COURSE NUMBER: EWMBA 295A-11

COURSE TITLE: Entrepreneurship

UNITS OF CREDIT: 3 Units

INSTRUCTOR: Naeem Zafar

E-MAIL ADDRESS: nzafar@haas.berkeley.edu

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Saturdays, 1:00PM-4:00PM

PREREQUISITE(S): PF/PS as a pre or co-requisite

CLASS FORMAT: The class will combine readings, lectures, case materials and regular class involvement by entrepreneurs and business professionals.

REQUIRED READINGS:

The course will use three textbooks as references:

  1. “New Venture Creation” by Jeff Timmons. 8th Edition
  2. “Get Funded!  A Definitive Guide to Seeking the Right Funding, at the Right Time, from the Right Source” by Naeem Zafar
  3. “Market Research on a Shoestring: How to validate your big idea for under $100”  by Naeem Zafar (Five Mountain Press)

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE:

Students will be graded on class attendance and participation, as well as on the plan and presentation.  Perhaps more than most courses, this one will depend heavily on input provided by students.  It will combine readings, lectures, case materials and regular class involvement by entrepreneurs and business professionals. Well-prepared and intellectually engaged students are essential for the class to succeed.  Please come to class prepared and please be prepared to work hard on your plan.

For additional credit there will be off-classroom assignments and stretch goals.

The course grade will be based upon:
The group exercise:
Written business plan (including draft deliverables)                      35%
Oral plan presentation                                                                35%
Class participation                                                                     30%

  • ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:

    This course is about creating an entrepreneurial mindset –perhaps a Startup – or even think like an entrepreneurs inside an organization. The main requirement for the course will be the development of a business plan on a venture of the student's choosing, subject to faculty approval. Students will work together, in teams of four or five, to develop an idea for a new venture, research its potential and perform analysis to identify what resources are needed and when. This work serves as the basis for two substantial efforts: first, development of a written business plan, including detailed sales and marketing plans and financial projections; and second, an oral presentation of that plan to a panel of angel investors or VCs who will be your most likely source of start-up capital. This course will prepare you for starting your own business or analyzing a new business as an entrepreneur or just think like an entrepreneur.

    BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

    Naeem Zafar

    Naeem is a serial entrepreneur and educator.  He is the founding partner of Startup-Advisor.com, a company dedicated to educate and help entrepreneurs with all aspects of starting and running a company. Naeem is the co-founder and CEO of Bitzer Mobile, his 7th startup in the enterprise mobility space. His prior assignments included the president and CEO of Pyxis Technology Inc., a company specializing in advanced chip design software for nanometer technology, Silicon Design Systems and Veridicom, a Bell Labs spin-off that invented the silicon fingerprint sensors today found on most laptops. Naeem has held senior marketing and engineering positions at several companies including Quickturn Design Systems that had an IPO in 1993 and grew to $125M in revenues. Naeem holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Brown University (magna cum laude), Rhode Island, and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota.