Launch Your Startup

This course is designed for students who have completed Foundations of Entrepreneurship and are ready to deepen their exploration of how new ventures take shape. Whereas Foundations emphasizes understanding the entrepreneurial process, Launch Your Startup focuses on applying that understanding through the work and responsibilities of a founder. Students will refine a venture idea through structured inquiry, iterative testing, and critical reflection. Over the course of the semester, students will investigate assumptions underlying a venture concept, conduct research with potential users, experiment with early product or service concepts (i.e. MVP development), and analyze strategic choices related to markets, value creation, and sustainability (i.e. early go-to-market planning). Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on evidence-based reasoning, financial interpretation, and the evaluation of strategic tradeoffs that arise during the earliest stages of company formation. The course mirrors the structure and expectations of early-stage accelerators and incubators, while remaining appropriate for an undergraduate academic setting.