The course starts by exploring entrepreneurial ecosystems and systems thinking. The Technology Adoption Life Cycle is introduced to help explain market dynamics and support developing business strategy. Market research concepts and tools are presented that learners will apply to their course projects. Founder, key manager, and board member considerations are examined, and the qualities of effective leadership are reviewed. The operational structures and processes of a tech startup are identified, and the Balanced Scorecard is presented as a tool for tracking critical performance metrics. Learners will create a first draft of Product, Market, and Management & Operations Plans for their new product or service ideas.
Give your career the gift of Coursera Plus with $160 off, billed annually. Save today.
Creating a Technology Startup Company
This course is part of Technology Entrepreneurship Specialization
Instructor: John E. Thomas
1,735 already enrolled
Included with
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
By successfully completing this course, you will be able to describe the meaning of entrepreneurial systems thinking.
You will be able to identify the roles and responsibilities of founders, key management, and the board of directors.
You will also be able to summarize the components of operations in a technology startup and the value of tools for tracking metrics.
Lastly, you will be able to create Product, Market, and Management & Operations business plans.
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
Add to your LinkedIn profile
6 quizzes
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your subject-matter expertise
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
There are 5 modules in this course
The first session presents the startup business environment as a complex ecosystem. Entrepreneurial systems thinking is introduced along with a whole company perspective. Value chains and supply chains are reviewed, and the five stages of the technology adoption life cycle are examined.
What's included
8 videos12 readings1 quiz1 peer review
The second session takes a detailed look at business models and introduces tools for constructing them. A Concept Quick Pitch is reviewed, and the core messages are defined. Business planning is presented as a dynamic process of processes with uses that may be internal or external to the firm.
What's included
6 videos9 readings1 quiz1 peer review
This session presents the concepts and methods of market segmentation and sizing, identifying target customers, and constructing a customer persona. SWOT analysis is presented as a tool for examining competitive threats. Porter’s five forces are introduced to explain the operational dynamics of a firm.
What's included
8 videos10 readings1 quiz1 peer review
In this session, the roles and responsibilities of founders, key management, and board of directors are introduced. Some of the important considerations and strategies for recruiting and retaining key management and boards are presented. The importance of effective leadership that includes authenticity and emotional intelligence is reviewed.
What's included
7 videos11 readings1 quiz1 peer review
The last session looks at some of the practical operational questions and considerations faced by a new technology startup. The productization process is summarized and the concept and use of a minimum value product is introduced. The Balanced Scorecard is presented as a method and tool for tracking critical performance metrics. Product, Market, Management & Operations business plan outlines are presented.
What's included
7 videos9 readings2 quizzes1 peer review
Instructor
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Entrepreneurship
Copenhagen Business School
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Maryland, College Park
Imperial College London
Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
Why people choose Coursera for their career
New to Entrepreneurship? Start here.
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.