The course aims to: • Provide a historical and cultural understanding of innovation processes. • Present tools and models for the development of a start-up. • Introduce the principles of open innovation and the relationship between research, industry, and capital. • Foster entrepreneurial thinking through examples, case studies, and simulations.
Teaching Methods
• Slides, worksheets, case studies • Tools: Business Model Canvas, Pitch Deck • Videos, TED Talks, articles on emblematic case histories
Contents
Module 1 – Industrial Revolutions and the Culture of Innovation • From the First to the Fourth Industrial Revolution: milestones and transformations. • What is innovation? Types: incremental, radical, process, product. • Digital technologies as a transformative force. Digital transformation: automation, IoT, AI, Big Data. • Impacts on economy and labor. • Workshop: visual timeline of industrial innovation. Module 2 – The Concept of Start-up and the World of Innovative Entrepreneurship • Definition and characteristics of start-ups. • Start-ups vs traditional companies. • Life cycle of a start-up: launch, development, scaling, exit. • MVP, lean start-up, pivot. • Workshop: mapping or simulation of a real start-up. Module 3 – Tools for Designing an Innovative Business • Business Model Canvas and Lean Canvas: a comparative overview. • Value proposition, customer segments, channels, and revenue streams. • Customer discovery and validation. • Team building: roles and dynamics in start-up teams. • Group exercise: building a Canvas. Module 4 – Open Innovation: Universities, Companies, and Ecosystems • From closed to open innovation (Chesbrough model). • Collaborative models: corporate start-ups, university spin-offs. • Research centers, technology hubs, living labs. • The role of universities: technology transfer and licensing. • Case study analysis: Italian and international examples. Module 5 – Funding, Contests, and Capital for Start-ups • Sources of funding: seed, angel, venture capital. • Incubators, accelerators, calls and grants. • Crowdfunding and public grants. • Equity vs reward: models and platforms. • Exercise: preparation and simulation of a pitch for potential investors. Module 6 – Communicating Innovation: Storytelling, Pitching, and the Culture of Failure • The value of storytelling in innovative enterprises. • How to craft an effective pitch: structure and techniques. • Slides, visuals, demos: tools to present a project. • Failure as part of the process: culture, examples, and reflections. • Final workshop: pitch simulation and feedback.
Course Language
Italian
More information
By the end of the course, participants will be able to: • Understand the historical, theoretical, and practical foundations of innovation. • Navigate confidently the vocabulary and dynamics of the start-up world. • Design an entrepreneurial idea and position it within the relevant market and context. • Use business modeling and communication tools effectively. • Engage knowledgeably with the innovation ecosystem.
