Module Overview

This course aims to provide a hands-on introduction to the scalable venture management for students with a strong interest in scalable or high-growth entrepreneurship (“Technopreneurship”).    This course will also focus on business models and case studies in China.

English language written proficiency.  No pre-requisites, except a strong interest in being involved with a start-up.

Classes will consist of both lectures and interactive workshops, both of which are compulsory.  The lectures and workshops will facilitate the construction of the business plan.  Relevant topics will be covered as the plans are developed and workshops will be used at plan milestones.  Both lectures and workshops will include discussions with active participation.  Experiential and creative-thought-development in-class exercises will also be included.

Class size: 28.  Approximately 1/2 are 3^rd year undergraduates from National University of Singapore on NUS Overseas College (NOC) program, and 1/2 are Fudan undergraduates from business school with English proficiency. 

Students are expected to:

§         Make several in-class presentations.

§         Participate actively in class,

§         Contribute to class wiki.

§         Engage in problem solving and group discussions (online and classroom).

§         Read and solve problems as part of preparation for class. 

§         Meet with their project teams outside of class

§         Work in a team and collaborate online to prepare a written business plan or

§         Work in the VC analyst team and collaborate online to debate fellow students’ business plan

School of Management, Fudan University

Guoshun Road, Shanghai 200433, P.R.China

The course provides an overview of the major elements of startup/entrepreneurial activity, including evaluation and planning of a new business, financing, team building, typical marketing and operational management issues, alternative models for revenue and growth, and exit strategies.

The course is fast-paced and covers a wide span of business subjects, with a strong focus on the key challenges in starting a venture and their practical solutions. Students with no business training are expected to read up on their own additional background materials, or consult and learn from their classmates, where necessary.

The course utilizes lectures, field trips, class discussions of weekly assignments and guest speakers.   Every student will be assigned to a Self-Initiated Idea Business Plan team, a Lecture Idea Business Plan team or a Venture Capitalist Analysts team with the following arrangement:

• 4 Business Plan teams of 3 students each.
  • Teams: Team #1 Biz; Team #2 Biz; Team#3 Biz, Team #4  Biz
  • Expected deliverable: Completed business plan; Presentation of Business Plan
  • Interim draft business plan must include: Industry Analysis, Business Model, and Competition
  • Final Presentation of all 3 teams.  20 minutes presentation each.
  • Presentations can be English, Chinese, or Bi-lingual.  Business Plans must be in English.

• Venture Capital Analyst teams of 2-3 members assigned to teams VC#1, VC#2, VC#3, VC#4 
• VC teams are assigned to analyze the counter part business plan. 
• The VC teams must commit, prior to the final report submission, on whether to support or not support the funding requests of the assigned business case.  The report must detail on the SWOT of the business model, and point out the risks and opportunities from the business plan.
  • In addition to the VC analysis work on the business plan, students on the analyst teams also have to do assigned work and presentation on assigned topic.
  • Assigned Work:
    • VC Team #1: Legal Topic Assignment
    • VC Team #2: Hi-tech startup in China Topic Assignment
    • VC Team #3: E-Business in China (Globalization & Localization) Assignment
    • VC Team #4: Open Assignment

• Business Plan Analysis Report must be in English.

The course will seek to bring in regular guest speakers from the Asia Pacific Region as well as from the PRC who are prominent actors in high tech start-ups, including successful high tech founders, VCs, lawyers, etc. Planned guest speakers will vary from year to year, but will typically include founders of high tech firms, senior partners of VC firms and experienced business angel investors, and other experienced venture support professionals like law firms specializing in working with start-ups.

Contacts:

Lecturer Contact:   Virginia Cha, virginia@nus.edu.sg   13816883165

Teaching Assistants:    Ally (张荃), allywithnvc@gmail.com 13916487009

Prior to the first class, students should already with this synopsis, and mentally chooses to be a member of the business plan team or a member of the venture capital analyst teams.    Work load is the *same* in either team.  All teams must be mixed.  In other words, all teams must have at least 1 member from NUS and 1 member from Fudan.  *No exceptions*.   If due to drop outs and replacements, the lecturer reserves the right to make team member swaps to balance team makeup.  

Course Schedule   

Texts and Readings (All text books are optional).

1.       Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change by Clayton M. Christensen

2.       Intellectual Property and Doing Business in China, by Deli Yang, published by Elsevier

3.       (highly recommended) Co-Opetition : A Revolution Mindset That Combines Competition and Cooperation : The Game Theory Strategy That's Changing the Game of Business, by Adam M. Brandenburger

4.       Scott Shane , Finding Fertile Ground: Identifying extraordinary opportunities for new ventures (2005)

5.       Kuratko and Hodgetts, Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process and Practice (6th edition)

6.       Timmons and Spinelli, New Venture Creation, (6th edition)

7.       Kao, et. al., Entrepreneurism

Resources:

The course will have no final written exam and will be 100% based on the following continuing assessment components: 50% of marks (Attendance/Participation/Quizzes/Field Trip Reports) will be by individual. 50% of marks (Presentation and Business Plan/Analysis/Class Report) will be by group (all members of team receive the same team score). 

Individual Work: Attendance & Participation (20%) & Field Trip Reports (30%)

Students will be scored 10% based on attendance (physical presence).  Late arrivals (> 10 minutes) or early departures (> 15 minutes) will count as full class absence.

Students’ interaction in class will be scored 10% based on interaction.  Either English or Mandarin interaction are acceptable.  *Extra credit for active participation online (in IVLE discussion forum or in the class wiki*

Individual assignments (2 field trip reports) will be handed out at select classes.  Quality of reports will be scored accordingly and weigh 10% for field trip 1, 20% for field trip 2, totaling 30%.  *Absolutely no makeup work allowed.*   If you missed the field trip, or do not turn in your report, then you score zero for that assignment.  The TA will cross check that you attended the field trip before accepting your field trip report for grading.

Team Work: Business Plan (50% for business plan teams)
Team Work: Assigned Work  & Venture Report  Analysis (25%+25% for venture analysts teams)

For Teams presenting Business Plans - Plans will be evaluated on the quality, thoroughness and professionalism of the plan.  A successful plan will be one that could be submitted to a VC and would be seriously considered for funding. Teams are required to submit 1 draft before the final business plan. The drafts will not be graded but any late submission will count towards penalty points in the final business plan.

For Teams presenting Analysis: Analysis reports will be evaluated on knowledge of industry, competitive know-how, critical thinking, financial analysis, and persuasion strength.  A successful report will be one that convinces the Venture Capitalists on viability/non-viability of the funding.  Also, teams will be scored on thoroughness and originality of assigned work and effective presentation.

Students are required to be prepared to be called on randomly in class to respond to questions, to make presentations, etc.  FINAL VERSIONS OF ALL REPORTS, PRESENTATIONS, BUSINESS PLANS MUST BE UPLOADED BY DUE DATE TO IVLE TO BE GRADED!