Whether your interest lies in solving the world’s biggest problems, creating the next commercial success or addressing something closer to home, this course will give you a toolbox to vet your ideas and test them in the real world.
Offered By
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
12 hours to complete
Think
We start at the beginning with your big idea and where it comes from: your everyday experience and known sources of innovation as described by Peter Drucker.
8 videos (Total 57 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
8 videos
The Unexpected9m
Incongruities8m
Process Need4m
Industry and Market Structures 6m
Demographics, Changes in Perception, and New Knowledge10m
Desh Deshpande: Introduction, Big Idea, and Advice to Himself 2m
Jud Bowman: Introduction, Entrepreneurial Traits, and Challenges4m
1 reading
Guest Entrepreneur Bios10m
1 practice exercise
Week 1 Quiz26m
Week
22 hours to complete
Listen
This second phase of the entrepreneurial lifecycle encourages you to take the big idea you’ve thought about and solicit feedback from the people whose problems you’re trying to solve.
11 videos (Total 69 min), 1 quiz
11 videos
The Importance of the Listening Phase 7m
The Purpose of a Business2m
Setting Up Customer Meetings5m
Running Customer Meetings3m
Your Total Product 6m
Listening to Suppliers7m
Conclusion4m
Jud Bowman: Cold-calling and Listening for a Customer's Problem1m
Desh Deshpande: Talking to Customers6m
Shazi Visram: Introduction and Listening to Customers19m
1 practice exercise
Week 2 Quiz26m
Week
31 hour to complete
Plan
Strategy, the art and science of being different than your competition, is the next element we introduce, based on Michael Porter’s work.
10 videos (Total 43 min), 1 quiz
10 videos
What is Strategy?6m
Porter's Five Forces 5m
Bargaining Power of Buyers, Supplier Substitutes, and Rivalry4m
Conducting a SWOT Analysis7m
Strategic Positioning6m
Conclusion1m
Jud Bowman: Risk-Taking Behavior1m
Desh Deshpande: Planning Cascade Communications6m
Shazi Visram: Advice to Her Younger Self 1m
1 practice exercise
Week 3 Quiz24m
Week
41 hour to complete
Clarify
In this module, we coach you on continuing to refine your big idea and beginning to communicate it clearly to a wider audience.
12 videos (Total 49 min), 1 quiz
12 videos
Creating Fit & a Business Model4m
Introducing the Business Model Canvas3m
Customer Segments2m
Channels6m
Revenue Streams4m
Key Partnerships4m
Your Elevator Pitch8m
Conclusion1m
Jud Bowman: Avoiding Crisis Mode2m
Desh Deshpande: What is a Successful Elevator Pitch?4m
Shazi Visram: Control in Her Venture2m
1 practice exercise
Week 4 Quiz22m
4.6
34 ReviewsTop reviews from What’s Your Big Idea?
Very practical course with clear information to go from the idea to the launch of the business or project. Thanks for all that you gave us, it was very useful.
Anybody that has a big idea or wants to start a business, would benefit from this course.\n\nIt's well presented and the content is spot on.
Instructors
Professor Buck Goldstein
University Entrepreneur in Residence and Professor of the PracticeEconomics
Dr. Holden Thorp, PhD
Provost and Professor of Chemistry and MedicineChemistry
About The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is known around the world for innovative teaching and research. Regularly ranked as the nation’s best value for academic quality, UNC has produced the most Rhodes Scholars for the past 25 years among U.S. public research universities.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.