Starter Seminars 2011
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the starter seminars (as well as the launch event) are cancelled.
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Starter Seminars: the fundamentals of business and (technology) entrepreneurship
The VUB Technology Transfer Interface (TTI) wishes to create more awareness of entrepreneurship with researchers and young professionals. Together with the VUB department of Business Economics, the TTI organizes the Starter Seminars. These seminars provide a short but intensive course on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and business. In eleven 3-hour sessions, a variety of topics is covered (see below). Students of this program will acquire the vocabulary and mindset needed to think intelligently about their potential venture and thus interact more efficiently with tech transfer offices, investors and other partners.
Practical information
The Starter Seminars are open to all VUB students and personnel, and to third parties. Under certain conditions they can be accounted for as part of PhD’s Doctoral Training Programs. Attendance is limited. Subscription is mandatory.
- Price: 250 euro
- Personnel & alumni VUB & EhB / ULB: 150 euro
- Students VUB & EhB / ULB: 50 euro
- Dates: 11 sessions on Tuesdays 4 th, 11 th, 18 th and 25 th of October 2011; 8 th, 15 th, 22 nd and 29 th of November 2011; and 6 th , 13 th and 20 th of December 2011 (always from 6.15 PM till 9.15 PM)
- Location: VUB - Campus Etterbeek –Building E - room E.005
- Subscription
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Technology Transfer Interface
R&D Department
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Mrs. Thijs Tanja, tthijs@vub.ac.be, tel: +32 (0)2/629 18 33
Mrs. Alena Aga, alenaga@vub.ac.be, tel: +32 (0)2/629 38 47
Fax no: +32 (0)2/629 36 40
Launch event: open session
On September 28 th 2011, we organize an open session to kick-off the Starter Seminars.
- Rector Paul De Knop presents his vision on the role of an entrepreneurial mindset in academia.
- Sonja Haesen , head of TTI presents the support for valorisation of research, both by the VUB and by other sources.
- Prof. Jan Cornelis presents the new Venture Capital Fund Baekeland BI3.
- Marc Goldchstein presents the content of the starter seminars and discusses other educational offerings on (technology) entrepreneurship at the VUB.
- Special Guest Speakers Special guest speakers are Ward Van der Tempel and Stijn Christiaens, founding fathers of respectively OPTRIMA/SOFTKINETIC and COLLIBRA, both successful and fast growing VUB spin-offs. They will elaborate on the fascinating stories of their company and the contributions made by VUB.
The session is free and open to all but registration is mandatory for this kick-off event.
Course content
11 sessions on Tuesdays from 6.15 till 9.15 PM, from October till December 2011.
Date |
Hour | Titel
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4/10/11 |
6.15 pm-9.15 pm | Sessions 1 and 2: understanding business ecosystems | |
| The first sessions are dedicated to understanding how ‘industries’ are ‘organized’. We discuss how different sectors are defined, the role of value chains and workflows within those sectors, the main types of actors in these value chains and ecosystems. We discuss typical industry dynamics such as network effects, standards, economies of scale, regional clusters. We focus on the actor of change in these ecosystems: innovation. We discuss how innovations are adopted and evolve over time. We discuss patents and IP rights. | |||
18/10/11 |
6.15 pm-9.15 pm | Sessions 3 and 4: formulating strategies |
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| We address the key challenge of every startup: formulating a strategy that leads to a viable spot in the business ecosystem. We start by studying the three dimensions that define the nature of a technology venture: the enabling technology, the venture’s place in the value chain, the end-user industry. We then discuss the three key questions a strategy must address: what do you bring to the table; what is your value proposition; what is the concrete plan. We cover such topics as core assets, customer focus, value propositions and performance criteria, value chain strategies, the role of industrial partners. We discuss business models and study some typical technology-based business and revenue models; we learn to chart an ecosystem map. We then discuss different perspectives that are used to assess the potential of a venture; and we discuss the challenge of formulating strategies in inherently uncertain worlds. | |||
| 8/11/11 | 6.15 pm-9.15 pm | Sessions 5: legal aspects |
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In this session, provided together with the Faculty of Law, we discuss some key legal aspects related to entrepreneurship, such as the basics of incorporation (NV/BVBA, Board of Directors, shares,...) . |
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| 15/11/11 22/11/11 29/11/11 |
6.15 pm-9.15 pm | Sessions 6-8: finance
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We allocate three sessions to the key topic of financial management. These sessions are taught by Professor Diane Breesch. We study key financial reports (balance sheets and profit-and-loss statements) and accounting concepts (investment, depreciation, stock, accrual…). We learn to analyze financial accounts; we study cash flow planning. Finally, we cover specific aspects such as VAT, taxes, labour costs, insurance… Finally, Marc Goldchstein addresses the topic of startup finding. |
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| 6/12/11 | 6.15 pm-9.15 pm | Sessions 9: Marketing |
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In this session we elaborate on some marketing aspects of startups. First we study key differences between selling to consumers and businesses. We discuss how entrepreneurs can assemble knowledge about their markets. We touch on the role of product management and discuss pricing aspects. We discuss marketing communications for high tech entrepreneurs. We study the role of distribution channels and sales organizations, and touch on the role of customer service. |
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| 13/12/11 | 6.15 pm-9.15 pm | Session 10: Intellectual Property rights |
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Often patents are a major asset of a high tech startup. In this session Hugo Loosvelt presents key concepts of patents and other IP rights. |
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| 20/12/11 | 6.15 pm-9.15 pm | Session 11: Team and Management aspects
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In this module we focus on the organizational aspects of entrepreneurial ventures. We give a roundup of the different ‘management tasks’ in a technology venture and discuss concepts of general management. We elaborate on one of the key challenges of entrepreneurship: building a team of top notch professionals. We look at some aspects of human resources management. |
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