Topic outline

  • General

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as Entrepreneurial Business Opportunities

    Credits: 3
    Schedule: 1 semester

    Teacher in Charge: Tamara Galkina (tamara.galkina@aalto.fi), Lauri Järvilehto (lauri.jarvilehto@aalto.fi), Simo Lahdenne (simo.lahdenne@aalto.fi)

    PLEASE NOTE: ATTENDING AT LEAST 6 LECTURES (7 TOTAL) IS MANDATORY AND NO OTHER EXCEPTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED. 

    Location: AVP Space Juniper at K3 Building, Puumiehenkuja 5

    Team Formation Pre-Questionnaire: 

    https://bit.ly/sebo-team-formation-2023


    Deadlines
    Team Formation01.11 at 23.59
    Pre-reading for Case study 1 lecture 
    		08.11 at 9.00
    Pre-reading for Case study 2 lecture29.11 at 9.00
    Submissions Slides for Final Pitch8.12 at 23.59
    Final Pitch13.12 at 9:00
    Reflection Paper (Essay 1): 600-900 words (roughly 2-3 pages) 8.12 at 23.59
    Peergrading Reflection Paper 15.12 at 23.59
    Practical Paper  (Essay 2): 600-900 words (roughly 2-3 pages)           8.12 at 23.59 
    Practical Paper Peergrading 15.12 at 23.59



    Learning Outcomes

    At the end of the course, the students will be able to i) understand some basics of entrepreneurship, ii) describe what the SDGs are, iii) can operationalize the SDGs and differentiate the SDGs from similar frameworks, iv) identify complementarities and contradictions between SDGs, v) derive business opportunities from the SDGs and vi) understand the applicability and usefulness of the SDGs for scalable ventures.


    Course Content

    The course focuses on introducing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as an impetus for business opportunities. In the course lectures, the SDG framework is introduced as a system of interdependent goals and differentiated from similar frameworks such as the planetary boundary framework. Viable business opportunities where the impact and profit potential of a new venture become indistinguishable. Lectures address also actual entrepreneurial cases and opportunities related to SDGs, with a focus on companies with operations in Europe. Case studies concern real-life examples of successful SDG-related ventures. Finally, the students will work in small teams to evaluate and ideate business opportunities for a particular SDG target using startup ideation tools and techniques.


    Details on the course content

    The course consists of seven three-hour sessions, independent teamwork in creating a business case for an SDG target and its interdependencies with other SDG targets, reading the background material, and writing the course essay. Seven of the sessions are lectures, incl. two real-life cases where the students analyze and discuss real company examples and an ideation workshop.


    Agenda
    L1:
      Why do SDGs matter? What are the SDGs?
      Tamara, Simo
      25.10, 09.15-12
    L2:
      SDGs and Entrepreneurship
      Myrto
      01.11, 09.15-12
    L3:
      Case study 1
      Kyu
      08.11, 09.15-12
    L4:
      Startup Dynamics
      Lauri
      15.11, 09.15-12
    L5:
      Ideation session
      Simo
      22.11, 09.15-12
    L6:
      Case study 2
      Tamara   
      29.11, 09.15-12
    L7:
      Final Pitches & Wrap Up
      All
      13.12, 09.15-12

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      Absence Compensatory Essays Dropbox Assignment
      Below is the compensation work guideline: 
      Read the corresponding session slides and literature (from which you are absent), write a two pages reflection (600 words minimum) based on the session's materials and literature, and use references from the session's literature. Please note that for the course work it’s ok also to cite the draft paper even though it says “Do not cite” on the manuscript.