This course description is
from Spring 2016 and should only be used as a
reference.
COURSE NUMBER: MBA295A.1
COURSE TITLE: Entrepreneurship and Innovation
UNITS OF CREDIT: 3
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Kurt Beyer
E-MAIL ADDRESS: kurt_beyer@berkeley.edu
PREREQUISITES: None
CLASS FORMAT: Mixture of lectures, workshops, cases, team projects and guest
speakers
REQUIRED READINGS: The course will have one book (Tipping Point by Gladwell) and also
rely on readings and other materials available on study.net.
BASIS FOR FINAL
GRADE: This is a comprehensive
course focused on entrepreneurship and innovation. Grades will be
based on individual and team assignments and participation.
CAREER FIELD: See abstract below.
ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S
CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:
Entrepreneurship is one of the most rewarding yet difficult
endeavors. It is the attempt to define and bring into being a product or
service that does not exist. It is the intense belief in a distinct
future; a future that is then created by the entrepreneur and his or her
team. Oftentimes the entrepreneur has limited resources to accomplish
such a task, which makes the entire enterprise even more precarious...and
rewarding.
295A is the gateway to the
Haas Entrepreneurship Program and is designed for both those students who are
committed to starting a new venture as well as those who want a better
understanding the tools, techniques, and theory behind this dynamic business
process. The course focuses on the entrepreneur as a leader and manager of
change. Through the semester we will provide the critical tools and strategies
addressing product development, market segmentation and analysis, financial
modeling, fundraising, and customer development. Innovation theory and
case studies will be supported by live case examples from some of the most
successful local entrepreneurs and alumni, taking full advantage of Berkeley's
unique proximity to San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:
Dr. Kurt Beyer is a member of UC Berkeley’s Haas Business School
and Graduate School of Information Science faculties, where he teachings the
entrepreneurship program to MBAs, undergrads, and grad students. The
program produces multiple promising startups each year including recent
successes Indiegogo, Tubemogul, Magoosh,
Mobileworks, Traveling Spoon, Plushcare,
Noglo, Socialwire, and
Vires Aerospace. Former students hold prominent positions at successful
startups Uber, Pinterest, Postmates, Clever, Elance, LiveRamp, Kenshoo, and Education Elements. Kurt also
serves as a senior partner at Parallel Advisors where is advises executives at
recent IPO startups Yelp and Marin Software in addition to many successful
earlier stage companies.
Prior to joining Berkeley
and Parallel Advisors Kurt was a faculty member at the United States Naval
Academy and founder of Riptopia Digital Media
where he served as CEO for 6 years. During the 1990s Kurt flew F-14
Tomcats and was assigned to a fighter squadron at Naval Air Station Oceana in
Virginia Beach. Injury cut his naval career short, and Kurt was honorably
discharged, receiving a Navy Commendation Medal and National Defense Service
Medal.
Kurt is the author of Grace Hopper and the Invention of the Information Age,
published by MIT Press in 2010, which highlights the rise of the computer
industry through the amazing career of Grace Hopper, the woman responsible for
the development of computer programming. The book was in the Top 10
Science/Technology books for 2010/2011 and is the basis for a 2015 ESPN
documentary. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12205119
Kurt earned his BS in
engineering and history from the U.S. Naval Academy where he served as Brigade
Commander senior year. He received an MA in economics and philosophy from
Oxford University, and a PhD in the history of science and technology and
economic history from UC Berkeley. Born and raised by an immigrant
working class family on Long Island, Kurt now makes his home in Marin County
with his wife Johanna and two sons Charlie and Gus.
http://facultybio.haas.berkeley.edu/faculty-list/beyer-kurt
http://www.linkedin.com/in/drkurtbeyer
Twitter:drkurtbeyer