The Challenges in

Educating students on Entrepreneurship

Rafi Nave

February 2017

February 8, 2017 1
 The Challenges in
Educating students on Entrepreneurship
• What is Entrepreneurship?

• Motivation

• The Challenge

• The Approach

• The BEC Offering

February 8, 2017 2
 ?What is Entrepreneurship
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS BEING IN TRANSFORMING “CAN DO” INTO
CHARGE OF YOUR OWN DESTINY. IT CREATING AN ”“DONE
IS THE JOURNEY AND EXPERIENCE OF EXCITING NEW MARSHALLING RESOURCES
TURNING YOUR DREAMS INTO IN A CREATIVE WAY IN
FUTURE ORDER TO INITIATE
REALITY BY TAKING
ENTREPRENEURSHI CHANGE
P IS THE ENGINE ACTION TODAY LOOKING AT
THAT TURNS IDEAS ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS MORE THAN THE WORLD
INTO SOLUTIONS STARTING A NEW BUSINESS, IT IS A WAY WITH AN
THINKING OF LIVING WITH AN ATTITUDE, FACING OPPORTUNIT
BRINING BIG AND ALL SITUATIONS AS OPPORTUNITIES TO Y-ORIENTED
YOUR DOING THE LEARN, DISCOVER, CREATE, EXPLORE, MINDSET
VERSION UNEXPECTE .AND MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE STAYING
OF THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
D IS THE IMPROVING GROUNDED
WORLD DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOURSELF BY WITH A
TO LIFE RECOGNIZING AN IMPROVING THE 30,000-FOOT
OPPORTUNITY AND ACTING February 8, WORLD
2017 AND ITS PERSPECTIVE
ON IT PEOPLE AROUND 6
”. Babson College, “Redefining Entrepreneurship
 “Entrepreneurship is a mindset,
an outlook that shapes the way you see the
world and the possibilities that it holds.
It is born of a basic dissatisfaction with
the status quo, and it is the
courage to say to yourself,
‘This could be better’”
- Jim Plummer
Plummer, J. (2013). Educating engineers and scientists for the 21 st century. JUNBA 2013.

February 8, 2017 7
 “The entrepreneurial mystique?
It’s not magic, it’s not mysterious,
and it has nothing to do with the genes.
It’s a discipline.
And, like any discipline,
it can be learned”
- Drucker 1985

Drucker, P. F. (1985). Innovation and entrepreneurship. New York: Harper & Row.

February 8, 2017 8
 The motivation for studying
Entrepreneurship
• The Hi-Tech industry is changing fast
• The dynamic nature of both structure and processes
implies that many employees will be required to
change positions often
– Assuming managerial roles
– Transition to business/Market or Operations jobs
– Move between industries and disciplines
• Thus, beyond the technology depth, current
engineers need to develop inter-personal skills and
diverse know-how
February 8, 2017 9
 :The following slides are taken from

Educating Engineers For The 21st Century

Jim Plummer, Dean

Stanford School of Engineering

January 2013

February 8, 2017 10
 Educating Engineering Students For The 21st Century
Students are driven by passion, curiosity, engagement and“
“ . . dreams
“In the long run, making universities and engineering schools exciting

creative, rigorous, demanding and empowering milieus, is more

important than specifying curricular details”
Charles Vest - Educating Engineers for 2020 and Beyond

February 8, 2017 11
 Educating Engineers For The 21st Century
What are the critical skills our undergraduate students
need?
• Technical depth in a particular field

• Creativity and innovation

• Entrepreneurial Outlook

• Communication skills

• Ability to work well as a member of a diverse team

• Global knowledge and experience

• Commitment to life-long learning

February 8, 2017 12
 T-Shaped People

Breadth of Knowledge about

Entrepreneurship, Creativity, and Innovation

Depth of
Knowledge
in a
Technical
Discipline

February 8, 2017 13
 The motivation for teaching
Entrepreneurship
• The state of Israel is thriving on the success of ‘Start-up
Nation’.
• The economy doubled ( literally ) in the past 20 years due
to the Hi-Tech sector
• Continuation of this momentum is vital for the nation’s
future well being. [ Feeding fresh wood to the fire! ]
• Educating young students on Entrepreneurship will help
steering some of them to assume an entrepreneurial role,
thereby pursuing new frontiers and creating an ever
increasing scope

February 8, 2017 14
 The challenge
• While the students are aware of the importance of the
Entrepreneurship education and its potential contribution to
their future, they are torn by reality constraints:
– Unlike their US & European colleagues – the Israeli/Technion
students usually start their studies at the age of 22.
– Furthermore, on the 3rd year of studies – most of them start
working in the industry for 2 days a week and many already
have families and raise young children.
– Thus, they view their studies for the Engineering degree as an
essential career enabler, but, make every effort not to
undertake any assignment that is not mandatory.

February 8, 2017 15
 So…how do we attract the bears to the
?honey
• Substantial outreach campaigns, especially to students
amidst their 2nd year or early 3rd year of studies
– Encouraging them to try at least one class
• Collaboration with the Faculties/Deans on inclusion of
the Entrepreneurship courses offerings in their curricula.
• The courses provided within the Faculties are attractive:
They are ‘local’ and their credit points account towards
the students’ primary degree.
• PR in every relevant forum; Promotion events;
Newsletter; Collaboration with the Students Union

February 8, 2017 16
 So…how do we attract the bears to the
?honey
• Extra curricular ( Experiential ) activities
– eClub – where successful Entrepreneurs share their
experience and lessons with young students & alumni
– 3DS – workshops where selected students group to
create new companies in ‘fast forward’
– Hackathons, Meet-Ups and varied workshops
– BizTEC – the annual, national start-ups competition,
sprinkled with lectures, mentoring and several rounds of
pitches judgements.
• The individuals who participate in these activities get
hooked on Entrepreneurship and, naturally, they look
favorably into studying it.
February 8, 2017 17
Bronica Entrepreneurship Center
Leading Technion Entrepreneurship

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 ?What do we offer
• Introductory classes ( testing the water ):
– The ‘Dan Shechtman’ class – where 13 – 14 accomplished
entrepreneurs share their experience
– An introduction to Entrepreneurship course
– Half a dozen faculties offer specialized courses
( Entrepreneurship for Bio-Medical engineers;
Entrepreneurship for Electrical engineers; etc… )
• A ‘minor’ degree in Entrepreneurship
– Entails overall 4 courses. One that is within their respective
faculty ( and accounts for the primary degree ); and 3 courses
that are taught
centrally in the IEM faculty under the Entrepreneurship Center.

February 8, 2017 19
 Extracurricular Activities:

Workshops Competitions
Various workshops and hackathons

Meet-ups Consultations
Various networking and enrichment Individual assistance and mentoring to
events student entrepreneurs

February 8, 2017 20
Resources for ALL Technion Students

Breadth of
Knowledge

Depth of
Expertise

Do not want to become Want to become

Curious Entrepreneurs
entrepreneurs entrepreneurs
February 8, 2017 21
 eClub

Bi-weekly networking events

Meet leading entrepreneurs and share ideas in an informal,
relaxed environment

February 8, 2017 22
 Technion 3DS (3 Day Startup)
A three day workshop for pre-screened participants to take their
ideas up to a pitch to a panel of investors through hand-on
experience

Input: Individuals Output: Teams

February 8, 2017 23
 BizTEC
Israel’s leading entrepreneurship challenge
• A national annual acceleration program for very early stage technological startups
• Aims to help students or recent alumni promote their startup
• 100+ mentors ( all volunteers! ) from the ecosystem

Framework Workshops Mentoring Networking

Initial
eSchool Summer Program Demo Day
submission Apr - Jun February 8, 2017
Aug - Sept Oct
Dec - Feb 24
 Success stories

MLN Raised $55< MLN Raised $1.8 MLN Raised $11.5

MLN exit $40~ MLN Raised $8 MLN Raised $60

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MLN raised $18.2
 In summary
Entrepreneurship education
attempts to provide both motivation
as well as skills and know-how.
Both formal courses and
extra-curricular experiential
activities are used to attract and
train the students

February 8, 2017 26
The Bronica Entrepreneurship Center [ BEC ]

www.yazamut.technion.ac.il

February 8, 2017 27