Digital and Technology Ventures

Overview

This module is primarily designed for SME employees, students and graduates who are interested in starting a high-impact scalable start-up using digital or other technologies. This module is also relevant for people who are interested in launching new digital or technology innovations in their current organisations.

You don't need to have a background in digital and/or technology to succeed in this module. This module will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to plan all basic activities within a digital or technology start-up.

 

Course Overview

Participants of the module will experience the life of a technology entrepreneur. They will work within the secure environment of a university but will be encouraged to go out and do what entrepreneurs do in real life - hustle!

Through several real-life exercises and interactive discussions, we will take the participants through several aspects of an entrepreneur’s life and highlight key things that first-time founders have to do to bridge the gap between the idea and reality. The focus will be on experiential learning, so you will be expected to apply the knowledge gained through this course to practical scenarios.

 

Participants will:

• Explore business development in several sectors and understand terms like MediaTech, HeathTech, RetailTech, FinTech, etc.
• Understand contemporary concepts, including AI, machine learning, IoT, big data, AR/VR, gamification, robotics, etc.
• Work in teams on a selected digital or technology idea
• Apply several entrepreneurial frameworks and tools to the selected idea to understand the potential benefits and risks associated with launching the new business
• Produce financial forecasts and understand start-up valuation to raise funds from investors
• Produce a pitch deck to explain their analysis of the idea and present it to a selected audience for feedback.

Week 1-4:

Identify scalable startup opportunities, value propositions, market research, route to market, and business model.

Week 5-9:

Team building for scalable ideas, angels, VCs, funding rounds, company valuation, legal considerations, and the art of pitching.

 

Course Aims

This course will allow participants to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the benefits and risks, and limits of knowledge, around start-ups involving digital and technology innovation and products
2. Critically evaluate the viability and evaluate the readiness of a new technology venture
3. Adopt a structured approach to market research and industry analysis to critically evaluate the commercial potential of an idea
4. Develop the entrepreneurial skills required to manage a team and build a digital business
5. Effectively analyse information, ideas, problems, and solutions in relation to a venture idea and communicate to a general audience

Skills gained:

• Learn techniques to identify scalable technology and digital ventures
• Understand how to move from idea to reality
• Learn how to prepare a pitch deck
• Understand team dynamics
• Learn how to pitch to investors and other audience
• Gain confidence around financial forecasts

Knowledge gained:

• Gain an understanding of several frameworks to analyse a scalable business idea
• Learn about digital strategies around entrepreneurship
• Understand the tactics to collect appropriate market information to make your product or service relevant
• Differentiate between good and bad early-stage teams
• Understand investor mindset and company valuations

 

Benefits

• The learning can help to improve a technology founder’s thinking about how to go ahead with a technology venture.
• The learning can also help existing technology companies to identify new opportunities in the market.
• The course will help the learner to understand the world of fast-growth startups and reflect on how they can participate in similar companies.
• It will also help progress in careers within startups or fast-growth companies.
• Most of the skills learned through the sessions will be transferable across departments and across industries.

 

Award

After completing this course, learners will receive 20 credits which can then be used for future learning.

 

Funding

The Staffordshire E-Skills & Entrepreneurship Gateway (SEGway) is part funded by the European Social Fund.