104324 - ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Jorge Oter Gonzalez

Trimester: Second term

Credits: 6

Academic year: 2025

Teaching course: 3

• Catalan

Classes taught in Catalan. Materials in Catalan, Spanish and English.

The subject of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, together with that of Economics and Business Administration, form a compact subject that aims to train students to work in the current business environment, characterized by a high level of competition, strong innovation and a need for professionals with initiative and drive.

It is an eminently practical training subject that focuses on the core competencies of entrepreneurship/innovation, according to what is gathered from research and current practice in this field.

By passing the subject, the student must achieve a good level in skills such as: i) alertness (ability to detect and identify opportunities), ii) creativity (ability to respond to opportunities in an original way), and iii ) personal initiative (ability to carry out the solution autonomously by mobilizing the necessary resources to achieve it).

Entrepreneurial/innovative competence is essential in the training of higher education students, according to what is established by the current European University Framework (Entrecomp Framework/EU) and what regulates the MECES2 level (Ministry of Universities). In this sense, graduates are expected to have initiative, creativity and autonomy to develop, either from within an already established organization (as an intrapreneur), or by creating their own initiative (as conventional entrepreneurs or as social entrepreneurs).

1 ECTS credits = 10 hours of directed learning + 15 of independent learning = 25 hours of dedication

The classroom (physical or virtual) is a safe space, free of sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and discriminatory attitudes, either towards students or towards teachers. We trust that together we can create a safe space where we can make mistakes and learn without having to suffer prejudice from others.

Block A: Fundamentals of entrepreneurship and innovation

Concepts in entrepreneurship and innovation. Research and state of the art in the field. Success stories in the sector. Incremental innovation and disruptive innovation. Open innovation. Cultural industries and creative industries (value chain) and market. Innovation management. Financing and investment in entrepreneurship. Seed capital and risk capital. Entrepreneurial skills. creativity Design Thinking (Design Thinking). Person-centered design. Design of Services. Agile methodologies. Read StartUp. Tools in entrepreneurship and innovation. Entrepreneurial team. Motivation, attitude and talent in entrepreneurship and innovation. Eclectic team.

Block B: Design of the entrepreneurship and innovation project

In entrepreneurship and innovation, the guiding thread of the project is the creation of value. The creation of value is based on the search for the problem-solution fit and the supply-demand fit. Based on this assumption, the entrepreneurial/innovative person is the one who turns a problem or a need (not covered, badly solved or that can be solved better with new technologies or new knowledge) into a demand.

To carry out an innovative project based on philosophy Agile three phases can be distinguished: research (problem to be solved), ideation (solution) and validation/implementation (market initiative). In each phase, the entrepreneurship/innovation skills of the curriculum are developed in learning by doing: in research, the skill of identifying opportunities, in ideation, the skill of creativity, and in validation, the skill of initiative/take action.

1. Research Phase (of the problem/need to identify the opportunity)

1.1. Starting challenge.

Concepts: Trends. Technologies. environment value chain Analysis of Stakeholders

Methods: Data analysis. SWOT PESTEL 5 forces

Tool: Mind map of the challenge

1.2. Research in problem area

Concept: Problem. need

Methods: Qualitative interview. ethnography

Development tool: Wall of observations

1.3. Definition and framework of opportunity

Concept: Empathy. Insight. innovation

Methods: Problem synthesis. person

Development tool: Synthesis map for empathy

2. Ideation Phase in E&I (of the opportunity identified in the solution from the ideation)

2.1. Value proposition

Concept: Value. idea

Methods: Brainstorming. Co-creation Selection/evaluation of ideas

Development tool: Map of ideas

2.2. Business Idea

Concept: Business model. Business variables

Methods: Value generation

Development Tool: Canvas of business model

2.3. Unique offer of value

Concept: Customer experience. Minimum viable product

methods Conceptual prototype. Functional prototype

Development Tool: Customer Journey Map (Blueprint Service)

3. Validation Phase in E&I (from the solution delimited in a first iteration to a competitive market offer and able to capture demand)

3.1. Customer generation

Concept: Customer Generation. market Scalability

Methods: Lean Startup. MVP

Development Tool: Canvas of validation

3.2. Financial roadmap

Concepts. Income statement. Stock. Treasury. Investment

Methods: Metrics. experiments Economic and financial plan

Development tool: Financial roadmap

3.3. Launch of the initiative/demand

Concept: Seed capital. Investment forum. StartUp

Methods: Business case

Development tool: Mind map of the pitch

Evaluation system:

• 20% of the final grade: individual activities that will be submitted during the term through eCampus (4 activities x 5% of the final grade each). Activities submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
• 40% of the final grade: team activities (practical) that will be submitted during the term through eCampus (4 activities x 10% of the final grade each). Activities submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
• 10% of the final grade: partial theoretical test during the term. Does not eliminate theory for the final exam.
• 30% of the final grade: final exam (theoretical part + part corresponding to what has been worked on in the practicals).

The final grade for the subject will be the weighted average according to the percentages mentioned above, provided that a minimum grade of 5 out of 10 is obtained in the final exam. If this is below 5, the final grade for the subject will be that of the exam and a retake will be required. Students who do not take the final exam will have a grade of "not presented" and the activities submitted during the term will not be taken into account.

Retake: During the retake exam period, only the final exam (30% of the final grade) can be retaken, only by students who have failed it. Activities completed during the term (individual activities, team activities and theoretical partial test) cannot be retaken.

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

The identification of plagiarism is considered a serious circumstance that may lead to a failing grade in the subject. In the event of plagiarism being detected, the degree coordination will be informed so that the corresponding disciplinary measures can be taken.

Any form of academic fraud will be sanctioned in accordance with the center's assessment regulations. If signs of fraud are detected, including the improper use of generative artificial intelligence tools, the subject's teaching staff may call the student for an individual interview with the aim of verifying their authorship.

OSTERWALDER, Alexander and PIGNEUR, Yves (2011). Generation of business models. Barcelona: Ediciones Deusto.

TEODORO SADURNÍ, Jaume (2021). Methodology ToolBoard Canvas for practices. Working document

TEODORO SADURNÍ, Jaume (2021). ToolBoard (class notes). Working document

BLANK, Steve and DORF, Bob (2020). The startup owner's manual: The step-by-step guide for building a great company. John Wiley & Sons.

CLARK, Tim, OSTERWALDER, Alexander and PIGNEUR, Yves (2012). Your business model. Barcelona: Ediciones Deusto.

LÁZARO ESTEBAN, Jesus. Your business plan in one fell swoop! [online]. Barcelona: Editorial UOC, 2015. ISBN 9788491160069 [accessed: May 22, 2024]. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/bibliouocsp-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4570153

RIES, Eric (2011). The lean startup: How today's entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses. Crown Currency.

SALINAS SÁNCHEZ, José Manuel et al. (2018). Company and entrepreneurial initiative. Madrid: McGraw-Hill

TEODORO SADURNÍ, Jaume (2021, September). Design thinking for competency-based entrepreneurship education: The toolboard methodology. In European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (pp. 1027-R29). Academic Conferences International Limited.

WILLIAMS, Kevan. Brilliant Business Plan [online]. London, UK.: Pearson Education Limited, 2012. ISBN 9780273742548 [accessed: 22 May 2024]. Available at: https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/brilliant-business-plan/9780273742524/