Frisch’s Entrepreneurship Track motivates students to think and act like entrepreneurs by fostering innovation, experimentation, critical thinking and problem-solving. Students learn how to identify, create and shape opportunities by generating ideas that address real world needs and then developing the skills of market research, product development and project management to bring their vision into fruition. Students gain competencies that are vital to the success of any business as they gain the capacity to differentiate their venture from its competition, assess its financial feasibility, understand the forecasting and budgeting process and develop viable business models. Topics including strategy, sales, marketing, operations and accounting are covered. Entrepreneurship Track students collaborate on a project of social entrepreneurship in which they create and execute a business plan for a product or service of social and economic value. They employ entrepreneurial techniques to develop, fund and implement solutions to affect positive, sustainable social change.
Freshman
Foundations of Entrepreneurship
This project-based course focuses on students’ acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to convert their ideas into reality. Like entrepreneurs, students are challenged to think critically in preparation for the fast-paced setting of today’s dynamic economy. Through real-world case studies, field experiences, and pitch competitions, students are exposed to a variety of entrepreneurial concepts, including design thinking, rapid prototyping, team building, business plan development, marketing, management, testing and launching.
Sophomore
Foundations of Entrepreneurship II
Students further hone their skills of entrepreneurship by delving deeper into the mechanics of launching, operating, and exiting a startup venture. Focus is placed on understanding the various obligations of startups including financial projections, budgeting, marketing, market research, and customer segmentation.
Junior Electives
Juniors and Seniors can choose from Entrepreneurship elective options. Each elective concludes with a section on leadership development and team management which leads into senior year electives. Students who have completed freshman and sophomore years of the Engineering, Art and Music Tracks can enroll in junior and senior Entrepreneurship electives and can collaborate with Entrepreneurship Track students on joint ventures.
Product Development & Sustainable Entrepreneurship
This course is designed to encourage students to create new business ideas that can change the world. Student teams use modern tools and methods for product design and development which they implement to conceive, design and prototype a product and/or service in a cornerstone project. As students consider the importance of innovation in business and study the creative process, they achieve a holistic understanding of the product development landscape. The course covers topics in design thinking, product planning, customer needs identification, concept generation, concept design, product architecture, sustainable design methods, and product management.
High-Tech & Disruptive Entrepreneurship
The entrepreneurial landscape has changed dramatically over the last several decades, with an ever-increasing focus on globalization and interconnectedness. Companies such as Facebook, YouTube, Apple, Uber, and AirBnB have changed the way people interact and move. This course does a deep dive into the inception and proliferation of tech companies and provides students with the knowledge and skills to apply modern strategies to business development. Students explore the impact of platform-based companies, lean startups, disruptive innovation, and the use of machine learning and A.I. in key areas of business strategy.
Senior Electives
Frisch Accelerator
Frisch’s Senior Accelerator provides students with a launchpad for their products and services through access to mentorship, networking opportunities and resources that assist student entrepreneurs in becoming stable and self-sufficient in business. In this Accelerator, students work to validate their concepts through structured experiments, develop and refine their business strategy and access the support necessary to create, value and grow their business. Engineering, Art and Music Track students can enroll in Frisch’s ºAccelerator to collaborate with Entrepreneurship Track students on joint ventures.
Venture Capital
Just as impactful as the entrepreneurs who innovate and develop new ideas, are the investors who are savvy enough to identify and fund them. This course is designed for the entrepreneurial-minded student who is interested in examining the inner workings of the venture capital investment space. Students learn how to evaluate investment opportunities and strategic decisions to meet long-term objectives. With mentorship, students assess various products and services developed by student entrepreneurs in Frisch’s Accelerator and offer feedback and make recommendations for investment.