CHEM 799 Entrepreneurship in Chemistry-Science
This course will introduce students to the concepts and ideas involved in exploiting scientific research work and in setting up a small company to allow commercialization of research ideas. The aim is to provide graduate students in science with the tools, frameworks and thinking processes to enable translation of scientific discoveries into commercial products, services and processes. Specific topics include idea generation, opportunity recognition, intellectual property, accounting and financial analysis, customer needs, market assessment, competition, and business planning. Through selected readings from texts and case studies, we focus on the development of individual skills and management tools. It requires student participation in class discussions and assignments. Students can work individually or as part of a small (2-3 person) team in the preparation of a business plan based on student and faculty research as well as a funding ‘pitch’ of the business plan.