Venture Creation for the Real Economy

CEE 246/MSE273 is a unique course, now in its 35th year, geared toward developing entrepreneurial businesses (both start-ups and internal ventures). This team-project-based class teaches students how to exploit emerging materials science, engineering and IT technologies to radically apply innovation to the real economy e.g., new products and services that produce real economic value for society as well as for the entrepreneurs and investors. Areas of focus include: Sustainable Buildings and Infrastructure, Digital Cities and Communities, Clean Energy, Transportation and Logistics, Advanced Manufacturing, Digital Health Care, Web3.0, advanced healthcare, and Education. Businesses may include tech startups, consulting companies, and large project-financed ideas. With one-on-one support from seasoned industry mentors and influential guest speakers, the course guides students through the three key elements of new venture creation: identifying opportunities, developing go-to-market and product development strategies, and determining funding sources. The class culminates with business presentations to industry experts, VCs and other investors in a “VC partner meeting” presentation style. The goal is to equip students with the knowledge and network to create impactful business ideas, many of which have been launched from this class with successful exits. The program requires solid market analysis and clear product development approaches summarized in a financial model which drives the financing requirements. Feedback and coaching occurs weekly including a 3 hour double session on Thursday afternoons. A large body of fundamentals is captured online in the SCPD Idea to Market(I2M) program and this material forms the basis for much preparatory work for in-class sessions.

The program for this Winter quarter features key speakers such as founding partner of NFX ventures, James Currier, the founding partner of Engineering Capital, Ashmeet Sidana, co-founder of Design Thinking, Dave Blakely, Lynda Smith former CMO at Twilio, Mike Keer, founder of Product Realization Group, Dan Dorosin Sr. Partner at Fenwick and West, Marc Tarpenning, Tesla co-founder, and many others.