ENTP 223. Value Proposition Design and Communication. 3 Units.

Launching a startup is daunting. Creating a new business within an existing company can be just as difficult. In either case, succeeding takes vision, grit, and luck. However, innovators who can clearly describe how their business model is meant to create value can significantly improve their chances of success -- or more quickly move on to their next great idea. This course arms students with the tools to identify how a business idea is meant to create value, to see the risks and assumptions lurking underneath any new venture, and to effectively communicate it to others. Using a simple yet powerful framework, students will find, organize, and examine the universal building blocks within successful business models, and apply these techniques with innovators who are trying to bring their own innovations. This course also dives into the ethical dilemmas that are impacting innovators every single day and that are growing with importance every year, and introduces tools such as competitive intelligence, business case development, and creative problem solving. At the end of this course students should be able to quickly assess any innovation and the key assumptions upon which it is built. Whether students plan to join an existing organization or start their own, these tools will provide a foundation for creating and identifying sound, value-focused businesses. Counts as a Communication Intensive course.

ENTP 301. Entrepreneurial Strategy. 3 Units.

This course is designed to show students how to identify potential business opportunities, determine what constitutes a good business model, and to strategically implement a business proposal. Topics of focus include an overview of the entrepreneurial process, determinants of venture success in high tech and other business environments, and strategies for industry entry and venture growth. Prereq: At least Sophomore standing.

ENTP 302. Creativity in Design & Business: Sources of Perception, Imagination, & Creative Thinking. 3 Units.

The goal of this course is to develop skills and techniques for creative problem solving. The course is for anyone interested in design, the development of new products and services, and strategies for change in organizations and society. It is useful wherever we face challenging situations that require imagination, new ideas, and innovative approaches in a rapidly changing world. At its core, creativity is an issue of perception. Learning to change one's perception from what is known, comfortable, and familiar to what is unknown and potentially valuable and rewarding is the challenge of this course. We will explore a wide variety of methods, techniques, and tools for encouraging new perceptions. There will be useful readings, but also exercises and projects for individuals and teams to develop new strategies of creative thinking. Offered as DESN 302 and ENTP 302.

ENTP 308. Business Model Design and Innovation. 3 Units.

This course takes the perspective of entrepreneurs or business unit managers. The three basic questions that all entrepreneurs and intrepreneurs must answer is where to play, how to win and what to do. You have identified a group of customers for your product or service (where to play). Your first challenge is to know what features (Customer Attributes) your target customer will pay for. Innovative business models focus on a set of customer attributes that are usually very different from other industry incumbents that we call Focal Attributes. Your second challenge is to clearly state your profit logic -- how you will make money -- how to win. The concept called Profit Objectives (similar but not the same as KPI and/or SMART objectives) allow you to operationalize the profit logic through specific and measurable deliverables. Your third challenge is building the value chain that can deliver these focal attributes (what to do). At this point, you have a good understanding of all the elements of your business model and in particular, how the focal attributes and the value chain align with the profit objectives. You will learn how to illustrate this alignment through a mapping process. Offered as DESN 308 and ENTP 308. Prereq: Junior standing or higher.

ENTP 310. Entrepreneurial Finance. 3 Units.

This course explores the financing and financial management of entrepreneurial new ventures. The course will focus on issues of financial management of new ventures (forecasting cash flows, cash flow management, valuation, capital structure) and the various financial methods and mechanisms available to entrepreneurs (bootstrapping, angel investors, venture capitalists, IPOs). Offered as ENTP 310 and ECON 312.

ENTP 311. New Venture Creation. 3 Units.

This course explores all aspects of the creation of a new venture from idea through startup, growth, and beyond. Students will learn how to evaluate opportunities, develop strategies, create a business plan and acquire financing for a new venture. In this course students will develop a business plan for a new venture.

ENTP 322. Social Entrepreneurship: Igniting Social Change. 3 Units.

Social entrepreneurs aspire to achieve systemic impact by launching new ventures and organizations to address problems such as poverty, inequity, and climate change. They are dedicated to deeply understanding the problem, then applying entrepreneurial thinking to create innovative solutions and services that create lasting change in an impactful, scalable, and sustainable way. Through case studies, invited speakers, and classroom discussions, students will progressively develop an understanding of the broader systems in which social or environmental challenges exist in order to investigate and identify solutions that benefit both communities and society as a whole. Topics explored in this course include the various social enterprise models (for-profit, non-profit, and hybrid), social impact theory, mindsets and motivations of social entrepreneurs, Human Centered Design methodology, obtaining and managing resources, and evaluating success. Counts as a Communication Intensive course. Prereq: Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS) or SAGES First Seminar.

ENTP 323. Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies. 3 Units.

The path for entrepreneurs to grow their companies outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley is challenging. Most markets around the world do not look like Silicon Valley and they never will. But there are other models to support new businesses. In transitioning markets (where entrepreneurs do not have much access to private sector financing), government officials, donors, and business leaders are experimenting with creative approaches to support the growth of entrepreneurs. Cleveland is one such place exploring innovative approaches to support new businesses. For over ten years, there has been a massive intervention of government and donor resources to cultivate this entrepreneurial ecosystem. Has this intervention worked in Cleveland? How should success be measured? How does Cleveland's approach differ from approaches elsewhere around the world? Counts as a Communication Intensive course. Prereq: Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS) or SAGES First Year Seminar.

ENTP 330. Building and Measuring Sustainable Business Models. 3 Units.

This course examines how social enterprises create, measure, and sustain meaningful impact through sustainable business models and innovative funding strategies. The course examines how successful social ventures maintain financial health while maximizing impact, with particular focus on funding strategies and performance measurement. Through case studies, invited speakers, and applied learning, students develop the skills to create financially sustainable social ventures while measuring their community impact. Counts as a Communication Intensive course. Prereq: Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS) or SAGES First Seminar.

ENTP 501. Special Problems and Topics. 1 - 18 Units.