Explore

Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies

Approx. 17 hours to complete

Save Course

Go to Course

Course Summary

This course on Entrepreneurship Development focuses on providing aspiring entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and knowledge to start and grow successful businesses. Through a combination of lectures, case studies, and interactive exercises, students will learn about market research, funding, marketing strategies, and more.

Key Learning Points

Learn how to conduct effective market research to identify profitable business opportunities
Understand the different sources of funding available for startups
Develop effective marketing strategies to reach and engage target customers

Learning Outcomes

Develop a comprehensive business plan
Identify profitable business opportunities through effective market research
Create and implement effective marketing strategies to engage target customers

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

No prior knowledge of entrepreneurship required
Access to a computer and the internet

Course Difficulty Level

Beginner to Intermediate

Course Format

Online and self-paced
Interactive exercises and quizzes
Video lectures

Similar Courses

Entrepreneurship 101
Startup Funding

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Gary Vaynerchuk
Elon Musk

Related Books

Description

The path for entrepreneurs to grow their companies outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley is challenging. Most markets around the world do not look like Silicon Valley, and they never will. But there are other models to support new businesses. In transitioning markets (where entrepreneurs do not have much access to private sector financing), government officials, donors, and business leaders are experimenting with creative approaches to support the growth of entrepreneurs. Northeast Ohio, whose largest city is Cleveland, is one such community. During our time together in this course, we will be exploring some of these innovative approaches.

A massive intervention of government and donor resources in Northeast Ohio has been in place for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has experienced success (including job creation and follow-on funding) with alternative methods of financing startups, but it has not been easy. Yes, some progress has been made, but whether or not they've hit on ultimate success has yet to be determined. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government officials and donors typically are looking for shorter term success with their support programs which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. During this course, we will hear from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs engaged with resources made available to them through a variety of programs and intermediary organizations. We have chosen to talk with many business people that are still in the process of developing their companies and whose ultimate success or failure is still to be determined. In addition to learning about Cleveland's attempts to support entrepreneurship, you will also be hearing in the lectures from leaders in selected markets around the world including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China about how they are working to support the growth of start-up companies. One of our goals is to learn from you how different communities around the world are approaching implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. Taking what we've learned from our examples in class, I will ask you to reflect on how to best grow entrepreneurship where you live. I am excited to use this global platform to create a dialogue where information flows in multiple directions. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures, but this course will be different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length and will have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting.

Outline

Course Overview
Course Welcome and Overview
Course Readings
Course Teaching and Support Team
Recognizing Our Volunteer Translators

The Role of Government
Role of Government
Readings: Role of Government
The Role of Government

The Role of Philanthropy/Donors
Role of Philanthropy/Donors
Readings: The Role of Philanthropy/Donors
The Role of Philanthropy/Donors

The Role of Intermediary Organizations/NGOs
Role of Intermediary Organizations/NGOs
Readings: The Role of Intermediary Organizations/NGOs
The Role of Intermediary Organizations/NGOs

Leveraging Anchor Institutions
Leveraging Anchor Institutions
Readings: Leveraging Anchor Institutions
Leveraging Anchor Institutions

Access to Capital and Mentoring
Seed Accelerators
Angel Investing
Venture Capital
Readings: Access to Capital and Mentoring
Access to Capital and Mentoring

Course Wrap-Up and Looking Ahead
Course Wrap-Up
Final Exam

Summary of User Reviews

Read the reviews for Entrepreneurship Development course on Coursera. Users have shared their thoughts about the course and rate it highly. Many users found the course to be informative and useful in developing entrepreneurial skills. However, some users mentioned the course could be improved with better organization and more interactive elements.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Informative and useful in developing entrepreneurial skills

Pros from User Reviews

In-depth coverage of entrepreneurship concepts and strategies
Expert instructors provide practical insights and real-world examples
Flexible course structure allows learners to study at their own pace

Cons from User Reviews

Course material can be disorganized and difficult to follow
Lack of interactive elements and hands-on activities
Limited opportunities for peer-to-peer interaction and feedback

Recommended for you

Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies

The path for entrepreneurs to grow their companies outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley is challenging. But there are other models to support new businesses....

Save Course