20856 - INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE DIGITAL AGE

The course enables students to understand what a digital start up is, how it differs from more traditional companies, and its major challenges and how to approach them. This objective is delivered through theoretical face-to-face lectures, hands-on case studies illustrating the emergence and the evolution of digital start-ups and talks by experienced external guests. A primary goal of the course is to push students to grasp the key entrepreneurial drivers of success and failure in the digital age, raising relevant questions and developing possible answers. A second important goal is related to the development of students’ ability to work in groups to deliver detailed and timely outcomes.

The course develops around some key themes.

• Early-stage digital entrepreneurship.
• Exponential technologies and their implications.
• Early-stage funding sources.
• Development of a business idea, business model and early-stage business plan.
• Different phases and challenges in early-stage digital entrepreneurship.
• Platform business model.

• Grasp the essence of business idea, business model and business plan.
• Understand the main challenges and risks of early-stage digital entrepreneurship and the different strategies available to approach them.
• Recognize the key entrepreneurial drivers of success or failure in early-stage digital entrepreneurship.

• Understand early-stage digital entrepreneurship according to the framework developed during the course.
• Recognize the threats and opportunities of the digital age.
• Exploit digital tools to come up with innovative solutions to existing problems.
• Think strategically within the context of rapidly evolving digital industries.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Group assignments

Face-to-face lectures will serve the purpose of introducing students to the theoretical foundations of early-stage digital entrepreneurship.

In addition to face-to-face lectures, we expect to have guest speakers who will deliver a direct experience on the main issues they faced when dealing with innovative start-ups

Finally, there will be three sessions dedicated to in-class group tests where students will be asked to work in teams and apply the theoretical frameworks developed throughout the course until that moment.

Interaction is key to maximize learning within the course. Attendance is recommended and class interaction and participation will be evaluated. Students are also required to take part in three in-class group tests that will be graded. A final written exam will evaluate students' overall understanding of the topics.

To be considered attending, students must attend at least 75% of the classes (attendance will be recorded at each session) and participate to all three in-class group tests.

The final grade will be computed as follows:

• Class participation (10%) will be evaluated at the individual level according to contributions to class discussions and during guest presentations.
• In-class group tests (40%), evaluated at the group level, will test students’ ability to work in teams and apply the theoretical frameworks developed throughout the course to real-life situations.
• Written exam (50%)  will evaluate students’ understanding of the theoretical frameworks developed throughout the course.

Class participation will be evaluated at the individual level.

Assessment of non-attending students is entirely based on a final written exam that probes the student’s understanding of the concepts inherent to early-stage digital entrepreneurship. Moreover, the general exam should probe the student’s ability to think critically and apply the learned notions to business situations.

• Handouts distributed throughout the course.
• Cases as in the syllabus.
• Readings (and papers) as in the syllabus are mandatory if marked by an asterisk.
• Suggested readings (and papers) as in the syllabus.

The final list will be communicated at the beginning of the course.

Information on how to download the cases will be provided in class. Cases are available for a limited amount of time. All students, attending and non-attending, should download all the cases before the end of the course.

• Handouts distributed throughout the course.
• Cases as in the syllabus.
• Readings (and papers) as in the syllabus are all mandatory.

Information on how to download the cases will be provided in class. Cases are available for a limited amount of time. All students, attending and non-attending, should download all the cases before the end of the course.