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ENTR Course Descriptions

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ENTR 390.005/006: Intro to Entrepreneurial Design

Are you:

* Designing doorknobs for a Mars colony?
* Tired of browsing crappy university web pages?
* Inventing the best app ever for the Nest or the Apple Watch?
* Have ideas and want to prototype them before the next pitch to investors?
* Wondering why you aren’t going to an online college instead?

Entrepreneurial Design is a cross-disciplinary course for current and aspiring designers, hackers, and makers. This gateway entrepreneurship course allows students to build foundational knowledge of entrepreneurial design with the opportunity to apply these skills in a hands-on lab (ENTR 390.008 – 010).

Learning Objectives: Students will train in patterns of thought that help them anticipate and drive innovations in technology, business, policy; train in advanced and powerful inventing / problem identification and solving methods; ‘earn to identify and meet customer/user needs and wants (i.e.: building stuff you and others actually want to use and buy); obtain practical ?building? skills in a specific digital, physical, or combination platform (i.e.: showing how something works is more effective than just telling stories about it).

ENTR 390.006: Voice User Interface (Amazon Alexa)

In this lab, you’ll learn how to apply functional skills in the emerging technology of voice-user interface and create technology using Echo Dot and Echo Show devices.  These will be provided for this hands-on lab section.  This course will focus on voice integrated design within the realm of artificial intelligence.  The semester will culminate in a showcase event that attracts students, staff, faculty, and leaders from the Ann Arbor entrepreneurship community. This is 1 of 4 lab sections linked to Entrepreneurial Design (ENTR 390.005). Students elect to enroll in both the lecture and a lab.

ENTR 390.008: Hardware, Coding, and IoT

In this lab, you’ll design, prototype, and make Internet of Things (IoT) devices to learn the basics of micro controllers in a hands-on way. You’ll also collaborate with others across disciplines to develop your own hardware- and IoT-based entrepreneurial ideas.

Learning Objectives: Students will: develop a basic understanding of coding and electronics; utilize sketching to express, develop, and communicate design ideas; create functional prototypes through engagement in the design process; employ an iterative design approach, integrating concepts from the lecture to develop their final projects; apply a variety of methods for documenting and communicating the progress of their designs.

ENTR 390.009: 3D Printing and Prototyping

In this lab, you’ll learn how to operate and design for 3D printing machines such as the PrintrBot Play and Form 2. You’ll learn CAD using Autodesk Fusion 360 and how to integrate 3D scan data into your designs. You’ll also learn how to use various Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (RP&M) applications such as slicers and inspection tools.

Learning Objectives: Students will develop the fundamental skills to operate and design for the additive manufacturing process (3d printing); learn how to operate various types of 3d printers to include the PrintrBot Play, and Form 2; learn AutoDesk Fusion 360, how to operate the Nextengine 3D Laser Scanner, and how to incorporate 3d scan data into one’s design; utilize various Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (RP&M) applications to include slicers, and inspection tools.

ENTR 390.010: Virtual Reality

In this lab, you’ll learn how to develop virtual reality content for the Oculus Rift and MIDEN using Unreal Engine and 3D Studio Max. You’ll also be introduced to asset creation (3D modeling with 3D Studio Max) and scene assembly / functionality by bringing assets into the Unreal Engine & creating interactive experiences through Unreal’s Blueprint system. At the end of the class you’ll be capable of developing virtual reality experiences, simulations, and tools to address real-world problems.

Learning Objectives: Students will have an understanding of how to generate digital content for Virtual Reality platforms; be knowledgeable on versatile file formats, content pipelines, hardware platforms and industry standards; understand methods of iterative design and the creation of functional prototypes using this medium; employ what is learned in the lecture section of this course to determine what is possible, what is marketable, and what are the various distribution methods available within this platform; become familiar with documenting their design process and also pitching their ideas to others, receiving and providing quality feedback.

ENTR 390.011: E-Commerce Entrepreneurship

In this course, you’ll learn how to start your own profitable business selling consumer products online. We’ll also cover the potential pitfalls to stay away from and analyze other e-commerce businesses.

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to present a turnkey business with a functioning website, product photos/videos, sourcing plan, shipping/fulfillment plan, and advertising plan.

ENTR 390.012: Digital Product Design

In this course, you’ll learn the total end-to-end process of discovering a digital product need, prototyping a digitized product and getting feedback to relentlessly improve it. In doing so, you’ll be a part of creating the next generation of products that disrupts the economy and reinvents the ways we live – from how we learn and exercise, to how we socialize and get around.

Learning Objectives: Students will learn how to: use design thinking to discover problems worth solving, generate and prototype solutions, and test with real users; design own product(s) by creating wireframes, interactions, and visual designs; use typography, color, shape, space – and industry-standard tools like Sketch, Invision, etc – to build designs that are attractive, simple, and functional; solicit constructive feedback, critique design work, and substantiate criticism; discuss topics in the design world, including usability, user experience design, user interface design, and design research.

ENTR 390.013: TechLab at MCity

In this course, you’ll be responsible for completing an open-ended autonomous vehicle or mobility project (assigned by a company in the autonomous vehicle/mobility space), and as such gain experience in developing cutting edge technology for an early stage startup.

To apply go to https://cfe.umich.edu/techlab-mcity/

Learning Objectives: Students will know how to recognize ambiguity, become comfortable with it, and use project management techniques to plan for the unexpected; utilize project management tools, techniques, and skills; understand assigned company’s technology and how it creates value for a customer segment; gain exposure to entrepreneurship and its role in solving big problems; align resources for effective project implementation; appreciate organizational dynamics, communication strategies and stakeholder motivations; Identify and utilize key performance metrics for project success; learn to assume responsibility for matters of great importance to assigned company; begin to make transition from student to professional engineer; engage in collaborative learning; immerse themselves in a startup that is developing cutting edge technology for the transportation industry; lead technical and strategic discussion on steps required to achieve technical milestones; discuss a Tech Lab company’s work during class discussion and how it relates in the context of class.

ENTR 407: Entrepreneurship Hour

In this course, you’ll be exposed to disruptive, influential and respected entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business leaders and learn about their personal experiences founding, financing and managing a startup venture.

This seminar series is designed to expose students to entrepreneurship through interaction with experienced entrepreneurs, business leaders, and venture capitalists as well as individuals involved in emerging business models, new venture creation, and technology commercialization. While covering a broad set of engineering disciplines, guest speakers will share their knowledge on the latest, most diverse practices on legal, financial, and other innovation issues. The lectures include leading entrepreneurs and executives, technology innovators, experts from the financial markets, and others who support the entrepreneurial infrastructure. Following these seminars, students will be able to meet the guest speakers along with other members of the entrepreneurial community.

ENTR 408: Patent Law

In this course, you’ll gain an overview of intellectual property (IP) law with a focus on patent law. You’ll learn the fundamentals and leave the class able to identify patentable ideas and possible infringement issues in order to create an IP strategy.

Inventors and entrepreneurs have four concerns related to patent law:

1. protecting inventions during product development
2. determining invention patentability
3. avoiding infringement
4. leveraging a patent as a business asset

This course addresses these concerns through the application of case law and business cases to an invention of a student’s choice.

ENTR 409: Intro to Venture Capital

In this course, you’ll work in teams to learn how to: (1) identify an innovative idea, (2) evaluate whether your idea will be successful, (3) operate and run a company to bring your idea to life, and (4) persevere and dedicate yourself to your venture in good times and bad.

Learning Objectives: Students will take a team based approach, grouped together with someone who has already identified a basic idea or innovation to work on (trait 1); The instructor will provide students a framework to evaluate the idea (trait 2). Whether simulating a venture capitalist, entrepreneur, or corporate employee, this process is the first step in determining if the idea has enough merit to further pursue as a business or investment; This framework will also help you to communicate the idea (trait 3) through providing a final presentation of your findings; Owing to the compressed timeframe of this short-course, students will get a sense of the speed at which most entrepreneurs are required to operate. This intense effort will give students a sense of the dedication (trait 4) great entrepreneurs must have.

ENTR 410: Finding Your Venture

In this course, you’ll learn how to dramatically simplify the business creation process by radical prioritization, identifying good opportunities and learning when to walk away from a bad one, and learning that it is possible, and actually very common, to be a moderately successful non-famous entrepreneur.

It’s hard to start a company, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. This course dramatically improves your odds of starting a viable business by providing a framework for identifying large, attractive opportunities. Every student will leave with a viable business opportunity to pursue and a set of valuable and repeatable skills that will be an asset in any entrepreneurial setting.

ENTR 411: Engineering Practicum

In this course, you’ll be immersed in the entrepreneurial process in a supportive classroom environment. You’ll learn how to critically evaluate then pursue the development of your own ideas for new ventures by working closely with entrepreneurship faculty and mentors.

Learning Objectives: Students will experience entrepreneurship firsthand; Understand and experience the mindset of an entrepreneur; Develop the ability to share the story of your entrepreneurial pursuits and clearly articulate customer needs, value proposition, customer segments, and value-adding solutions; Learn to go from idea phase to action and implementation, including validation through sales; Learn the customer discovery process of gaining empathy, understanding customer needs and wants, getting feedback from customers, prototyping solutions, and testing a value proposition; Actively practice exercising the customer discovery process; Become familiar with the process of starting a business; Learn problem solving in a team-based environment.

ENTR 411.002: Engineering Practicum – Engineering Tech

In this specific section you’ll gain the skills you need to develop a technology company. Specifically, you’ll apply the scientific method and lean startup principles to designing a business that is sustainable, scalable, and repeatable.

ENTR 412: Advanced Entrepreneurial Practicum

In this course, you’ll grow your venture by building upon the problem validation and customer discovery developed in ENTR 411 and outside of the classroom. Modeled off real-world startup incubator and accelerator programs, you’ll learn a variety of entrepreneurship principles and apply them to your venture as the class progresses.

As this course is by Instructor Consent, you must apply here: http://myumi.ch/Jy4j7

Learning Objectives: Students will experience running, growing, and leading their own sustainable ventures to create value; Apply fundamental entrepreneurship principles, including sales, marketing, legal considerations, and finance; Develop the ability to share their story of entrepreneurial pursuits, pitch, and clearly articulate customer needs, value proposition, customer segments, and value -adding solutions; Actively practice entrepreneurship by developing an entrepreneurial venture that includes developing a solution and developing customers; Learn to form and launch their own company, go to market, and acquire customers.

ENTR 413: Entrepreneurial Marketing

In this course, you’ll learn how to build a lean marketing plan that will maximize your chance of successfully growing a new concept from an idea to a product to a repeatable and scalable business with little or no resources in an ever-changing environment.

Learning Objectives: Students will learn about the development of a market-based orientation for a start-up company; Students will learn about the creation of a marketing plan for a new venture; Topics and concepts will include knowing one’s customers, discovering if anyone want the product, how to articulate one’s value proposition, marketing segmentation and targeting, customer discovery research, maintenance and growth of a customer base, distribution channels and partners, pricing and revenue, marketing metrics/testing/iteration; Students will create an entrepreneurial marketing plan.

ENTR 417: Entrepreneurship Hour Discussion

In this course, you’ll talk 1:1 with disruptive, influential and respected entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business leaders about their personal journey of founding, financing and managing their ventures.

Learning Objectives: Students will connect topics gleaned from the gateway ENTR 407 class in order to continue dialogue about the lecture series presentation and/or with the guest speaker her/himself; Make use of outside readings and engage in in-class activities; Develop an entrepreneurial mindset and apply this mindset to future studies and/or career aspirations; Reflect on entrepreneurship and how it applies to their life goals.

ENTR 490.012: Urban Entrepreneurship

In this course, you’ll learn how to engage a community to identify an important problem and design a sustainable business model that solves it. Whether you’re designing the school lunch of the future or the successor to Uber, you’re in for a challenging and rewarding experience.

Learning Objectives: Students will clearly understand the definition of ?urban entrepreneurship,? and how urban-focused businesses compare to others; Learn to effectively analyze and compare the business models of urban-focused ventures; Engage the community on multiple levels to ascertain and prioritize needs; Capture an identified community need in a well-defined problem statement; Understand and apply ?design thinking? to formulate potential solutions for the identified problem; Identify a scalable, for-profit business opportunity to implement the proposed solution; Develop a business model that will effectively document the business opportunity; Apply Customer Discovery and Human Centered Design methods to test and refine the business model; Understand the processes required to form, finance, and begin execution of a new business venture; Learn to effectively pitch the venture to prospective co-founders, investors employees, and others.

ENTR 490.013 / 490.015 / 490.016 / 599.032: ELP Entrepreneurial Leadership

In this course, you’ll receive hands-on training, access to experience entrepreneurs, and a paid summer internship. This course is only available to students enrolled in the Entrepreneurs Leadership Program. For more information, visit https://cfe.umich.edu/elp

Learning Objectives: Students will receive practical, hands-on learning assignments to develop their skills in areas of individual leadership, operations, innovation, and execution with an emphasis on these four areas/objectives. 1. Understanding startups: We will learn about startups through case studies and studying other key principles 2. Industry Assessment: We will gain deeper understanding of specific industries through a variety of research and analysis approaches. 3. Opportunity Identification: Building on the foundational knowledge of startups and industries, we will work to identify opportunities for innovation. 4. Validation: After identifying innovation opportunities, we will actively test approaches, ideas, products, and services to develop those opportunities.

ENTR 490.014: Org Management in Startups

In this course, you’ll learn about vision, culture, storytelling, mission, strategy development, the role of the CEO, the difference between the CIO and the CEO, communicators, hiring / firing and operations and management. You’ll broaden your perspective of how to get a startup going, scaled, and funded.

Learning Objectives: Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of how to identify their own values and leadership style and build a complimentary team to support that style; Acquire best practices for handling team recruiting, management, incentives, conflict resolution, and pathways to success; Differentiate between high functioning and poor performing teams; Develop an understanding of key factors that enhance or diminish the likelihood of team success; process, communication, delegation and accountability; Understand team dynamics in a typical entrepreneurial start-up environment.

ENTR 490.262: Evaluating Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Climate Change

Climate change is a complex problem with decades of background research. This class will engage a multidisciplinary group of students from engineering, chemistry, business, policy, and beyond to understand and evaluate the opportunities for developing high-value products from captured CO2. You will apply the basics of identifying near-term entrepreneurial opportunities, evaluating technology for commercial readiness, and assessing the viability of various business models. This class will reach out to existing startups, businesses, and entrepreneurs in the Carbon Dioxide Utilization (CO2U) space to find the state-of-the-art technologies and what is on the horizon in the next 3-5 years. Opportunities will be sorted based on technical feasibility, economic feasibility, and environmental impact. By the end of the class, you will be well-positioned to understand the ecosystem of industrial uses of CO2, market trends in CO2, policy implications and emerging technologies. For students looking to make a near-term impact in climate change through the CO2 economy, this is the class for you.

ENTR 490.344: Reimagining Companies through Innovation

The state of Michigan and the Midwest have a rich manufacturing history. In fact, the manufacturing capacity of the I-80/I-94 corridor from Detroit to Chicago is roughly the equivalent of Germany. Nevertheless, many of these businesses are aging and need to leverage new technology and processes to make higher value products and remain competitive. In this course you will learn to analyze all aspects of a company, develop market intelligence, and provide advice that will reshape a company. You will also meet directly with entrepreneurs and company C-suite members. This class is offered in collaboration with the U-M Economic Growth Institute that has decades of experience providing strategic guidance to small- and medium-sized companies. You will be directly involved in gathering and interpreting data that will be used by real companies for high-level decision making as they reinvent the firm. You will understand and apply consulting skills, technology, and market assessment, analyze privately held companies, and evaluate their capacity to innovate.

ENTR 490.425: Innovation for Impact: Defense

In this course, you will gain hands-on experience understanding and working with the defense and intelligence communities to innovate at speed, working on current national security problems.

ENTR 500.001: Intro to Innovation

In this course, you’ll learn a wide range of concepts and skills to have a successful innovation-focused career in small, medium, and large businesses and institutions. You’ll study intellectual property, market and industry analysis, product-market fit, equity and stock options, program and project management, communications, securing investment and government funding, and more.

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to: Describe the value proposition and customer segment for either their own research, favorite product, or service. Draw a value Chain Map and an Eco System Map. Complete the Revenue Model, Value Proposition, Channels, Customer Segments of the Business Model Canvas. Complete the left hand side of the Business Model Canvas. Enter concise descriptions of the Cost Structure plus Key Partnerships, Resources, and Activities. Conduct Customer Discovery interviews. Name at least five regulatory agencies, code and/or standards, and certifications. Compare two competing business models from a given market segment and determine how technology and innovation was used by a startup to displace an established business. Define a patent in their own words. Explain two major differences between each of the following; trade secret, patent, trademark, and copyright. Generate a Gantt Chart. Generate a simple budget. Generate a 30 Second Elevator Pitch. Analyze conflicts and summarize the issue, people involved, final resolution. Learn how stock options work.

ENTR 510.001: Compensation,Fund. & Ownership

In this course, you’ll learn about the various types of compensation, funding, and ownership (CFO), from 100% investor-owned to 100% employee-owned. You’ll look at CFO from the perspective of an employee, founder, and investor, and learn the trade offs of ownership, stock options, and valuation to know how you and others should be fairly compensated.

Learning Objectives: Students will develop the critical thinking skills and analytical frameworks necessary to grasp the trade-offs of equity and employee ownership as it pertains to both them personally and to the business. Students should also be able to select the appropriate corporate structure for a variety of ventures, negotiate and establish basic shareholder governance, calculate capitalization tables, and estimate the value of an entrepreneurial venture. Students will also learn how to make informed tactical and strategic decisions around the efficient and effective and deployment of equity, and how to best negotiate for that equity from an employee’s perspective.

ENTR 520.001: Technology-Inspired Business Models

In this course, you’ll learn how to use a variety of innovation and entrepreneurial tools to identify opportunities, construct a business model, and assess its fundability so you can bring your ideas to life in a sustainable and scalable way. 

Learning Objectives: After the completion of this course students will to be able to: 1. Articulate the tangled relationships between four of the nine components of the Business Model Canvas; value proposition, channel, customer segment, and revenue streams. 2. Capture a value chain map for a given channel to market. 3. Develop an ecosystem map and communicate the fundamental change your innovation will bring to the market. 4. Think strategically about the synergy and tensions between innovation capture and creation across several industry verticals. 5. Cultivate an ability to tailor technology innovation towards a sustainable business model with modern day revenue stream tactics.

ENTR 530.001: Innovation and IP Strategy

In this course, you’ll learn intellectual property (IP) strategies for new ideas and startups, including barriers to entry for competitors and infringement risk reduction. Topics include IP procurement, technology transfer, due diligence, and preparing for and avoiding litigation. You should have your own research to apply what’s learned in the class.

Learning Objectives: Students will leave this course with a solid understanding of: 1. The difference between holding IP rights and freedom to operate; 2. For the major types of IP (patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets), what rights they include, how to obtain those rights, and how to avoid unnecessarily losing those rights. 3. How to use IP to protect a competitive advantage in a target market. 4. How to identify and address risks related to IP infringement. 5. How to avoid common IP stumbling blocks for startups, including: selecting a name, securing ownership of IP from the creators; the dangers associated with past employment. 6. The basic aspects of major legal milestones for an early-stage technology venture, such as incorporation and financing. 7. How IP (and other early-stage legal decisions) align with a company’s business model and strategy.

ENTR 550.001: Interpersonal Skills

Do people sometimes or often surprise, irritate, or enrage you? Looking back over the last year, can you think of a time you “lost control” or would like a “do over”? By building your self awareness and Emotional Intelligence, you can gain insight, self control, and produce consistently positive results for yourself and others.

Using a four quadrant model of Emotional Intelligence, each quadrant will be unpacked with readings, lectures/examples, occasional guest lectures, and small group activities.  Students are intended to come to understand the rich and varied mental lives of others, and learn concepts like “it’s not about you” and to “fly their own plane first”.   Using a three axis model (actual EQ, self-perceived EQ, and EQ care), along with an EQ assessment rubric, students will learn to locate themselves and others in relation to best practices.  Theories of leadership will be discussed and unpacked, with the intent of more fully understanding sources of leadership power and the positive and negative aspects of various leadership styles. At the interplay of these themes is the concept of the dynamic, optimized function of a high-performing team – the creation and maintenance of which lies at the heart of most business success.

Students will form teams early in the course to ideate a project for improving the campus in some way.  The teams will (ideally) apply their course learnings and produce a substantive product that they will report out on at the end of the course.  Additionally, students will work throughout the term on a 10-20 page personal development plan, which will either be busy work or life changing in direct response to how seriously it is worked on. Weekly reflections on reading and course content will provide a regular feedback loop between instructor and student as to how course material is being received and applied.  While not focusing explicitly on business practices and entrepreneurial activities, the entire course will be grounded in this field and will rely heavily on tying in the real world experiences of students and instructor to maximize the future applicability of what is learned.

ENTR 560: Project Management and Consulting

Successful project managers and consultants possess the skills necessary to manage their teams, clients, activities, schedules, risks, communications and resources to produce desired outcomes. This course introduces the tasks and challenges fundamental to project management, the vital function of managing complex projects; and consulting, the business of giving expert advice.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the course, students should be able to: understand the key elements of project management & consulting, which includes: Sell, Engage, Scope, Plan, Research, Innovate, Decide, Manage, Change Management, Close. Manage a project from beginning to end.

ENTR 599.021: Creativity & Design

In this course, you will come to recognize the unique contribution designers provide as one of several integral components necessary for a successful venture or team. Because creativity and design intersect the product development process at many junctures, you will gain valuable insights making you an effective contributor to an existing venture, startup idea, and future projects. Whether you have a technical or non-technical background, becoming more knowledgeable about the complexities related to the product design process will help you become a more collaborative teammate, leader, follower and problem solver.

ENTR 390.050 / 599.050: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Entrepreneurship

Diversity drives creativity and innovation, makes teams smarter and more effective, and leads to better outcomes for organizations. Leaders who prioritize inclusivity also know how to leverage talents, skills, and knowledge to make an impact and achieve their goals. Throughout the semester, you will develop knowledge necessary to create workplaces and communities that value DEI, and further launch yourself/your entrepreneurial endeavors with a stronger DEI mindset. The skills gained in this course will serve you well as current students and help you be an agent of change in your future careers.

ENTR 599.737: Entrepreneurship in Pharmacy

Stories of successful business ventures from PharmD and PhD graduates of the College of Pharmacy abound! This new short course will engage graduate and professional students in team-based learning to understand the basics of starting or operating a successful new business in any pharmacy discipline, including ventures based on new drugs, new delivery systems, community pharmacy, and/or pharmacy healthcare. Topics will include business fundamentals, intellectual property, marketing, regulatory issues, and more.

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