Experience with Developing an
Engineering-Based
Entrepreneurship Sequence
Eric Suuberg
C.V. Starr Professor of Technology Entrepreneurship
and
Co-Director, PRIME, Brown University
November 2015
A new option:
Program in Innovation Management and
Entrepreneurship (PRIME)
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Prepare science/engineering grads to participate in a
complex, competitive technology-driven economy,
emphasizing development of innovative, embryonic
ideas.
What does a student with a science/engineering
undergrad degree need to know in order to effectively
work in a technology entrepreneurship environment?
Business background, but not an MBA!
Open to our PhD candidates.
Now in 9th year of operation.
http://www.brown.edu/academics/engineering/prime/
A Word on the History of PRIME
Process really started with a
grant:
National Science Foundation
(EEC-9972938)
Crawford and Suuberg
developed the
entrepreneurship course
sequence that is now
ENGN 1930G/H.
Graduate student demand was
noted, but not addressed.
Crawford started a separate
course offering for graduate
students EN292-S26
September 2005
Entrepreneurship causes a buzz!
The PRIME product
The PRIME Curriculum
Completed in 1 AY,
unless taken alongside
PhD
http://www.brown.edu/academics/engineering/prime/courses-manual
The PRIME Courses
• Business Fundamentals I & 2
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Examines core concepts in distinct areas through three modules: (1)
intellectual property and business law, (2) technical marketing and
(3) finance.
Continues examination of core concepts through three modules: (1)
the basic financial calculations of business, (2) advanced topics on
the legal and team building issues that come in developing a startup,
and (3) the different types of negotiations that a new startup will
need to engage in. It focuses on setting up the organization,
choosing leadership and finding human capital, and identifying the
resources and incentives in order to assemble the necessary team.
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Teaching is case-study based, and emphasizes developing good
written and oral communications skills.
The PRIME Courses
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Innovation and Technology Management I &II
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The first course has 4 modules: (1) Industry Dynamics of
Technological Innovation, (2) Formulating Technological
Innovation Strategy, (3) Implementing Technological Innovation
Strategy, and (4) Early Commercialization and Deployment.
The second course topics fall into three basic modules: (1)
Capacity Planning, (2) Industrial Engineering, and (3) Materials &
Resource Engineering. Capacity Planning will focus on decision
making regarding capacity including facility and location
considerations in manufacturing and service organizations.
Methods of evaluating capital projects will be introduced and
applied to capacity investment decisions.
The PRIME Courses
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Technology Entrepreneurship & Commercialization I & II
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A sequence that develops the skills for technology-based
entrepreneurship. It teaches creation of viable high-growthpotential new ventures from emerging science and technology.
Students examine S&T for new opportunities, create novel
product or service concepts from these sources and determine
whether these concepts truly represent new business
opportunities. Pedagogy is a combination of lectures, discussions,
and "experiential learning", with work undertaken as a twosemester project.
While students examine science and technologies sources, and
create a portfolio of opportunities from these in the first course,
this course continues by developing selected opportunities into a
compelling business case for the creation of a high growth
potential new venture.
The PRIME Courses
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Engineering Management and Decision Making
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The primary objective of this course is to train students
on tools, skills, and behaviors required for effective
management of complex engineering, research, and
business development projects. The skills and principles
taught will be applicable to businesses of any size and
maturity.
The course is organized around three actionable
themes: 1) project management, 2) team management,
and 3) decision making. At the conclusion of the course,
explicit relationships will be drawn between the "nuts
and bolts" of engineering management and the higher
level portfolio and strategic management of a technology
company.
The PRIME Courses
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Globalization Immersion Experience &
Entrepreneurship Laboratory
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In this course, students will gain an understanding of the
political, social and cultural dynamics that influence
entrepreneurial enterprises in different world regions.
Meetings will be arranged with high technology
companies and their venture arms, academic incubators,
investment professionals, legal professionals,
government officials, entrepreneurs, and other university
faculty and students. The semester becomes a global
entrepreneurship and innovation "laboratory" where
students experience and take part in lectures from
experts working in other countries. Classroom
discussions, student presentations, papers and readings
will be used to focus and further understand the
globalization dynamic and its relationship to
entrepreneurship.
The PRIME faculty
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Eric Suuberg-C.V. Starr Chair of Technology
Entrepreneurship, PRIME Co-Founder and present
Co-Director.
Angus Kingon- Hazeltine Chair of Entrepreneurship,
Co-Director
Pat McHugh- Professor of the Practice
Jason Harry – Professor of the Practice
Robert Petteruti – Adjunct Lecturer
Others – Danny Warshay, Don Stanford, Jon Cohen
PRIME student careers
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Fields
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Consulting, Finance, Health& Medical, IT,
Electronics, Materials, Energy, Retail
Firms - only a partial sample
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Goldman Sachs, Advanced Technology
Investments, Axena, Covidien, Audax Medical,
Accelereach, Hubspot, Quid, Mofuse, Vestmark,
Arista Solutions, Embraer, N-Tex, NuLabel,
Schlumberger, Shell, Thyssen-Krupp, Sylvatex
Biofuels, Hasbro
Special Aspects of PRIME
• The PRIME trip - two week visit to a foreign
destination, with morning and afternoon
visits to entrepreneurially-engaged
organizations.
• A reliance on adjuncts with significant
executive experience.
The PRIME trip
Netherlands
India
Slovenia
Austria
Estonia
Latvia
Finland
Portugal
Spain
South Africa
Ireland
Germany
PRIME trip - Objectives and
Processes
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As an extension of the course on
globalization, PRIME students and
faculty visit high-technology
companies, academic incubators,
venture capitalists, and government
officials.
Through these contacts, students
explore business culture and climate
that differ from those that are
prominent in their US-based
classroom experience.
The learning is captured in required
individual written reports on each visit.
Our students required to do at least
one presentation of their business
concept during the trip.
PRIME
trip
mechanics
• Need to have a “partner” on the
ground in each country who can
facilitate getting/making
appointments.
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Program pays for all travel for
students- rolled into tuition.
We coordinate all of the necessary
visa applications.
Need a range of visits- not just
startups. Want to get a sense of the
business culture (incl. large
company visits), governmental
support of entrepreneurship
(government agencies), the role of
universities (entrepreneurship
programs).
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PRIME trip - other details
Try to schedule during a semester break (January or
March), so as to avoid conflicts with other classes.
All hotels and travel booked and paid by us in
advance. Offer students spending money in cash on a
per diem basis, for meals not taken together.
Typically schedule two organizational visits per day.
Always allow some weekend time for sightseeing.
Prepare student bio sheet for all hosts.
Our audience
• Brown designs Sc.M. programs to be
attractive on a worldwide basis. Many
foreign students enroll.
• Total enrollment presently about 33 per
class.
• Considering developing a parallel track
that emphasizes
engineering/innovation management.
Summary
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PRIME is a unique program for students who
are prepared for and focused on a career in a
technology-oriented entrepreneurial
environment.
The program emphasizes efficiency in providing
skills in order to be effective in this sort of
environment.
A global component is an essential part of such
a program and is a highly valued (and strongly
bonding) part of PRIME.
The experiential aspects of PRIME are key to
the experience.