25E50000 - Venture Ideation, Lecture, 14.9.2021-20.10.2021

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Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this course, students are expected to be able to:

1. Recognize key concepts in entrepreneurship and innovation

2. Identify, create and evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities

3. Develop and promote entrepreneurial and innovative solutions in their own life and work

4. Reflect on and discuss the process, potential and challenges of entrepreneurship and innovation


Students will learn how to create a critical mass of business ideas, identify the most promising idea and translate the idea into a convincing business model. Based on a combination of pragmatic experiences and insights from research, students will also develop an ability to apply practical tools and theoretical frameworks that relate to team building, creative innovation, business modelling, and presenting a business idea.


After completing the course successfully, students will not only have a fundamental knowledge of the venture ideation process and how to pitch a business idea, but also a workable business opportunity that can be developed further, for instance, through the follow-up course Venture Formation (25E44000), available to top teams graduating from Venture Ideation.

Credits: 6

Schedule: 14.09.2021 - 20.10.2021

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Gregory O'Shea

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    The course offers a unique opportunity for students to work in multi-disciplinary teams and to discover through experiential learning how to create, test and pitch a business idea. The course contains lectures, sessions by guest speakers from the Aalto entrepreneurship ecosystem and beyond, hands-on practice of entrepreneurial skills, as well as the development of an entrepreneurial idea and pitch. Themes covered include team building, opportunity identification and creation, design thinking, customer development, business and revenue model development, funding and presentation skills.

Assessment Methods and Criteria

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Team assignments 75% - Individual assignments 25%. Also, a peer evaluation will be used to adjust individuals grades on the team assignments, and can result in a potential adjustment of up to -1 point out of 5 of total course grade.

Workload

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Contact hours 36 h (lectures, in-class teamwork sessions and two oral presentations)

    Group work assignments outside the class 90 h

    Individual assignment 34 h

DETAILS

Study Material

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    The required readings comprise of articles and book chapters that will be available through the MyCourses platform.

    Buying or renting a textbook is optional; either one of the following textbooks are recommended:

    1. Barringer B. R. and Ireland D. (2012) Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures. Pearson.

    2. Spinelli S., Adams R. and Timmons J. A. (2015) New Venture Creation: Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century. McGraw Hill Higher Education.

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    8 Decent Work and Economic Growth

    9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    The maximum number of students admitted to the course is 100. Students are admitted to the course in the following priority order: 1) MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management 2) MSc Advanced Material for Innovation and Sustainability 3) Aalto students


    This course requires active participation in teamwork and is not designed for part-time engagement. Teams will be assigned by the teacher. By enrolling in this course you acknowledge that: a) you have sufficient time to dedicate for team meetings during the period when the course runs (see workload above), b) you agree to be assigned into a team by the teacher and c) you agree with assessment methods as described above, including the use of a peer review.


    There is a requirement of a total of 80% attentance in contact sessions. Attendance to the final pitching competition is mandatory with the exception of proof of serious illness. 


    Teaching Period:

    2020-2021 Autumn I

    2021-2022 Autumn I


    Course Homepage: https://mycourses.aalto.fi/course/search.php?search=25E50000


    Registration for Courses: In the academic year 2021-2022, registration for courses will take place on Sisu (sisu.aalto.fi) instead of WebOodi.

    Registration via Sisu ends 7 days before the period starts.

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Aalto University Code of Academic Integrity and Handling Violations Thereof