The Stanford Technology Ventures Program is ready for another fantastic year of delivering entrepreneurship education to students in the School of Engineering and other entrepreneurially-minded students from across the Stanford campus.
Even if you’re not ready to found a company, there’s no time like the beginning of the academic year to start exploring entrepreneurship. Not sure where to start? We’d suggest registering for the Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar, MS&E 472 — the gateway into entrepreneurship.
Below you will find course information for Autumn 2011, along with links to available course websites and instructor bios. For course information covering the entire academic year, you can also view the STVP Courses page.
MS&E 140: Accounting for Managers and Entrepreneurs (3 – 4 units)
Instructor: Vic Stanton
Limited enrollment
MS&E 140 provides an introduction to accounting concepts and the operating characteristics of accounting systems. The principles of financial and cost accounting, design of accounting systems, techniques of analysis, and cost control are explored throughout the quarter, as is the interpretation and use of accounting information for decision making.
This couse is specifically designed for the user of accounting information and not as an introduction to a professional accounting career. Non-majors and minors who are taking elementary accounting are not advised to enroll.
MS&E 178: The Spirit of Entrepreneurship (3 units)
Instructors: Heidi Roizen
This course teaches students to think like a successful entrepreneur by learning how to analyze key parts of various startup business models. The course uses the speakers at the Entrepreneurial Thought Leader seminar (MS&E 472) as the source of the companies to be explored.
Students meet before and after each Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders seminar to prepare and debrief, respectively.
MS&E 180: Organizations: Theory and Management (4 units)
Instructors: Kathleen Eisenhardt
Limited enrollment; Preference to MS&E majors
MS&E 180 offers an examination of classical and contemporary organizational theory. The course will explore the behavior of individuals, groups, and organizations. Students must attend the first class session.
Jeffrey Schox
ME 208: Patent Law and Strategy for Innovators and Entrepreneurs (2 – 3 units)
Instructor: Jeffrey Schox
The course will provide a foundation to understand the patent system, and strategies to build a patent portfolio and avoid patent infringement. Students will learn how to conduct their own patent search and how to file their own provisional patent application on an invention of their choice. Although listed as a ME course, the course is not specific to any discipline or technology.
MS&E 270: Strategy in Technology-Based Companies (4 units)
Instructor: Kathleen Eisenhardt
Limited enrollment.
This course provides an introduction to the basic concepts of strategy used within high-technology firms. MS&E 270 examines decisions and actions that shape the long-term future of these organizations by establishing, sustaining, and enhancing the basis for their competitive advantage.
Topics covered within the course include competitive positioning, resource-based perspectives, “co-opetition” and standards setting, and complexity/evolutionary perspectives.
In this video clip, Professor Eisenhardt discusses opportunity creation.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NEyfDtwlZ4
MS&E 273 Technology Venture Formation (3 – 4 units)
Instructors: Mike Lyons and Audrey MacLean
Limited enrollment; Recommended prerequisite: MS&E 270, 271, or equivalent.
View the MS&E 273 course website.
This course forms integrated teams from graduate engineering, computer science and business students to experience the immersive and “no-holds-barred” process of creating a Silicon Valley startup, including presentations to business experts and venture capitalists.
Learn to build venture-scale technology firms where engineers and business personnel can clearly articulate the market opportunities and value proposition of leading-edge technologies to investors. MS&E 273 teams are treated as real startups, as they explore concepts of opportunity assessment, marketing and distribution strategies, R&D and operational planning, legal considerations, and more.
MS&E 472 DFJ – Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar (1 unit)
Instructors: Tom Byers, Tina Seelig and Thomas Kosnik
Required web discussion. Course may be repeated for credit.
The DFJ Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar is a weekly speaker series that presents innovators from across business, finance, technology, and philanthropy sectors, to share their insights with aspiring entrepreneurs. Through MS&E 472, students have the opportunity to learn real world knowledge from prominent leaders and entrepreneurs.
Learn more about this quarter’s line-up of engaging speakers.
DFJ ETL Speaker Lineup for Fall 2011:
- Oct 5: David Friedberg — CEO, WeatherBill
- Oct 12: Phil Libin — CEO, Evernote
- Oct 19: Brad Feld — Mang. Director, Foundry Group; Co-Founder, TechStars
- Oct 26: Scott Summit — Co-Founder & CTO, Bespoke Innovations
- Nov 2: Mårten Mickos — CEO, Eucalyptus; Former CEO, MySQL AB
- Nov 9: Adam Lowry — Co-Founder & Chief Greenskeeper, Method Products
- Nov 16: Dana Mead — Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
- Nov 30: Jessica Mah — Co-Founder, Architect & CEO, inDinero
Here are video highlights from 2011 DFJ ETL speakers.
Additional STVP-Affiliated Course News
Mayfield Fellows Program: ENGR 140 C
Our class of 2011 Mayfield Fellows will be completing this intense, nine-month work/study program designed to develop a theoretical and practical understanding of the techniques for growing technology companies.
The program combines an intense sequence of courses on the management of technology ventures, a paid summer internship at a startup company, and ongoing mentoring and networking activities. Learn more about MFP and see where the 2011 Fellows interned over the summer.
Prof. Byers Teaches in Bing Overseas Study Program
During the fall quarter, MS&E Professor and STVP Co-Director Tom Byers will be teaching entrepreneurship courses in Florence as part of Stanford’s Bing Overseas Study Program.
