COURSE NUMBER: MBA295C.1

COURSE TITLE: Opportunity Recognition: Technology and Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley

UNITS OF CREDIT: 3 Units

INSTRUCTOR: Andrew Isaacs

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

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION: http://bspace.berkeley.edu

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:00AM - 12:30PM

PREREQUISITE(S): None

CLASS FORMAT: Lecture/discussion/Case studies/Guests

REQUIRED READINGS: Extensive readings and cases

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE:

Case preparation, class participation, one group project and paper, no exams.

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:

This course is intended to provide the core skills needed for the identification of opportunities that can lead to successful, entrepreneurial high technology ventures, regardless of the individual's "home" skill set, whether technical or managerial. We examine in depth the approaches most likely to succeed for entrepreneurial companies as a function of markets and technologies. Emphasis is placed on the special requirements for creating and executing strategy in a setting of rapid technological change and limited resources.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Andrew Isaacs is a successful scientist, business executive, entrepreneur, and educator.  He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of technology business leaders and has a strong track record of helping entrepreneurs launch their careers.  Isaacs has worked at the crossroads of advanced technology and business innovation for 30 years, 15 of those years at UC Berkeley, helping start-ups and established technology companies create and execute successful strategies.

Isaacs joined the UC Berkeley faculty in 1999 and in 2003 became Adjunct Professor in the College of Engineering and the Haas School of Business.  In 2000 he was appointed Executive Director of UC Berkeley’s Management of Technology Program, the joint graduate program of the Haas School of Business and College of Engineering, and since 2005 has served as Faculty Director of UC Berkeley’s Center for Executive Education.

From 2007-2010, Isaacs served the Energy Division of the California Public Utilities Commission as its Team Lead evaluating the Emerging Technology Programs state-wide.  In that role, he led the evaluation of approximately 200 innovations by California’s three large energy utilities, PG&E, Southern California Edison, and Sempra energy.  The process included the evaluation of a wide range of technology-based approaches to improving energy efficiency in California, with a focus on determining the viability of the solution.

In addition to his work at UC Berkeley, Isaacs advises a range of energy and technology enterprises in Europe, Asia and the US.  His consulting and executive development clients include Adobe, Bio-Rad, BP, British Telecom, Chugai Pharmaceutical, Climate-KIC, Dai Nippon Printing, Denso, Det Norsk Veritas, Dow Chemical, Électricité de France, Gemalto, HEC, Hitachi, Hyundai Motors, IBM, IPADE, Intel, Johnson and Johnson, Lam Research, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Maersk, Mitsubishi, NEC, Government of Panama, Panasonic, Government of Poland, Port of Oakland, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Sharp Corporation, Simplex Technologies, Sinopec, Sony, Statoil, Synopsys, and Toyota Motors.  Isaacs also moderates two monthly roundtables of technology executives in Silicon Valley.

Isaacs’ experience prior to joining UC Berkeley includes successful careers at public and private companies in Silicon Valley and as a scientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.  He holds BS and MS degrees in Geochemistry from the University of Michigan.