Welcome to E145/STS173
High-Technology Entrepreneurship
Session 1
Course Overview
Professors Tom Byers and Randy Komisar
Stanford University
Copyright © 2004 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
and Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP). This document may be
reproduced for educational purposes only.
Agenda: Is this the right course for me?
1.
Introductions and Course Objectives
2.
Calendar, Key Deliverables, Methods & Materials
3.
A Word about STVP (Entrepreneurship Center)
4.
High-Technology Entrepreneurship Defined
5.
Break
6.
Next Steps for Admission and Some Expectations
Introduction and Backgrounds
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Teaching Assistants
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Your Turn
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Your Professors …
Who is Randy Komisar?
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Education: Brown and Harvard
•
Technology Lawyer: Boston and Silicon Valley at
Apple
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Founder/Entrepreneur: Claris and GO
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CEO: Lucas Arts and Crystal Dynamics
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Virtual CEO: WebTV, TiVo and others
•
Author (Monk and the Riddle), Entrepreneurship
Evangelist, and now an Stanford Adjunct Professor!
Who is Tom Byers?
Ph.D. @
Executive @
Founder @ Slate
Educator @ Stanford
Board Member
1980’s
1990’s
2000’s
Our Course Objectives
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Understand entrepreneurial leadership and its
process in high-technology industries. Dispel
common myths and misconceptions.
•
Learn skills important for 21st century
technology leaders.
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Stimulate continuous learning and personal
reflection regarding entrepreneurship and your
future.
Seven Important Skills for Tomorrow’s
Entrepreneurial Leaders
1.
Creativity and Opportunity Evaluation
2.
Real-time Strategy and Decision Making
3.
Comfort with Change and Chaos
4.
Teamwork
5.
Evangelism, Selling, Negotiation, and Motivation
through Influence and Persuasion
6.
Oral and Written Communication
7.
Basics of Start-Up Finance and Accounting
Course Calendar, Methods & Materials
•
Course Website
(www.stanford.edu/class/engr145)
– Course Description and Policies
– Course Calendar and Schedule
– All Assignments
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Reading
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Technology Entrepreneurship by Dorf and Byers
The Monk and the Riddle by Komisar
Course Reader Packet
Links and Session Handouts
Regular Sessions, Workshops, and ETL Seminars
Key Email Lists
Books on Reserve at the Engineering Library
Course ‘By the Numbers’
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4 Units of Credit and 2 Sections of Equal Size and Content
12 Teachers (2 Instructors, 4 Tas, and 6 Guests)
20 Regular Sessions and 4 Special Workshops
2 Textbooks plus Web-based Readings and Short Videos
11 Detailed Case Studies of Actual Ventures
1 Team Term Project and 1 Individual Final Exam
Grading
– As an Individual (50% of Total Grade):
» Participation and Assignments (20%) + Personal
Business Plan (5%)
» Final Exam (25%)
– As a Team (50% of Total Grade):
» Opportunity Analysis Project Presentation (20%) and
Report (10%)
» Online Email Assignments (20%)
The Stanford Technology Ventures Program is dedicated to
accelerating high-technology entrepreneurship education and
creating scholarly research on technology-based firms.
STVP believes that engineers and scientists need entrepreneurial
skills to be successful at all levels within an organization. The
program prepares students for leadership positions in industry,
academics, and society. In addition, STVP disseminates research
and teaching knowledge throughout the world.
http://stvp.stanford.edu
What are Characteristics of
High-Technology Businesses?
•
“Rapid advances in technology that allow new ventures and
competitors to offer new functionality or applications to help
customers solve existing or latent problems.”
•
Examples include these categories:
– Information Sciences: computer software and systems, data
networking, electronic commerce and information services,
telecommunications and wireless communications, semiconductors and
equipment, advanced materials and specialty chemicals, and consumer
products and services.
– Life Sciences: biotechnology, traditional pharmaceutical products,
health care services, medical information systems, medical devices, and
medical equipment.
•
Advancements can be either:
– Revolutionary: “Brave New World”
– Evolutionary: “Faster Better Cheaper”
Reference: Adrian Ryans
What is Entrepreneurship?
"Entrepreneurship is a management style that involves
pursuing opportunity without regard to the resources
currently controlled. Entrepreneurs identify opportunity,
assemble required resources, implement a practical action
plan, and harvest the rewards in a timely, flexible way.“
“Any attempt at new business or new venture creation, such
as self-employment, a new business organization, or the
expansion of an existing business, by an individual, a team,
or an established business.”
A Way of Managing and Leading! It Can Be Taught!
References: Various Including Harvard and Babson
A Closer Look at HighTechnology Entrepreneurship
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Key driver of global economic growth
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Creates huge businesses with large impact
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Different process than starting a small business
Four Ways of Teaching/Learning
High-Technology Entrepreneurship
1. Critical thinking through case studies.
2. Teaching of basic terminology and
concepts through the text and workshops.
3. Teamwork through the opportunity
analysis project.
4. Career planning through the personal
business plan.
The Success Formula for E145
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Show up on time (with cell phones and pagers off
please).
•
Be nice to people (e.g., constructive comments only,
listen carefully and only one speaker).
•
Do what you say you will do and deliver more than you
promise (both in class and out).
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Do it with energy and passion.
The teaching team commits to these items;
we respectfully ask you to do the same.
Reference: JM Perry