Business Planning

In our business plan seminar, you will learn how to get from an initial business idea to a sound business model. Hereby we support you in finding out what you are passionate about, in solving customer problems creatively and in bringing both foci together in an entrepreneurial project.

Transforming an initial idea into a business model includes two steps: 1) developing an understanding of your customers and markets and 2) formulating your learnings in a structured fashion. We use the Business Design Toolset to support the iterative process of gathering information and refining the business model. To structure and present the business model, we focus on writing five main chapters of a business plan: product/service, entrepreneurial team, market and competition, marketing and sales, and business model.

In addition, we offer the students Elevator Pitch and presentation training given by a professional trainer.

Required and Corequired knowledge and skills

English 

The seminar is hands-on and practical, including exercises, cases, and contacting actual customers. Students work in teams on their business ideas or ideas chosen for the workshop. We value being hands-on in an open atmosphere with direct and appreciative feedback and demand above-average effort.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

• Free download pp. 14-51: http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/downloads/businessmodelgeneration_preview.pdf
• Business Model Canvas in Google Docs: https://drive.google.com/previewtemplate?id=102mOZQmMxs0CslmNsPZ5KCNQwAIh9rh4baYgT0VWNAA&mode=public&ddrp=1#
• Horowitz, Ben (2014): The Hard thing About Hard Things
• Kawasaki, Guy (2004): The Art of the Start
• Moore, Geoffrey A. (2002): Crossing the Chasm
• Osterwalder, Alexander / Pigneur, Yves (2010): Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers
• Ries, Eric (2011): The Lean Startup
• Thiel, Peter (2014): Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future,
• Timmons, Jeffry A. / Spinelli, Stephen (2009): New Venture Creation

Course notes

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

judith.behrens@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• Group work
• Oral presentation
• Written report

Group work

Oral presentation

Written report

At the beginning of the course, I will assign you to your group. It is the student’s responsibility to organize online team meetings. The final pitch will be in class.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

50% Business Plan of 6 to 8 pages

20% Prototype: Fit to business idea

30% 10-minute Pitch Presentation & 2-minute Video

Language(s) of evaluation

• english