Identify, Analyze, and Launch Your Startup. Build Your Skills to Develop Great Ideas into Great Companies.

4.7

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1,191 ratings

Dr. James V. Green +2 more instructors

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Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business SpecializationUniversity of Maryland, College Park

Skills you will gain

Venture Capital
Finance
Value Proposition
Entrepreneurship
Opportunity Identification
Management
Innovation
Market Research
Business Model
Business Modeling
Investor
Investment

About this Specialization

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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.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online courses

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible Schedule

Set and maintain flexible deadlines.

Beginner Level

No prior experience required.

Approximately 5 months to complete

Suggested pace of 3 hours/week

English

Subtitles: English, Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, German, Russian, Spanish

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online courses

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible Schedule

Set and maintain flexible deadlines.

Beginner Level

No prior experience required.

Approximately 5 months to complete

Suggested pace of 3 hours/week

English

Subtitles: English, Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, German, Russian, Spanish

How the Specialization Works

Take Courses

A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.

Hands-on Project

Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.

Earn a Certificate

When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.

There are 4 Courses in this Specialization

Course1

Course 1

Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship

4.7

stars

1,173 ratings

•

261 reviews

This course assists aspiring and active entrepreneurs in developing great ideas into great companies. With strong economies presenting rich opportunities for new venture creation, and challenging economic times presenting the necessity for many to make their own job, the need to develop the skills to develop and act on innovative business opportunities is increasingly vital.

Using proven content, methods, and models for new venture opportunity assessment and analysis, you will learn how to: * Identify and analyze entrepreneurial opportunities; * Enhance your entrepreneurial mindset; * Improve your strategic decision-making; and * Build innovative business models. Our goal is to demystify the startup process, and to help you build the skills to identify and act on innovative opportunities now, and in the future. 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/landing.

Course2

Course 2

Innovation for Entrepreneurs: From Idea to Marketplace

4.6

stars

612 ratings

•

111 reviews

Develop insights on navigating the innovation process from idea generation to commercialization. Build knowledge on how to create strategies to bring innovations to market. Develop an innovation portfolio and business model canvas for your venture.

We establish a framework for examining the innovation process, and quickly transition into exploring how to successfully bring innovations to market. Key questions answered within the course include: * What are the key indicators of innovation opportunities? * What steps are critical for entrepreneurs to bring innovations to the marketplace? * What innovation strategies are valuable for new ventures to establish and maintain a competitive advantage? 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/landing.

Course3

Course 3

New Venture Finance: Startup Funding for Entrepreneurs

4.6

stars

388 ratings

•

83 reviews

This course is for aspiring or active entrepreneurs who wants to understand how to secure funding for their company. This course will demystify key financing concepts to give entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs a guide to secure funding.

Examine the many financing options available to get your new venture funded. Learn the basics of finance, valuations, dilution and non-dilutive funding sources. Understand capital structure for new ventures, term sheets and how to negotiate them, and the differences between early-stage versus later-stage financing. Develop an understanding of how to develop winning investor pitches, who and when to pitch, how to avoid common mistakes that limit the effectiveness of the pitch, and how to ‘get to the close’. Key questions answered within the course include: * When to raise outside capital? * What kind of investors invest by stage and where to find them? * What are your fundraising options? * What are the key components of the term sheet? * How to perform company valuations? * How to pitch to investors? * What techniques help the entrepreneur ‘get to the close’? 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/landing.

Course4

Course 4

Entrepreneurship Capstone

4.7

stars

213 ratings

•

42 reviews

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.

Instructors

Offered by

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the refund policy?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
Can I take the course for free?
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. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
This Specialization doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Specialization Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more.
How long does it take to complete the Entrepreneurship Specialization?
Time to completion can vary based on your schedule, but most learners are able to complete the Specialization in four months.
How often is each course in the Specialization offered?
Each course in the Specialization is offered on a regular schedule, with sessions starting about once per month. If you don't complete a course on the first try, you can easily transfer to the next session, and your completed work and grades will carry over.
What background knowledge is necessary?
The Entrepreneurship Specialization is designed for those interested in learning how to launch an innovative business, and does not require a background in business or any specific area. A desire to build your knowledge and capabilities are the only requirements for entry. Beginning with Coursera’s “Developing Innovative Ideas for New Ventures: The First Step in Entrepreneurship” is highly recommended.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
We recommend taking the courses in the order presented, beginning with Coursera’s “Developing Innovative Ideas for New Ventures: The First Step in Entrepreneurship,” as each subsequent course will build on material from previous courses.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Entrepreneurship Specialization?
Coursera courses and certificates don't carry university credit, though some universities may choose to accept Specialization Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more.
What will I be able to do upon completing the Entrepreneurship Specialization?
When you complete the Entrepreneurship Specialization, you will have the skills to launch an innovative business. Each student in the specialization will generate and validate an innovative new venture concept. Students will be able to build a comprehensive, customer-validated business model. Applying knowledge from the innovation and new venture financing courses will enable students to create a business plan and investor pitch in the Capstone. Eligible students completing any one of the courses in the Specialization are invited to continue their entrepreneurial journey with a $1,000 scholarship to the University of Maryland’s Master of Professional Studies in Technology Entrepreneurship, a 100% online degree program. Learn more at http://mte.umd.edu.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business Specialization

Skills you will gain

About this Specialization