Developing High‐Tech Entrepreneurs: A Multidisciplinary Strategy

Abstract

PROBLEMS ADDRESSEDBusiness students generally study the application of business techniques to high technology industry with limited knowledge of how the technology is created or evolves. Conversely, engineering and science students are typically not introduced to entrepreneurship or commercialization concepts for the advanced technology that they are developing within their graduate curricula. What these academic approaches fail to provide students interested in high-tech commercialization is not only the needed knowledge outside of a student's parent program, but also the interaction between students and faculty from the different disciplines (technology and business). Consequently, in their later roles on product development teams or start-ups, graduates' incomplete competencies often hamper project success.Universities often also neglect the commercialization of technology derived from on-campus research. It frequently languishes because faculty members never consider that their technology advance could result in a commercialized product, or they prefer, instead, to invest their resources in new research. By not promoting research commercialization, universities neglect a vast resource that could be used to create value for faculty and other stakeholders. MAJOR EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVESA graduate course was created that responded to the need for developing competencies in the entrepreneurial processes of identifying and evaluating new technical product ideas, acquiring and deploying resources for commercial implementation, and developing the required organizational infrastructure. Specific educational objectives included the following points.1. To increase understanding about the creation and evolution of high-tech entrepreneur ventures, including the importance of the interdependencies between business and technology expertise. 317 318 Teaching Brief 2. To identify and simulate the basic decisions that a technology entrepreneur faces, including technology selection, product design, market analysis, and financing. 3. To develop leadership skills for technological opportunity identification, risk assessment, resource development, and venture growth management. 4. To develop communication and team skills, with special attention to the challenge and importance of cross-functional team-based technology endeavors.Collectively, accomplishment of these objectives was expected to enhance the students' ability to contribute to the value chain, starting with technology advances and going through product development and commercialization to delivery of customer value. INNOVATIVE AND UNIQUE FEATURESThe educational objectives presented above were the basis for the design and implementation of a new graduate course, "Intra/entrepreneurship of Technology." This course emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship in technology-based ventures. Faculty, presenters, students, and researchers from across the university and region come together to develop a dynamic learning community. ...

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