UC Irvine GPS-STEM

Graduate Professional Success for PhD students and Postdocs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Business Concepts for STEM Scientists – 2020 (Online)

2020 Course Curriculum

April 24, 2020 – June 12, 2020 (3:30 – 5:00 on Fridays)

Welcome to the 2nd offering of Business Concepts for STEM scientists certificate course – Online. 

This course is a collaboration between GPS-STEM & UCI Beall Applied Innovation to help PhD students & Postdocs understand the business jargon, business concepts and functional aspects, which are the basis of any company. These modules are a series of lectures, guest presentations and hands-on activities that will help you understand Business Model Canvas and its applications in STEM based companies. The course is generously funded by University Lab Partners (ULP), a wet lab incubator space. 

Innovative elements of the 2020 course: 

  • Due to the current COVID19 pandemic situation, all the modules will be offered Online! The sessions will be conducted over Zoom with teamwork in virtual breakout rooms. Live business pitch competition will take place in webinar format.
  • The course modules will be built upon the last year’s business course teachings. Therefore, the participants are encouraged to watch last year’s business model canvas videos.
  • Training sessions for business pitch competition. This year we have added a learning session by Activate to Captivate on how to work in teams as you prepare to present your business pitch. 
  • Jobs in the business sector. This module will discuss job descriptions and job titles for STEM scientists based on the business model canvas.
  • The business pitch competition will be live online!

Course Instructions board. Please keep track of all the updates related to the course, assignments & content.

 
Course Curriculum: Business Concepts for STEM Scientists
  
Module: Date
Content
Instructor/Guest Speaker
1: April 24 Business concepts course overview

Meet each other, get an overview of the entire series, grasp the ethical context for business, understand Business Model Canvas and ‘value equation’.

  • Business Math, Business Model Canvas
  • Contest Overview
  • Business Ethics
  • Team formation (The last 30 mins will be used for team formation and naming in virtual breakout rooms over Zoom)
Resources:  Watch 2019 Modules 2&3 to gain a deeper understanding of the Business Model Canvas (Video link will be shared only with the enrolled members)

Dr. Matthew Hanson. 

Director of New Ventures, 

UCI Beall Applied Innovation
2: May 1 Business model canvas dynamics and the search for value
  • Business questions to answer, UBER exercise
  • Introduction to Value Proposition (why it is important & how businesses fail here)
  • IP business model canvas case study
Resources: Watch 2019 business model canvas presentation competition winners

Chris Halliwell, MBA. 

Executive Director,

Technology Marketing Center
3: MAY 8 Increasing value with product/market fit assessment
  • The difference between a benefit and a value proposition
  • Competitive context for value 
  • Locating product/market fit
  • STEM BMC examples (semiconductor/IP, new chemical/material)
  • In-depth Medical Device BMC/value proposition case study (Nerve block business model canvas case study)
Teamwork: Finalize your business concept and customer segments/value propositions (In class – Zoom breakout rooms)

Chris Halliwell, MBA. 

Executive Director, 

Technology Marketing Center

+

Guest lecturer, 

Serial entrepreneur
4: May 15 Campus resources and your business model canvas
  • Overview of campus entrepreneurship resources
  • Introduction to UCI Entrepreneurship librarian, NVC, iCorps, and SBDC
  • Draft your business model canvas (In class –  Zoom breakout rooms)
  • Chris Halliwell
  • Chloe Hsieh
  • Harinder Singh
  • Kayvan Mozaffari
  • Doug Crawford (I-Corps)
  • Sophia Lin (I-Corps)
  • Julie Cranston (SBDC)
  • Laura Beken (SBDC)
  • Brenna Hale (Beall Center)
  • Sara Heimann (I&E Librarian)
 
5: May 22 Distinguished guest speakers
  • UCI Entrepreneur story
  • IP Speaker from UCI Beall Applied Innovation
Resources: Watch UCI Beall Applied Innovation funding video		 Guest Lecturers
6: May 29 Finding job opportunities for STEM scientists within the business model canvas

This workshop will be presented by the Founder of a curriculum-based, community forum supported, comprehensive career transition platform for STEM PhDs to transition from academia into new career paths and unleash their potential. 

  • Participants will  find job profiles and titles based out of the business model canvas.
 Vania Cao, PhD.
7: June 5 Training sessions on how to pitch your business model canvas The workshop will help course participants in polishing their presentation skills, understand team dynamics during business pitch presentation. During this session, the teams will practice their business pitch with Bri McWhorter.

Bri McWhorter, MFA. 

Activate to Captivate
8: June 12  Final presentations – Business Pitch Competition
  • Teams will present their business model canvas in the virtual classroom & get valuable feedback
  • 10 mins for pitch presentation plus 5 mins for Q&A
  • Top presenters will receive 1st, 2nd, 3rd place awards including audience pick.
 Business pitches will be Judged by professionals from business sector

Instructors & Coordinators: 

Course Coordinators: 

Register Now!!! Business Concepts for STEM Scientists-2020

Registration for the course: In 2019, we charged the participants a reimbursable fee of $20 to ensure attendance before awarding certificates. For this year’s registrants, we expect everyone to attend  all the classes (1 absence allowed)#, participate in teamwork exercise and present your business pitch in teams at the end to receive certificate of completion*. This is a requirement for the course.

*In the registration page, please agree to the this mandatory requirement for attending the course free of cost. We will keep track of attendance, time spent over online sessions (tracker), team formation, team participation and pitch competition.

#You can be excused only for 1 session due to unavoidable circumstances. In that case, we will share the recording of that class with you.