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Welcome to Week 6
Welcome to our sixth and final week of Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies. Our focus this week is financial analysis and business plan development. Our topics are: * Introduction to business plans * Keys to raising financial capital * Building financial statements * Sources of financial capital * Defining the business plan * Objectives of the business plan * Writing the business plan The recommended readings for week six are The Opportunity Analysis Canvas - Chapters 9, 10, and 11; and Business Planning Basics available at http://articles.bplans.com/writing-a-business-plan as the first section of links. There are two assignments and a final survey due at week's end. Assignment 6A: Financial Analysis - This is viewable in the Weekly Assignments link. The assignment is based on the first half of week six, with a focus on keys to raising financial capital, building financial statements, and sources of financial capital. Assignment 6B: Business Plan Evaluation - This is viewable in the Peer Assessments link. An effective tool for developing your skills for writing a business is to evaluate an existing business plan. As detailed in the assignment instructions, you will: (1) choose a business plan from http://www.bplans.com/sample_business_plans.php of interest to you (perhaps related to a new business idea that you may pursue). There are over 500

Assignment 6A: Financial Analysis

Sun 30 Jun 2013 8:59 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

Assignment 6C: Closing Survey

Sun 7 Jul 2013 9:00 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

Assignments
Assignment 5: Business Model Canvas (Evaluation)
Sun 30 Jun 2013 8:59 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

Assignment 6: Business Plan Evaluation (Submission)

Sun 30 Jun 2013 8:59 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

Assignment 6: Business Plan Evaluation (Evaluation)

Sun 7 Jul 2013 8:59 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

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business plan samples available for you; (2) assess the business plan based on our course lectures and complete the evaluation below. Be sure to write in English; and (3) after the submission deadline, you will receive instructions for the peer assessment grading. As a peer assessment your assignment will be viewed and graded by three randomly assigned classmates. This is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and feedback, and experience grading in a more traditional classroom format. Based on the need to distribute submissions to classmates for peer grading at a set time, the Peer Assessment deliverable may not be submitted late. Late submissions cannot be distributed for grading and receive a score of 0. Please be sure to submit on time in order to receive credit for your submission. Assignment 6C: Closing Survey - This will be extremely helpful in our refinement of the course for future offerings. We're also providing credit for your submission of this item. Thank you for your perseverance and enjoy week 6! Sincerely, James Dr. James V. Green Director of Entrepreneurship Education Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) University of Maryland http://www.mtech.umd.edu/ Sun 23 Jun 2013 8:59 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

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Business Model Canvas due Today: No late credit possible

As a reminder, all Business Model Canvas submissions must be made today. Based on the

need to distribute submissions to classmates for peer grading at a set time, this peer assessment deliverable may not be submitted late. Late submissions cannot be distributed for grading and receive a score of 0. Please be sure to submit on time in order to receive credit for your submission. Details for the assignment are provided via the "Peer Assessments" link on our class home page. Sincerely, James Dr. James V. Green Director of Entrepreneurship Education Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) University of Maryland http://www.mtech.umd.edu/ Sun 23 Jun 2013 9:30 AM PDT (UTC -0700)

Welcome to Week 5
Welcome to week five of Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies. We're quickly approaching the conclusion of our time together. I appreciate your ongoing commitment and perseverance. Our focus this week is business models. We will examine the components of business models, and introduce the business model canvas as a tool for designing and testing business models. Our topics are: * Introduction to business models * The business model canvas * Developing business models The companion reading this week is available here. The assignment for the week is viewable from the Peer Assessment main menu item. This week's assignment is to develop a Business Model Canvas based on a business idea that you believe to be an

exciting new venture opportunity. This is not a full business plan. The differences between a business plan and a business model canvas will become apparent in this week's lectures and readings. Instructions for the assignment are posted within Peer Assessments. The Business Model Canvas assignment will be peer graded. As a peer assessment your assignment will be viewed and graded by three randomly assigned classmates. This is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and feedback, and experience grading in a more traditional classroom format. Based on the need to distribute submissions to classmates for peer grading at a set time, the Peer Assessment deliverable may not be submitted late. Late submissions cannot be distributed for grading and receive a score of 0. Please be sure to submit on time in order to receive credit for your submission. Sincerely, James Dr. James V. Green Director of Entrepreneurship Education Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) University of Maryland http://www.mtech.umd.edu/ Sun 16 Jun 2013 7:47 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

Welcome to Week 4
Welcome to week four of Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies. In week three, we discussed customer understanding with attention to exploring real market needs, satisfying real market needs, macro changes that increase new venture opportunities, and assessing entrepreneurial opportunities. This week, our attention turns towards industry analysis. Our topics will include:

* Environmental assessment of entrepreneurial ventures * Selecting the right industry * Types of innovations * Strategic positioning * Strategic planning This provides a solid platform from which to develop our business models in week five. Thank you for joining us and click on "Go to Class" below to get started with week four. Sincerely, James Dr. James V. Green Director of Entrepreneurship Education Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) University of Maryland Sun 9 Jun 2013 9:00 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

Welcome to Week 3
Welcome to week three of Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies. In week two, we explored entrepreneurial motivations, entrepreneurial behaviors, and risk taking in entrepreneurial decision-making. Along with the prior week's discussion of entrepreneurial mindset and decision-making, these provide the building blocks for this week's focus on customer understanding and analysis. While week three officially begins today, you still have time to complete the prior videos and assignments. This week's lectures include: * An introduction to customer understanding; * Exploring real market needs;

* Satisfying real market needs; * Macro changes that increase new venture opportunities, and * Assessing entrepreneurial opportunities. Thank you for joining us. Sincerely, James Dr. James V. Green Director of Entrepreneurship Education Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) University of Maryland Sun 2 Jun 2013 9:00 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

Preview of Week 3 is now available & 50,000 connections for you

A number of you have asked for earlier access to content, and we have heard you. Today, a preview of week 3 is available. This includes all lectures for the week plus the week 3 assignment (for those that really want to get ahead). There is no pressure to complete these early as we are maintaining the original schedule as posted on the syllabus. For those interested, however, feel free to work ahead on the week 3 customer understanding and analysis topics. We're also excited to see the thousands of you that are active on the discussion forums. While we aim to deliver valuable content with the lectures and throughout the course, the opportunity to interact with a global audience of over 50,000 active and aspiring entrepreneurs is rare and incredibly valuable opportunity. If you're not yet in the online discussions, I invite you to join them, to include:

* Industry Interest: Connect with people who share your industry interest. - Energy - Hardware - Healthcare - Hospitality - Retail - Sports/ Entertainment - Software - Telecommunications - Other * Geographic Interest: Connect with people who are looking to launch or have launched a business in your city or region. * Business Ideas: Looking to share and brainstorm around your business idea? You've come to the right place. * Team Formation: Find other people who are looking to team up on a new venture. Click "Go to Class" below to start connecting now. Sincerely, James Dr. James V. Green Director of Entrepreneurship Education Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) University of Maryland Fri 31 May 2013 8:02 AM PDT (UTC -0700)

Welcome to Week 2
Welcome to week two of Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies. We're excited to have grown to over 50,000 students strong in this second offering of the course. It's an honor and a pleasure for us to serve such a large and diverse group.

In week one, we discussed entrepreneurial mindset, strategic decisions, and the opportunity analysis canvas. This week, we will explore entreprenuerial motivation and behavoir, and risk taking in entrepreneurial decision-making. These provide the building blocks to our later discussions on customer and industry understanding. By this point, we hope that you've completed the week one assignments to include "Assignment 1A: Opening Survey" and "Assignment 1B: Entrepreneurial Mindset". With an average score of 88%, most students are well on their way to earning their credential for the course (given the 70% requirement). While week two begins today, you still have several days to catch up on week one videos and assignments (if needed). The Weekly Assignments tab highlights the due dates for all assignments, and includes grading information for late submissions. Once again, it's not too late to start week one if you're a bit behind in initiating this exciting journey. Sincerely, James Dr. James V. Green Director of Entrepreneurship Education Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) University of Maryland Sun 26 May 2013 9:00 PM PDT (UTC -0700)

Welcome to Our First Day of Class for Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies!

Our course is live, and all features are now active. We invite you to visit us now to see what we have planned for your journey into innovation and entrepreneurship. Week One starts today (May 20). Our format will consist of 4 to 6 video lectures per week, typically of 8 to 12 minutes per video, for a 6 week session. At the end of each week, there is an assessment activity that will provide you with opportunities to integrate and apply learnings from that weeks content. A Statement of Accomplishment is awarded to recognize successful course completion at the 70% or better level. Those with 90% or better will earn a Statement of Accomplishment with Distinction. This course assists aspiring entrepreneurs in developing great ideas into great companies. With strong economies presenting rich opportunities for new venture creation, and challenging economic times presenting the necessity for many to make their own job, the need to develop the skills to develop and act on innovative business opportunities is increasingly vital. Using proven content, methods, and models for new venture opportunity assessment and analysis, you will learn how to identify and analyze entrepreneurial opportunities. Entrepreneurial mindset, strategic decision making, and business modeling are core elements of the course. The initial steps to creating a business plan, and raising financial capital to launch the firm, are examined as well. Our goal is to demystify the startup process, and to help you build the skills to identify and act on innovative opportunities now, and in the future. The syllabus is a great guide for the course, and includes links to the Assignment 1A: Opening Survey. The discussion forums are also incredibly valuable to stay current on the course, and to meet your classmates. As our book for the course, we will use The Opportunity Analysis Canvas. This is available as an ebook for $4.99. This is a valuable companion to the

course and is highly recommended. Thank you for joining us, and please visit us now. Our goal is to have 100% attendance (at least on the first day of class), so every click counts. Click "Go to Class" below. Sincerely, James Dr. James V. Green Director of Entrepreneurship Education Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) University of Maryland Sun 19 May 2013 5:39 PM PDT (UTC -0700)