Gründer Lab and Entrepreneurship Laboratory

ORG126 Entrepreneurship and Innovation, MF-102 Marketing, or equivalent.

For single course students, these subjects (or equivant) are required for admission.

The goal of this course is to acquaint students with practicalities of entrepreneurship and startup management, with a specific focus on market validation and business plan development skills.

On successful completion of this course the students should be able to demonstrate:

• an ability to formulate business plans for new ventures, while addressing issues of concept development, market analysis, and financial planning
• an ability to present and apply relevant models and theories of entrepreneurial marketing for market segmentation and targeting, competitive positioning, and product/service development
• an understanding of key sources of venture funding, as well as key aspects of revenues and costs relevant for new venture contexts
• familiarity with techniques of recognizing opportunities, identifying market gaps, as well as the generation and critical evaluation of ideas.
• understanding of ethical dilemmas that may arise throughout an entrepreneurial process, and approaches to ethical decision making in new venture contexts
• familiarity with opportunities and constraints on new ventures¿ international development and growth

The course balances introduction to key themes in entrepreneurial management, while engaging students in a comprehensive startup business plan formulation (involving both real and imaginary ventures). Key topics covered in the course, include: business idea generation, developing new products/services, entrepreneurial marketing and customer relations, presentation skills, budget and financial management in new businesses, ethical considerations in entrepreneurial processes, as well as the startup process and business plan formulation. All theoretical themes are then applied to an entrepreneurial case students develop throughout the course, under tight supervision and guidance.

Throughout the course student groups will work with new venture ideas originating from real businesses, public and private institutions, social ventures, entrepreneurs, other students, or their own business ideas.

The course is developed with several of UN development goals in mind. In particular, we support “Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure”, through the introduction of students to the merits and role played by small and medium-sized enterprises in the development of a thriving economy, and by equipping them with tools and experiences towards developing entrepreneurial mind-sets. Furthermore, we present entrepreneurship as a potential opportunity for people to reduce poverty (goal 1) for themselves and others, as well as promote gender equality (goal 5) through female business ownership and development.

The laboratory combines a mix of lectures, seminars, group discussions and assignments. The estimated workload is about 200 hours.

In-class attendance in a minimum of 75% of scheduled course sessions and activities is compulsory. More information in Canvas.

Approved group assignment with oral presentations. More information will be given in Canvas at the start of the semester.
In-class attendance in a minimum of 75% of scheduled course sessions and activities is required for approval to take the exam. More information in Canvas.

Attend and perform oral presentation of final Business Plan.