Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship, Winter 2025
Timeline
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January 29, 2025Experience start
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January 30, 2025Students form teams
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February 11, 2025Student teams assigned to a startup
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February 25, 2025Initial interview, Feb 24 - March 10
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March 20, 2025Touchpoint and Q&A, March 19 - 31
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April 10, 2025Final presentations, April 9 and 14
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April 17, 2025Experience end
Timeline
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January 29, 2025Experience start
-
January 30, 2025Students form teams
-
February 11, 2025Student teams assigned to a startup
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February 25, 2025Initial interview, Feb 24 - March 10
Student teams meet and interview the founder or a representative from the startup. The representative should prepare a general information session on the organization, as well as internal and external characteristics and trends. The representative will answer student questions concerning the organization’s competition and the industry at large. This should happen between Feb 24 and March 10
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March 20, 2025Touchpoint and Q&A, March 19 - 31
Student teams schedule a follow-up email touchpoint with the startup. Students present their research question and progress thus far, such as their observations about stakeholders, the internal and general environment, industry, competitors, direction of recommendations, etc. They will ask questions and receive feedback.
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April 10, 2025Final presentations, April 9 and 14
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April 17, 2025Experience end
Categories
Product or service launchSkills
strategic management sustainable business entrepreneurship operationsStudents in the BCom program complete this course in their second or third year at McGill. Students come from diverse backgrounds with a wide variety of concentrations including Strategic Management, Business Analytics, Marketing, Operations Management, Entrepreneurship, Organizational Behavior, Finance and HR, and Sustainability. Some have completed internships in these fields.
Students submit a 10-page report accompanying their final presentation. The report includes a written recommendation for the organization, including challenges the startup may encounter and an action plan to avoid or mitigate threats to business growth. Students will make recommendations from two perspectives: (1) in the short term, on how the organization should scale up with further funding, and (2) in the long term, on the organization’s strategy to ensure a sustainable business. Each student spends approximately 10-15 hours on the project.
Project timeline
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January 29, 2025Experience start
-
January 30, 2025Students form teams
-
February 11, 2025Student teams assigned to a startup
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February 25, 2025Initial interview, Feb 24 - March 10
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March 20, 2025Touchpoint and Q&A, March 19 - 31
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April 10, 2025Final presentations, April 9 and 14
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April 17, 2025Experience end
Timeline
-
January 29, 2025Experience start
-
January 30, 2025Students form teams
-
February 11, 2025Student teams assigned to a startup
-
February 25, 2025Initial interview, Feb 24 - March 10
Student teams meet and interview the founder or a representative from the startup. The representative should prepare a general information session on the organization, as well as internal and external characteristics and trends. The representative will answer student questions concerning the organization’s competition and the industry at large. This should happen between Feb 24 and March 10
-
March 20, 2025Touchpoint and Q&A, March 19 - 31
Student teams schedule a follow-up email touchpoint with the startup. Students present their research question and progress thus far, such as their observations about stakeholders, the internal and general environment, industry, competitors, direction of recommendations, etc. They will ask questions and receive feedback.
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April 10, 2025Final presentations, April 9 and 14
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April 17, 2025Experience end
Project Examples
In this project, students in groups of 4-6 assume the role of organizational consultants, providing advice about how to develop, grow, and expand a new organization. Their goal is to deliver a written evaluation of the organization’s prospects, their recommendations for growth and development, and how these recommendations will affect the organization’s future. Students will interview the founder or another representative of the startup.
You should expect students to ask questions related to:
· Your organization’s goals and product(s)
· The problem that your organization addresses
· The competitors
· The target consumer
· Hurdles faced by the founder(s)
Following this initial interview, students will contact the founder or representative to solicit feedback on their progress and to ask follow-up questions. Students will perform a 1-hour interview and will then contact your founder/representative with follow-up questions through a scheduled video call. Should scheduling be an issue email can be used instead. Students are encouraged to find their own research topic. You are not expected to come in with a research question, although you may suggest a direction you would like them to explore. Through hands-on and experiential learning, the projects give students an in-depth overview of the challenges involved in identifying and developing an entrepreneurial venture.
You may be asked to meet with student representatives from a maximum of two student teams. In this case, the workload and time commitment involved in this project will not change.
Timeline
-
January 29, 2025Experience start
-
January 30, 2025Students form teams
-
February 11, 2025Student teams assigned to a startup
-
February 25, 2025Initial interview, Feb 24 - March 10
-
March 20, 2025Touchpoint and Q&A, March 19 - 31
-
April 10, 2025Final presentations, April 9 and 14
-
April 17, 2025Experience end
Timeline
-
January 29, 2025Experience start
-
January 30, 2025Students form teams
-
February 11, 2025Student teams assigned to a startup
-
February 25, 2025Initial interview, Feb 24 - March 10
Student teams meet and interview the founder or a representative from the startup. The representative should prepare a general information session on the organization, as well as internal and external characteristics and trends. The representative will answer student questions concerning the organization’s competition and the industry at large. This should happen between Feb 24 and March 10
-
March 20, 2025Touchpoint and Q&A, March 19 - 31
Student teams schedule a follow-up email touchpoint with the startup. Students present their research question and progress thus far, such as their observations about stakeholders, the internal and general environment, industry, competitors, direction of recommendations, etc. They will ask questions and receive feedback.
-
April 10, 2025Final presentations, April 9 and 14
-
April 17, 2025Experience end