Business Plan Development

Learning Outcomes

The main goal of the course is to help students acquire the basic knowledge and skills for the effective composition and evaluation of a business plan, for the realization of a business idea.

The aim is for students to be able to use the knowledge they will gain from the first course (Introduction to Entrepreneurship or related title) and to supplement it by focusing on specific areas – such as marketing, financial planning, etc. – in order to be able to develop a complete business plan and present it to stakeholders.

Indicative Module Content

The course focuses on issues related to:

• Business plan: what it is and why I need it
• The concretization and presentation of the business idea
• Technology, Expertise
• Market analysis and research – Marketing planning, Distribution – Sales – Pricing and credit, Brand management (trademarks)
• Business models
• The art of trading.
• Decision making
• Financing and Financial Management: financing, working capital, capital increases, share allotment, performance monitoring, Investment evaluation and planning – budget, Financing for start-ups
• Types of companies, basic corporate legislation
• Potential pitfalls and implementation: business plan success factors
• Human resource management
• Business Collaboration

Lectures are combined with workshops.

Students form teams with the aim to develop, submit and present comprehensive business plans, with the support of the course teacher, coaches, and mentors. Teams develop and discuss their ventures, plan solutions, surveys, and field research.

Students learn by doing, applying the methods in the process from business conceptualization to evaluation, pivot and pitching to potential partners or/and investors.

Students discuss case studies, visit enterprises, and entrepreneurs are invited as guest speakers