The search for and development of new business areas is one of the most important organizational competencies for both established companies and startups.The constantly changing business environment increases the pressure to innovate on firms across all industries. Simultaneously, growing market competition forces companies to decrease costs in order to ensure longterm survival and growth. This dilemma calls for new and efficient strategies to innovate and to develop and sustainably exploit new business areas. One approach to face this is the so called “Technological Competence Leveraging (TCL)”: it helps firms to exploit underutilized potential by finding new applications for their existing technological competencies.

In the E&I Project Course “New Business Development”, participants learn and train selected instruments, methods (such as TCL), and competencies necessary for identifying and developing new business opportunities in the technological context. In cooperation with our project partners (start-ups, leading Tech-Companies as well as research institutions such as Fraunhofer), participants will:

Students who have completed the E&I New Business Development course,

• Know and use methods in order to systematically and creatively search for new business opportunities
• Can use instruments for the efficient evaluation of competing business opportunities
• Are able to carry out detailed market and competitor analyses
• Create viable commercialization strategies for innovative technologies
• Successfully manage innovative projects (i.e. unclear and poorly structured)
• Gather fundamental learnings in professional teamwork
• Can manage external stakeholders (professional interaction with project partners) and
• Prepare complex issues (and project results) in a structured and understandable report and can present them convincingly

Students must attend at least 80% of all classes and events to successfully complete the course (exception: 100% attendance at literature test, kick-off, mid-term and final presentations and E&I Touchdown event). E&I New Business Development consists of classes for all students and individual team coaching sessions. There are four coaching sessions à approx. 1 hour. Each team individually schedules a time slot with the lecturer within the time period of

• 07. - 09.04.2021
• 21. - 23.04.2021
• 12. - 14.05.2021
• 02. - 04.06.2021

Other than the coaching session, there is no class taking place on these days.
Furthermore, there will be a mid-term and a final presentation of the project. Each team individually schedules a time slot with the lecturer and the project partner within the time period of

• 26. - 30.04.2021 (mid-term presentation)
• 14. - 17.06.2021 (final presentation)

• Self-study (literature package)
• Teaching and discussion of theoretical concepts on two kick-off days (lecture, working on the project assignments, group discussions, teamwork)
• Group-based work on real and relevant projects in close cooperation with established startups, research institutes or industrial or tech companies under the supervision of the course instructors and practical coaches
• Workshops by external partners (experts working in the field of innovation management or new business development)
• Peer feedback
• Documentation and presentation of work progress and results

Performance is assessed on the basis of ongoing oral participation, midterm report and presentation during the semester as well as the final report and final presentation.

Grading system:

• 10% Literature test - on  March 1st 2021, 8:00 - 9:30 am (Basic literature and course-specific additional literature according to the literature list in Learn@WU) (Individual assessment)
• 5% Peer Feedback
• 10% Midterm presentation
• 10% midterm report
• 20% final presentation
• 20% final report
• 10% ongoing participation and project management
• 5% Touchdown pitch video
• 10% reflection essay (individual assessment)

In order to be able to pass the course, you are not allowed to miss more than two lectures.

Additionally, attendance is compulsory for the following dates:

1. The literature test (March 1st 2021)
2. The project course kick-off (March 4th and 5th 2021 – all day)
3. The midterm and final presentations
4. The E&I Touchdown (June 18th 2021)

Add. 1. Literature test

The literature test examines the basic and in-depth knowledge that is absolutely necessary for the participation in the projects. If you fail the literature test, you will be automatically transferred to the Analyst Support Program. As a student in the Analyst Support Program (ASP), you will work individually instead of working on a group-based project during the semester. The course instructors are responsible for the design of the program. In case of non-participation (exclusively due to illness) a medical certificate must be presented. For this purpose, a substitute exam will be offered.

Add. 2. Attendance policy

In order to be able to pass the course, you are allowed to miss 20% of the classes at most (Exception: Compulsory attendance for literature test, Kick-off, midterm and final presentations, and E&I Touchdown). If you are not present at both Kick-off days, you already fall below the minimum attendance limit and thus, are not able to pass the project course.