Entrepreneurial Finance and Innovation

About This Course

This module delves into the intersection of entrepreneurship, finance, and innovation, exploring how funding mechanisms and financial strategies are integral to the growth and success of innovative start-ups. Students will learn about the unique challenges and opportunities faced by entrepreneurial ventures in securing funding, and how these financial decisions influence their innovation trajectories.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the unique characteristics of entrepreneurial ventures compared to traditional businesses.
• Evaluate the various funding sources available to start-ups, including their advantages and limitations.
• Develop skills for assessing and negotiating contracts with investors, including cash flow rights, control rights, and corporate governance.

Students will develop a robust understanding of the entrepreneurial finance landscape, enabling them to effectively navigate funding options, assess investor motivations, and implement strategic financial decisions to foster innovation and growth in start-ups.

Course Structure

• Prep Weeks (2 Weeks): Laying the groundwork. 
• Course Weeks (8 Weeks): Gaining foundational knowledge and understanding of the economic underpinnings of entrepreneurial finance through theoretical and practical input.
• Post-Course Weeks (2 Weeks): Reflecting on the lectures and project, and preparing final project submission.

Study Programs

This course is mandatory for the following study programs:

• MBA Digital Technologies
• MBA Digital Transformation
• M.Sc. Digital Leadership

This course is offered as an elective for the following study programs:

• M.Sc. Advanced Digital Reality
• M.Sc. Applied AI
• M.Sc. Cybersecurity

Micro Degree

• This course is offered as a micro degree.
• German UDS Micro Degrees are compatible with the European MOOC Consortiums Common Micro Credentials Framework.
• Micro Degrees will be rewarded with an equivalent of 5 ECTS.
• Micro Degrees are offered to non-regular students and require a fee of €900.

Requirements

Read and reflect on the following paper: The problems with and promise of entrepreneurial finance.

General Information

• Teaching Format: Experience
• Total Workload Master: 125h (48h/77h) / 5 ECTS
• Total Workload MBA: 100h (48h/52h) / 4 ECTS
• Total Workload Micro Degree: 125h (48h/77h) / Equivalent to 5 ECTS
• Module coordinator: Prof. Dr. Marco Bade
• Examinations: Quizzes, project, written exam
• Offered: Even quarters