge Job Creator Tour 2013, Mind the Bridge Foundation, 2013. http://www.slideshare.net/mindthebridge/onetti-marinucci-mtb-job-creator....
- Additional readings will be communicated in class.
ADDITIONAL READINGS:
- Ries E. (2011), The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses, Crown Business.