What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Entrepreneurship I: Laying the Foundation

Ends in 3 days! Save 40% on your access to 10,000+ programs and make a real impact in your career. Save now.

Entrepreneurship I: Laying the Foundation

This course is part of Innovation: From Creativity to Entrepreneurship Specialization

Instructor: Thomas E. Parkinson

66,047 already enrolled

Included with Learn more

Ask Coursera

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

No prior experience required

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

Build toward a degree

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

No prior experience required

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

Build toward a degree

Learn more

What you'll learn

Demonstrate an understanding of how entrepreneurs can develop new venture ideas.
Examine a potential market opportunity and evaluate its viability.
Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of entrepreneurial leadership and team building.
Develop a plan for identifying and securing early adopter customers for a new venture.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

37 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Innovation: From Creativity to Entrepreneurship Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This course will explore the earlier stages of the entrepreneurial venture process across four modules. The modules will examine the nature of growth and error in entrepreneurial settings and how to manage resources in those settings. In addition, the modules will explore the emergence of entrepreneurial opportunities, the formulation of ideas in relation to those opportunities, and how those opportunities and ideas influence entrepreneurial phenomena. Finally, the course will focus on how business concepts underlie compelling entrepreneurial missions that provide guidance to the evolution of a venture’s business model and future strategic planning.

You will be able to: - Develop a foundational understanding of the entrepreneurial process - Consider the relationship between growth and error - Understand how particular opportunities influence entrepreneurial phenomena This course is part of Gies College of Business’ suite of online programs, including the iMBA and iMSM. Learn more about admission into these programs and explore how your Coursera work can be leveraged if accepted into a degree program at https://degrees.giesbusiness.illinois.edu/idegrees/.

This module introduces entrepreneurship as a learnable process rather than a stereotype, and shows how ideas, decisions, and support emerge in real ventures. It examines where entrepreneurial ideas come from, why early-stage entrepreneurship is difficult under uncertainty, and how founders can navigate the personal and practical challenges of building something new. The module also highlights guiding principles for early-stage action and explains why pitching is a core skill for winning support.

What's included

9 videos5 readings9 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin

9 videosTotal 51 minutes

Introduction to Entrepreneurship I: Laying the Foundation6 minutes
The Impact of the Gies Community2 minutes
Misconceptions7 minutes
What Is Entrepreneurship?3 minutes
Where Do Ideas Come From?8 minutes
The Challenge5 minutes
The Human Side of the Story7 minutes
Principles for Navigating Early-Stage Entrepreneurship5 minutes
Winning Support10 minutes

5 readingsTotal 50 minutes

Syllabus10 minutes
Coursera Coach10 minutes
About the Discussion Forums10 minutes
Updating Your Profile10 minutes
Module 1 Overview10 minutes

9 assignmentsTotal 120 minutes

Orientation Quiz30 minutes
Misconceptions Practice Quiz5 minutes
What Is Entrepreneurship? Practice Quiz5 minutes
Where Do Ideas Come From? Practice Quiz5 minutes
The Challenge Practice Quiz5 minutes
The Human Side of Entrepreneurship Practice Quiz5 minutes
Principles for Navigating Early-Stage Entrepreneurship Practice Quiz5 minutes
Winning Support Practice Quiz30 minutes
Foundations of Entrepreneurship Graded Quiz30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Getting to Know Your Classmates10 minutes

1 pluginTotal 15 minutes

Welcome! Please Tell Us About Yourself to be adjusted to Demographic Survey15 minutes

This module focuses on identifying real customer problems before committing to a solution. It introduces customer discovery, jobs-to-be-done, problem quality, market sizing, industry structure, and intellectual property regimes as tools for identifying opportunities and evaluating whether they are worth pursuing. The central goal is to help learners understand not just whether a problem exists, but whether it is severe, frequent, large enough, and structurally viable for a venture.

What's included

8 videos1 reading8 assignments

8 videosTotal 62 minutes

Module 2 Introduction5 minutes
The Logic of Customer Discovery9 minutes
Jobs to Be Done9 minutes
Customer Discovery Interview Best Practices10 minutes
Pain Points4 minutes
Market Sizing Basics10 minutes
Industry Structure and Competitive Dynamics9 minutes
Intellectual Property and Value Capture7 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Module 2 Overview10 minutes

8 assignmentsTotal 65 minutes

The Logic of Customer Discovery Practice Quiz5 minutes
Jobs to Be Done Practice Quiz5 minutes
Customer Discovery Interview Best Practices Practice Quiz5 minutes
Pain Points Practice Quiz5 minutes
Market Sizing Basics Practice Quiz5 minutes
Industry Structure and Competitive Dynamics Practice Quiz5 minutes
Intellectual Property and Value Capture Practice Quiz5 minutes
Customer Discovery Graded Quiz30 minutes

This module is focused on how entrepreneurs can build and motivate teams.

What's included

10 videos1 reading10 assignments

10 videosTotal 68 minutes

Module 3 Introduction5 minutes
Entrepreneurship Is a Team Sport5 minutes
How Founding Teams Come Together11 minutes
Evaluating Co-Founder Fit6 minutes
Defining Roles9 minutes
Team Diversity4 minutes
How to Have a Good Fight6 minutes
Culture and Ethics5 minutes
Equity Splits and Compensation9 minutes
Legal Structure and Rich vs. King9 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Module 3 Overview10 minutes

10 assignmentsTotal 75 minutes

Entrepreneurship Is a Team Sport Practice Quiz5 minutes
How Founding Teams Come Together Practice Quiz5 minutes
Evaluating Co-Founder Fit Practice Quiz5 minutes
Defining Roles Practice Quiz5 minutes
Team Diversity Practice Quiz5 minutes
How to Have a Good Fight Practice Quiz5 minutes
Culture and Ethics Practice Quiz5 minutes
Equity Splits and Compensation Practice Quiz5 minutes
Legal Structure and Rich vs. King Practice Quiz5 minutes
Building and Managing Founding Teams Graded Quiz30 minutes

This module moves from understanding a problem to designing a viable business around it. It explains how value propositions, positioning, business model archetypes, revenue models, channels, early traction, and strategic alignment work together to create and capture value. The central goal is to help learners design a business model that ﬁts the customer, the market, and the venture’s resources.

What's included

10 videos3 readings10 assignments

10 videosTotal 77 minutes

From Discovery to Design5 minutes
Understanding Value Propositions10 minutes
Positioning Against Alternatives10 minutes
Business Model Archetypes11 minutes
Understanding How Money Flows9 minutes
Choosing Your Channels9 minutes
Early Traction and Launch Sequencing6 minutes
Strategy as Alignment10 minutes
Business Models Are All Around5 minutes
Learn on Your Terms1 minute

3 readingsTotal 30 minutes

Module 4 Overview10 minutes
Congratulations on completing the course!10 minutes
Get Your Course Certificate10 minutes

10 assignmentsTotal 75 minutes

From Discovery to Design5 minutes
Understanding Value Propositions Practice Quiz5 minutes
Positioning Against Alternatives Practice Quiz5 minutes
Business Model Archetypes Practice Quiz5 minutes
Understanding How Money Flows Practice Quiz5 minutes
Choosing Your Channels Practice Quiz5 minutes
Early Traction and Launch Sequencing Practice Quiz5 minutes
Strategy as Alignment Practice Quiz5 minutes
Business Models Are All Around Practice Quiz5 minutes
Business Models, Positioning, and Value Capture Graded Quiz30 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Build toward a degree

This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹

Instructor

Thomas E. Parkinson

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

6 Courses76,467 learners

Offered by

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Explore more from Entrepreneurship

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Entrepreneurship II: Preparing for Launch
Course
Status: Free Trial
Michigan State University
Developing An Entrepreneurial Mindset: First Step Towards Success
Course
Status: Free Trial
Creo Incubator
Entrepreneurship: Ideation and Exploring Fundamentals
Course
Status: Free Trial
University of Maryland, College Park
Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship
Course
Status: Free Trial

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Frequently asked questions

Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.

You will be eligible for a full refund until 2 weeks after your payment date. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the 2-week refund period. View our full refund policy.

Yes! Coursera provides financial aid to learners who would like to complete a course but cannot afford the course fee. To apply for aid, select "Learn more and apply" in the Financial Aid section below the "Enroll" button. You'll be prompted to complete a simple application; no other paperwork is required.