GRA 3113 Start-Up Development
GRA 3113 Start-Up Development
In this course the students will learn the actual process of starting and growing a new business. Knowledge and tools related to the entrepreneurial process, including leadership, market segmentation, business modelling and funding, are central to the successful development of profitable new companies. This course will provide the students with models and tools for developing start-up companies, as well as practical experience in starting a company and developing a convincing business plan. Methods related to the “Disciplined Entrepreneurship” approach will be central. Through the course, students may prepare an application to the STUD-ENT or other soft funding tools through organisations as Innovation Norway.
An active learning form is introduced through student presentations, problem solving, discussions, practical exercises including interviews with end users, customers and key partners. The course is run in a combination of seminars and counselling. The counselling part will be at BI Startup.
After finishing the course, the students will:
- have a basis for advanced studies in the field
- have deep knowledge about business development in start-up companies
- have a framework for starting and scaling new companies
- have knowledge to analyze complex problems in start-up companies
- have knowledge of how to get early stage funding for their start-up
The students will obtain the skills for:
- starting and scaling a new venture
- developing a convincing business plan
- designing, testing, implementing and reflecting upon the company's business model
- reflecting upon themselves as entrepreneurs, team members and leaders
- presenting and communicating business ideas in an effective and convincing manner
- The students will reflect upon the process from starting to scaling a young company
- The students will be able to analyze customer and end-user insight and develop a realistic plan for implementation
- Motivation, commitment and team
- Market segmentation and "Beachhead" market
- Product Specification and Value Proposition
- Core and Competitive Position
- Customers Decision-Making
- Process of Acquiring Paying Customers
- Business Model
- Pricing Framework
- Minimum Viable Business Product (MVBP)
- Developing a Product Plan
- Early stage funding
- Entrepreneurial leadership and coaching
At the beginning of the course, students are required to submit a business idea, that is an idea of a need that is currently not met in a satisfactory manner and a way of addressing that need. This can either be the student's own idea, or a business idea under development by one of the other students. Pursuing this idea through a “Disciplined Entrepreneurship process” is a central teaching technique. Students are strongly encouraged to consider ideas even prior to the beginning of the course in order to get full effect of the teaching.
The teaching is structured with a high degree of interactivity - through presentations, discussions, exercises, group work and interviews with external. The lecturer will be available for coaching at fixed office time for the students at BI Startup.
Requirements in the course will be the following:
- Personal weekly log based on the learning from the implementation of the steps from the scale-up methodology.
- Answers to the 24 steps from the scale-up methodology.
It is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on it'slearning or the text book.
Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all courses, it is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class.
All parts of the assessment must be passed in order to get a grade in the course.
The examination for this course has been changed from autumn 2023. It is not possible to resit the old version of the examination.
All courses in the Masters programme will assume that students have fulfilled the admission requirements for the programme. In addition, courses in second, third and/or fourth semester can have specific prerequisites and will assume that students have followed normal study progression. For double degree and exchange students, please note that equivalent courses are accepted.
Disclaimer
Deviations in teaching and exams may occur if external conditions or unforeseen events call for this.
| Assessments |
|---|
Exam category: Submission Form of assessment: Submission PDF Exam/hand-in semester: First Semester Weight: 60 Grouping: Group/Individual (1 - 3) Duration: 1 Semester(s) Exam code: GRA 31132 Grading scale: ECTS Resit: Examination when next scheduled course |
Exam category: Submission Form of assessment: Submission PDF Exam/hand-in semester: First Semester Weight: 40 Grouping: Individual Duration: 1 Semester(s) Comment: Essay. The essay is an individual self-assessment (about 5 pages) that will reflect on learning during the semester. Exam code: GRA 31133 Grading scale: ECTS Resit: Examination when next scheduled course |
All exams must be passed to get a grade in this course.
| Activity | Duration | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Teaching | 36 Hour(s) | |
Seminar groups | 46 Hour(s) | Including seminars and weekly activities at BI Startup |
Prepare for teaching | 140 Hour(s) | |
Group work / Assignments | 50 Hour(s) | |
Submission(s) | 208 Hour(s) |
A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore acourse of 18 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 480 hours.
The business plan must be based on the company they have worked on throughout the semester.