363-1030-00L  Digital Entrepreneurship Sprint

SemesterSpring Semester 2020
LecturersB. Clarysse
Periodicityyearly recurring course
CourseDoes not take place this semester.
Language of instructionEnglish
CommentTo guarantee a high standard of entrepreneurial thinking students, we require a letter of motivation which should describe your business idea or the entrepreneurial motivation. Interested students send their letter of motivation together with their CV via E-Mail to Jana Thiel Link.


AbstractThe seminar aims at students from HSG and ETH Zürich who are motivated to push their own business idea forward or want to act as co-founders.
They should be interested in aspirational business ideas with a technology focus and perceive entrepreneurship as a career option.
ObjectiveThe seminar provides insights into conceptual knowledge and methods for the development of scalable business models. Through interdisciplinary exchange (HSG & ETHZ students), lecturers from the participating institutions, entrepreneurs and investors participants will learn methods and approaches to validate and pitch innovative business ideas.
ContentThe seminar consists of four all-day sessions (Feb 27 & 28 / March 6 & 7):

Part 1 - The business idea and team-matching
Part 2 - Validation, prototyping & testing
Part 3 - Business Modells, metrics and financials
Part 4 - The business concept presentation

The first two days will take place at ETHZ whereas the final two days take place in St. Gallen. Travel costs will not be reimbursed.

The task throughout the course will be to develop a technology-oriented, knowledge-intensive and sustainable business idea in teams of three to four students. Starting from the business idea, students will develop a business model which shows in detail the sustainability over a medium term. The subsequent quantification of the business model will lead to a comprehensive business concept, which has to be visualized and presented in form of a pitch deck. The students will be coached intensively by the lecturers. The connection to practice is provided by the involvement of entrepreneurs and investors.

Throughout the course, company and equity financing will be taught. Highly promising business ideas can be promoted further by the lecturers and the HSG Gründer Lab. Next to the active participation during the lectures (30%), two presentations of the business concept (30%) as well as the final version of the business concept (40%) will be graded. After the presentation, the students will have time to complement the pitch deck with further product-, technology-, market- and financial-related information and to implement the jury's feedback.
Lecture notesNo script, just do.
LiteratureAlexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers, 2010, John Wiley & Sons.
Steven Blank: Four Steps to the Epiphany, 2013, K&S Ranch.
Eric Ries: The Lean Startup, 2012, Redline Wirtschaft.
Prerequisites / NoticeThis course requires highly motivated students. We therefore require a letter of motivation (one page) for admission. In this letter, you should briefly describe your business idea or your entrepreneurial motivation. Please, also state your commitment to attend all four course days.