Engineering Entrepreneurship
(GE431.3 & GE831.3)
Description
Engineering Entrepreneurship courses (GE431.3 and GE831.3) are designed to cover a systematic process to explore, evaluate and exploit an innovation opportunity. It is also the process used in the award-winning USask SIGMA Educational Skill Accelerator.
Based on the proven framework of Disciplined Entrepreneurship, the course covers the fundamentals of how to build an innovation driven entrepreneurship venture. Core topics incllude opportunity assessment, customer discovery and acquisition, product definition and management, as well as other founder considerations such as team building, equity, and fundraising. Instead of exams and written reports, the students will be working on their own ideas each week following the framework in a highly experiential learning environment.
Besides the real-life driven experiential learning, the students will also have one on one meetings with the instructor and Executive in Residence each week to leverage the experience and support the community has to offer. The learning is further enhanced by the simulated board meetings.
This course is part of the Certification Programs for (New Product Market (13 CU), Leading Innovative Teams (13 CU) Technological Innovation Certificate (26 CU) ). This certificate prepares technical-focused individuals to think innovatively about their career planning, and to develop essential skills to be successful in their engineering leadership or entrepreneurship journey.
Students could use this course to prepare and build skills for entrepreneurship opportunities such as USask SIGMA, Co.Launch and many more.
FAQ
What do students need before taking Innovation Venture Creation?
Anyone finished 30 credits of university credits can join. There are no skills requirements. This is a class for any students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation regardless experience level.
Are there any financial support for this class?
Students are encouraged to apply for scholarship available for entrepreneurial engineering students.
What kind of experience do students need (for example, would they need previous entrepreneurship experience?)
Student experience varies widely. The class is a mix of undergraduates, masters students and Ph.Ds.
Each one have a unique experience and perspective making this course a very unique experience for exploring entrepreneurship and innovation.
How is the course taught?
This is a project-based course. The course will consist lectures, discussions, and team presentations. Outside of the class students will collaborate on group work on their own projects.
Course Content
Module 1 – Customer
- Market Segmentation
- Market Size
- Customer Persona
- Follow Up Markets
Module 2 – Product
- Customer Job & Use Case
- High Level Product Specification
- Quantified Unique Value Proposition
Module 3 – Business
- Sales Process
- Cost of Operation
- Cost of Customer Marketing
- Financial Projection & Fundraising Plans
Registration
GE 431.3 Engineering Entrepreneurship Capstone
CRN: 28806
The students are encouraged to pursue their ventures created in the course through the university initiatives such as SIGMA, inVenture, or community based incubators such as Co.Labs.
Sign up here through the Course Catalogue site.