The aim of the course is to learn how to write a business plan based on theoretical input and practical application. This is one of the most important pillars in entrepreneurship training. To achieve the learning outcome, students will closely work togther with idea providers and start-ups whose innovative business ideas are about to be implemented. Through the interaction with lecturers, external coaches, and project partners, students get insights into the field of entrepreneurship and innovation.

After successfully completing the project course "Business Planning", students will have learnt and/or applied the following competences and skills:

Technical and professtional skills:

• conceptualize an innovative business idea
• analyse and assess the marketability
• develop a suitable business model
• write a business plan
• develop a finanical plan
• learn how to create a pitch deck
• review and further develop approaches and assumptions with iterative test and feedback loops

Transferable skills:

• experience group processes and dynamics in heterogeneous teams and reflect on them
• independently structure and handle complex innovation projects in teams
• practice project management skills and train communication skills
• create result-oriented presentations and reports
• identify synergy effects in interdisciplinary collaboration and learn how to benefit from them

In addition, students will have...

• trained their skills in dealing with a real innovation project and gained experience with tolerance for ambiguity
• trained and expanded their skills in professional written and oral communication
• learned how to use complex and effective tools (e.g. databases) for researching and obtaining data for a task
• trained how to present information convincingly.

To complete this course with a positive grade, students must attend 80% of scheduled classes.

Mandatory attendance: literature test (2nd of March), kick-off meeting (5th and 6th of March), E&I Touchdown (18th of June).

• Self-study literature package including performance assessment at the beginning of the semester (the literature list can be found in the download area on Learn@WU)
• 1,5 day kick-off event with theoretical input, project selection, project partner meeting, and networking
• Teamwork during the semester
• Work on a real project in your project team under the guidance of the lecturers and with support of external coaches
• Collaborate with a project partner
• Milestone meetings with the project partner
• Workshops on several topics (e.g. financial planning, growth hacking)
• Presentation and discussion of results
• Business Plan in form of a written report and a final presentation

The final grade in the course will depend on:

10% Literature test (literature according to Learn@WU)

10% Active participation (duirng workshops, coachings, and kick-off )

30% Working documents (two working papers and one mid-term presentation)

15% End presentation

20% Final business plan

5% Touchdown (adherence to deadlines, quality of pitch)

10% Reflection paper

Additionally, there will be mid-term and end of term peer ratings of the team members which may result in individual up- or downgradings.

Literature test: The aim of the compulsory literature test (2.3.2020 betweeen 8.00am and 9.00am) is to examine the necessary basic as well as specific knowledge in order to successfully work on your project.

If the literature test is not successfully passed, the Analyst Support Program (ASP) will be automatically applied. Within the Analyst Support Program, an individual performance has to be carried out in the further semester course, instead of the group work. In case of non-participation (only due to illness), a medical certificate must be presented. An alternative date will be offered for this purpose. You will receive detailed information about the content and location of the test after registration to the course.

Attendance: In order to successfully pass this course, your absence is limited to 20% of our appointments. Please note that the attendance of the literature test, the kick-off and the E&I Touchdown (18th of June) is mandatory!

Students enrolled in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Specialization Program.

Please note that course registration is binding. The moment your registration is received, it is regarded as a clear commitment on your part. Students cannot transfer to another course (once the add/drop period is over) with no exceptions, as it would be unfair to other students (who might not have gotten into the course of their choice because of the spot you registered for). The number of students accepted to the course will only be expanded if there is no space in any other course 4/5.

carola.wandres@wu.ac.at; richard.olbrecht@wu.ac.at