Build Your Startup

Build your Startup (ID5659)

In September 2017 we will have our first run of a 15 EC (420 hrs). As you can see above, we already had a view smaller (6EC) pilot-runs in collaboration with Prof Marc Meyer from NorthEastern University Boston. The students that participated were allowed to work on their own ventures, build their own startup. In a similar fashion and build on the experiences during our pilots we will now have course that spans the full semester for 50% of their time. 

Build Your Startup is an elective course for MSc students of all TU Delft faculties who dare to improve the world of tomorrow by building a business around their own innovative business idea. Through a combination of lectures, workshops and individual coaching sessions, students will be guided in gathering genuine customer insights, testing business models and prototyping minimum viable products until they have a promising value proposition that customers are willing to pay for. By the end of the course the student-entrepreneurs are expected to deliver a prototype, a pitch and a business implementation plan that aims to be ripe enough to start raising funds and join a startup incubator like YES!Delft, should they wish to do so. 

Recognizing and validating business, societal and environmental opportunities with a just-do-it attitude is not only crucial for the success of small businesses - it is becoming a very unique and sought after behavior of engineers and designers in medium and large innovation-driven organizations as well (intrapreneurship).

As a part of the course, participants will get an internship assignment in one of the startups at YES!Delft. Assignment will be formulated around a core challenge that is closely related to their own case (e.g. value proposition development).

The following topics will be covered by various professors and coaches, most of which have a very rich and recognized practical experience:

• Team, vision and drive
• Market, timing and competitive landscape analysis
• Customer-centered value creation using minimum viable products through lean startup and design thinking approaches
•  Exploring IP protection options (like patents)
•  Platforming and product lines
• Finding the right business model
• Basics of finance, financial projections, fundraising and equity
• Positioning strategy (Branding, market introduction strategies, etc.)
• Scaling and related issues of growth
• Persuasive pitching and writing (business implementation plan)