Integrate the tools and concepts from the specialization courses to develop a comprehensive business plan. Choose to enhance new venture concepts previously explored in specialization courses, or develop a new concept for this capstone project. Develop a comprehensive, customer-validated business model and create an investor pitch for the concept. With this course, students experience a sampling of the ideas and techniques explored in the University of Maryland's master's degree in technology entrepreneurship, an innovative 100% online program. Learn more at http://mte.umd.edu.
This course is part of the Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business Specialization
Entrepreneurship Capstone
Offered By
Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business SpecializationUniversity of Maryland, College Park
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
13 hours to complete
Defining the Opportunity
Value innovation, your solution, and your initial business model canvas
11 videos (Total 94 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz
11 videos
Preview of the Master of Professional Studies in Technology Entrepreneurship11m
Guest Lecture with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker - What Advice Do You Have For Aspiring Entrepreneurs?1m
Does your solution create value for your stakeholders?9m
What is value innovation?6m
Is the problem real?7m
Is your advantage superior and sustainable?15m
Can you build the right team at the right time?15m
Will your business model work?10m
Crafting the business model canvas: Part 17m
Crafting the business model canvas: Part 26m
7 readings
Introduction to the course10m
Meet Dr. James V. Green10m
Connect with your classmates10m
"Value Innovation: The Strategic Logic of High Growth" by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne. Harvard Business Review.10m
"Every Company Is Up For Disruption, So Keep Your Products Simple" by Victor Belfor. TechCrunch.10m
"How to Convince People to Join Your Startup" by Alison Johnston. Mashable.10m
Lecture Slides10m
1 practice exercise
Initial Business Model Canvas18m
Week
22 hours to complete
Discovering the Customer
Discovering the customer and interviewing customers
6 videos (Total 46 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz
6 videos
Customer types8m
Customer segments and business models6m
Customer archetypes4m
Minimum viable product7m
How to interview customers5m
5 readings
Talking to Humans" by Giff Constable. Available as a free PDF.10m
"Customer Development Interviews How-to: Finding People" by Cindy Alvarez10m
"95 Ways to Find Your First Customers for Customer Development" by Jason Evanish10m
"How do I set up customer interviews?" by Jeff Lash10m
Lecture Slides10m
1 practice exercise
Customer Interviews and Analysis: Part 1 of 220m
Week
31 hour to complete
Understanding Customers
Analyzing customers
3 readings, 1 quiz
3 readings
Sizing the Opportunity (2:50)10m
Finding Patterns (1:50)10m
Looking for Insights (0:58)10m
1 practice exercise
Customer Interviews and Analysis: Part 2 of 220m
Week
42 hours to complete
Creating the Marketing and Sales Strategy
Marketing mix, sales forecasting, and managing the sales pipeline
5 videos (Total 47 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz
5 videos
Developing the marketing mix: Part 27m
Pricing13m
Sales forecasting10m
Managing the sales pipeline9m
6 readings
Marketing mix10m
Product strategies10m
Pricing strategies10m
Place strategies10m
Promotion strategies10m
Lecture Slides10m
1 practice exercise
Marketing and Sales Strategy12m
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Top reviews from Entrepreneurship Capstone
wonderful, i started this specialization 2 years ago, but had to stop.. am so fulfilled doing this again. thanks for the opportunity. we will surely meet at the top fellow course mates
A Must course, which every individual should take before entering into the awesome would of Entrepreneurship.
Instructor
Dr. James V. Green
Director of Entrepreneurship EducationMaryland Technology Enterprise Institute
About University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 37,000 students, 9,000 faculty and staff, and 250 academic programs. Its faculty includes three Nobel laureates, three Pulitzer Prize winners, 47 members of the national academies and scores of Fulbright scholars. The institution has a $1.8 billion operating budget, secures $500 million annually in external research funding and recently completed a $1 billion fundraising campaign.
About the Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business Specialization
Develop your entrepreneurial mindset and skill sets, learn how to bring innovations to market, and craft a business model to successfully launch your new business.
The Entrepreneurship Specialization examines the entrepreneurial mindset and skill sets, indicators of innovation opportunities, critical steps to bring innovations to the marketplace, and innovation strategies to establish and maintain a competitive advantage. Fundamentals of new venture financing are explored with attention to capital structures for new ventures, term sheets and how to negotiate them, and the differences between early-stage versus later-stage financing. You will develop an understanding of how to develop winning investor pitches, who and when to pitch, how to avoid common mistakes, and how to ‘get to the close’. In the final Capstone Project, you will apply the tools and concepts from the specialization courses by crafting a comprehensive, customer-validated business model, and creating a business plan and investor pitch.
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 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. 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?
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