TECHNOPRENUERSHIP 101

Technopreneurship 101, is a subject written and crafted by PhilDev, that encourages science
and engineering students to explore their entrepreneurial and R&D career paths. The class is
based on PhilDev’s entrepreneurship modules which cover topics such as introduction to
entrepreneurship, idea creation, feasibility and differentiation, market validation, and business
planning and execution. Technopreneurship 101 is implemented by CHED across all 539 HEIs
that offer engineering programs in the Philippines
Course Objectives
The course should be designed to explore the entrepreneurial mindset and culture utilizing a
technology or engineering background. This should fit into goals of starting a company or being
involved in an entrepreneurial or R&D effort in companies of all sizes and industries. Hence this
should be applicable also in training future scientist and engineers to participate in Research
and Development (R&D) activities.
The course should enable the student to:
1. Understand and experience the entrepreneurial process from the generation of creative
ideas,
2. Understand the market needs or provide a solution to a key problem,
3. Explore the feasibility and creation of a business enterprise,
4. Implementation of creative ideas into real products, and
5. experience the dynamics of participating on a business team, create and present a business
plan for a technology idea. All of the objectives and the activities of the course should provide
the background, tools, and life skills to participate in the entrepreneurial process within a large
company as an engineer, in a new venture, or as an investor.

Course Outline
Summary
The course can be designed as a 3 -credit course (1 semester) or a sequence of 2-3 credits per
semester (2 semester) course. At the minimum, Technopreneurship 101 is a 3-credit required
course for ALL Engineering Majors.
The context of teaching it in the Philippines will require understanding the limitations in time,
modifications of existing curriculum and requirements, and availability of resource persons for
guest lectures, interviews or surveys, including materials for study and approaching potential
investors.
Every effort should be made to adapt it to the reality of Philippine culture, regulations, and
business environment or opportunities to start a venture business.
Pre-requisite
Must be given to a student of Sophomore Standing who is trained in the sciences and
engineering disciplines with a rounded general education in arts, languages, and humanities.
For a graduate student in engineering (MS or Ph.D.) , the course can be offered as an elective
No specific subject pre-requisites.
Course Outline
The course can be divided into three elements or stages:
1. Introducing the entrepreneurial way and philosophy
2. Idea generation and market analysis
3. Business planning and execution
Ideally all three elements are integrated from start to finish. While it is possible to implement at
the earliest possible phase the business planning, the whole course should be presented in a
“real-world” format. Students should be able to take the roles of company founders and
investors, inventors and innovators, creating a vision and execution plan for their company, and
raising funds — exactly as would be done in a true entrepreneurial endeavor. Another format is
that a student can take the role of a principal investigator in a research laboratory (R&D) setting
and is guided by entrepreneurial principles to come up with the best solution or products that
the company will adapt or consider for R&D investment.
The Entrepreneurial Way
Introduction to Entrepreneurship — Introduction to Technology Entrepreneurship and as
Entrepreneurs, Technology Ventures, Role of Engineering, research, and development, Success
and Failures, Attributes and Myths of Technology Entrepreneurs, Engineers Mindset as an
Entrepreneurial Leader, Problem Solving, and Entrepreneurial Value Proposition.
This will constitute mostly lectures, reading assignments, and discussions.
This part of the course should establish clearly for the student why entrepreneurship is vital for
training and economic growth.
Resource Speakers from Successful Engineers, Start-up Founders, and Venture Capitalists
should be invited including networking opportunities.
Idea Creation and Feasibility Analysis
Creativity, What is innovation? Innovationeering, Success and Failure Case studies,
Entrepreneurial Idea Generation and Feasibility Analysis, Science and Engineering
differentiation, Technology Commercialization Potential and limits, Paths and Barriers from Idea
to Market, Assessing and Presenting opportunities.
This will constitute some lectures but mostly team exercises, discussions, and surveys.
This phase should define the principles behind creativity, design, and innovation. Solutions to
existing problems complement identifying opportunities from inefficiencies and price. It should
also clearly establish the role of applied science and engineering as an economic driver and in
value proposition.
Business Planning and Execution
Business and Venture planning, Business Structuring and Strategy, Value of Networking,
Financial Analysis and Projections; Market and Competitive Analysis, Presentation of the
Opportunity, Intellectual Property Strategies for Technology Companies; Marketing, Sales and
Distribution Strategies, Investment and Financial Strategies, Venture Growth and Value
Harvesting.
Team planning and activities should focus on preparation for a pitch competition.
Product validation and market scoping and segmenting.
The final outcome should be a business plan on a technology or solution to be implemented
that will have a market and a pathway for funding.
Provide networking activities
Essential Topics
Note: In a 1 semester course, these topics are considered essentials*, the rest can be covered if
there is ample time or introduced but not covered in depth. In a second semester course or
elective course, the other topics can be fully developed or covered more extensively.
Essential Course Topics or Lecture Division
Topic 1: Innovation and Ideas
What is innovation?
Research vs development – translational research
Types of innovation: product, process, and business model
Innovation‐driven vs small‐medium enterprise
Organization‐driven vs market‐driven ideas

Topic 2: Value Proposition*

Benefits vs features, relation to needs, and high value adding
Solution driven or efficiency improvement
Value = benefits/cost
Value proposition statement including Needs, Approach, Benefits per cost, Competition

Topic 3: Customers*
Customer needs, pain points and demographics
Market research and validation
The decision-making process
Target customer profile, persona

Topic 4: Competitive Advantage, Markets*

Classes of competitors
Product differentiation, positioning
Market structures
Market segments, size
Beachhead market and creating your market

Topic 5: Introduction to Intellectual Property*

What is IP? why have IP protection? Cost of protection
Copyright, trademarks
Patents, trade secrets, contracts, non‐disclosure and non‐compete agreements
Topic 6: Execution and Business Plan*
Roadmap for research, development, and production
Budget and timeline
Sales and marketing plans; cost of customer acquisition, customer lifetime value
Plans for R&D, operations, sales and marketing, human resources
Lean concepts and organization

Topic 7: Financial Analysis and Accounting Basics*

Cash flow statements and projection
Income (P&L) statements; accrual accounting, depreciation, operating expenses
Balance sheets; equity, liability
Breakeven time

Topic 8: Raising Capital*

Sources: debt and venture capital
Incubators, accelerators
Grants, competitions
ADDITIONAL TOPICS (cover when able or spread out in the course)

Topic 9: The Product or Service

What is the core that makes it special
Minimum viable product and iterative design
Cost of goods sold
Product development plan, Gantt chart

Topic 10: Business Models

Time value of money
Revenue generation
Price structure; price elasticity
Channels of distribution
Strategic partners

Topic 11: Ethics and social responsibility

Ethics. codes of ethics; theoretical frameworks; broader ethical considerations
Social businesses
Topic 12: Globalization
Cultural differences in communication
Ethical issues

Communication and Team Exercise Topics or Projects

Note: These topics are designed to enable creativity, group participation, competition, and
experiential learning. It should be included either as a capstone activity or project in a 1-
semester course. In a 2-semester course, these team and interactive exercises should be more
of the norm.
For a 1-semester course, these capstone activities (*) are choices, but at least 1 activity should
be selected and accomplished within the semester.
Topic A: Elevator pitch and pitch competition*
Topic B: Business pitch (to investors/management)
Topic C: Visual communication of results
Topic D: References, literature searches
Topic E: Conference presentations (preparing and giving oral/ poster presentations) *
Topic F: Scientific papers and technology reviews
Topic G: Proposals (R&D) Preparation and Presentation*
Topic H: Presentations to companies
Topic I: Networking with Invited Speakers and Potential Investors*
Topic J: Attendance at an Entrepreneurship/Technopreneurship Conference or Activity*