SEMESTER: Spring 2020

This course is dual listed with the FTMBA.

COURSE NUMBER: EWMBA295A.2

COURSE TITLE: Entrepreneurship and Innovation

UNITS OF CREDIT: 3 units

INSTRUCTOR: 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, target market 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