COURSE NUMBER: MBA 295A.2

 

This course is cross-listed with the Evening and Weekend MBA Program

 

COURSE TITLE: Entrepreneurship

 

UNITS OF CREDIT: 3 Units

 

INSTRUCTOR: Ron Star and Jack Fuchs

 

EMAIL: fuchs@haas.berkeley.edu, star@haas.berkeley.edu

 

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION (HTTP URL):

 

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Mondays, 6:00-9:30 PM

 

PREREQUISITES: MBA 203

 

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

 

REQUIRED READINGS: The readings for this course are duplicated articles, book chapters and cases that will be published in an electronic Reader.

 

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: The course grade will be based upon:

The group exercise:

  • Written business plan (including draft deliverables): 50%
  • Oral plan presentation: 25%

 

From class:

  • Class participation and non-business plan deliverables 25%

 

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:

This course is about how to create an entrepreneurial business. 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 objectives and financial projections; and second, an oral presentation of that plan to a panel of instructors and business professionals who will be surrogates for your most likely source of start-up capital.

 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

 

Ronald Star

 

Ron is an attorney at the San Francisco law firm of Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin, A Professional Corporation (www.howardrice.com). He focuses on securities law, financings, venture capital, intellectual property and mergers and acquisitions. He works closely with start-up and private companies on issues related to equity and financings, intellectual property matters, the structuring of executive compensation (including stock arrangements), strategic ventures, acquisitions and management buy-outs.

 

Ron is a frequent lecturer on entrepreneurship, venture capital transactions, acquisitions, computer law, multimedia, strategic partnerships, employment matters and closely held businesses.

 

Ron received his J.D. from Harvard Law School where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and an editor-at-large of the Harvard Environmental Law Review). He also received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. His undergraduate degree was in Economics from Harvard University.

 

Jack Fuchs

 

Jack focuses on management of SOMA Networks' global strategic accounts, marketing and partnerships. Prior to joining SOMA Networks, Jack was the Vice President for Business Development and Strategic Marketing at IPWireless, Inc, leading the commercial activities of IPWireless. He was the first non-founding officer, and he developed and implemented the company's business development plan, identified and engaged numerous customer targets, and played an instrumental role in the product definition process. Previously in his career, Jack served seven years as a strategic management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he drove PCS entry and last-mile solutions for wireless clients. He has also held sales, marketing and strategic leadership roles with Becton Dickinson, a $4 Billion medical technology equipment company. Jack graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College with a bachelor's degree in Engineering Sciences and received an M.B.A. from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.