Entrepreneurship Essentials for Researchers

Cluster

Career Management

Target audience

¨PhD candidates

Teacher

Heirloom Ventures - Steve Stevens

Abstract

In this 3-day course Researchers are offered the opportunity to learn the essentials of entrepreneurship.

Day 1 will focus on the personal skills, competences and vision needed to start a business.

Day 2 offers the opportunity to understand how to take the first steps from an idea towards market orientation. Participants will learn the difference between inventions and innovations, get introduced into the Lean Startup principles, as well as how to validate, test and pitch ideas for market fit.

Day 3 offers participants the opportunity to talk to a lawyer specialised in supporting startups and spinoffs. This session focuses on a better understanding intellectual property protection with a focus of spin-offs.

Objectives

Participants will develop a clear understanding of the entrepreneurial mindset and practice key skills and competences essential for running a business via interactive exercises. They will learn how to validate ideas, apply the core principles of the Lean Startup methodology, and gain insight into business model design and investor pitching. The program also deepens understanding of the differences between startups and spin-offs, emphasizing the importance of intellectual property protection.
Through practical examples and cases, participants explore IP ownership versus licensing, learn how university spin-offs are structured, and discover key distinctions between different business structures.

Dates and venue

Programme

• Session 1: The Entrepreneur's DNA – 4h
  This day will focus on the DNA of an entrepreneur, what mindset and
  competences it takes to be an entrepreneur, what hard & soft skills it takes
  to overcome the hurdles of entrepreneurship.
  Through diverse short creative and interactive exercises (both individual and
  in teams) this mindset, competencies and skills will be highlighted, tested
  and challenged. Additionally participants will be introduced to “the harsh
  reality” and some inspiring “success stories”.
  We test risk tolerance, strategic thinking, financial reasoning, and
  negotiation skills through a roleplay simulation game of a car market.
  Participants are assigned different roles (production, sales, customer) with
  tasks that change every round and unexpected twists to challenge their
  strategy and flexibility.
  Based on this, participants will reflect on their own Entrepreneurship DNA
  and reflect on their personal entrepreneurship vision.
•  Session 2: Startup Principles – 6h
  In session 2, we link back to the entrepreneurship visions to recap the first session and transition from the individual entrepreneur's perspective to the
  broader concept of entrepreneurship. In advance to this session we ask the participants to send us their Entrepreneurship visions. This approach helps
  us understand the participants' drive and motivation in relation to idea conceptualization and identify who has an innovative idea. Participants will learn the difference between inventions and innovations, as well as how to validate and test ideas for market fit.
  After an introduction to Lean Startup principles, participants will be introduced to the Lean Canvas (duration of 1h). Using either their own idea or a provided case study (if no personal idea is available), they will work in smaller groups to conceptualize their ideas using the Lean Canvas (3 hours, including instructions, theory input and feedback).
  To ensure efficiency, the Lean Canvas user manual will be provided to participants between sessions 1 and 2. Participants are expected to read through the manual in advance. During the groupwork they will be introduced to several validation techniques, the St Gallen Business Model Navigator and will explore when and how to assess technology- and market readiness and check this in groups to discover some examples and learn about the essential differences between a startup and spinoff journey.
  Finally the groups will pitch their own concepts to each other and the trainer.
•  Session 3: Intellectual property protection and how to spin-out IP out of
  Universities
  This session focuses on a better understanding intellectual property protection with a focus of spin-offs. Participants will learn different IP structures: asset deal, license, share deal, etc.. Theory and real life spin-off cases will be explained with practical round table discussions.
  Participants will learn to understand pitfalls and opportunities with explained IP structures and will be offered time for Q&A.

Registration

• Follow this link for the registration and waiting list. We check if you are eligible to participate. Due to limited places, we give priority to PhD students. Your registration will be confirmed by separate e-mail (outlook invite).
• Cancellation of your registration can only be performed by sending an email to doctoralschools@ugent.be.

• The no show policy applies.

Registration fee

Free of charge for Doctoral School members.

Number of participants

Maximum 25

Language

English

Evaluation method

100% attendance, active participation., successful completion of pitch.
After successful participation, the Doctoral School Office will add this course to your curriculum of the Doctoral Training Programme in Oasis. Please note that this can take up to one to two months after completion of the course.