Resources
Office of Business Innovation
Innovation studio
Interested in Innovation & Entrepreneurship? Join us at one of our Innovation Studio events. These weekly events give WSU students exposure to innovation and entrepreneurship, offering free assistance towards development projects and business ventures. The Innovation studio is geared towards helping students build skills, gain experience and connect with resources that they will need to succeed in a 21st-century workforce.
For more information, please contact Joshua Asker at hi2578@wayne.edu
Small business assistance
TechTown is Detroit's entrepreneurship hub. Offering a full suite of programs for both tech and neighborhood small businesses, Techtown is a nonprofit business service organization providing programs, education and resources for early- to growth-stage small businesses. Check out their entrepreneurship talks, events, workshops, and intensive 10-week DTX Launch Detroit summer accelerator for college students and recent graduates.
Commercialization resources
Great Lakes Regional I-Corp Hubs
NSF regional I-Corp hubs offer immersive education in STEM and medical/healthcare fields teaching researchers how to successfully transfer knowledge into products and processes. The programs empower teams of scientists, engineers, and researchers to understand the potential value of their technology and inventions, by teaching them how to assess the market opportunity for new technology and commercial potential:
- Is there a clear problem/need for the technology?
- Who are the customers?
- What are the customer pain points?
- Is the solution better than the competition?
- Is there commercial potential?
There are a several regional hubs launching cohorts during winter 2023, and also offer rolling application dates throughout the year. Additional program and application details for teams can be found here: https://www.greatlakesicorps.org/coming-events/
Other resources at WSU
Courses:
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Courses at the Mike Illitch School of Business
EI 1000 Entrepreneurial Explorations
Seminar series designed to expose students to entrepreneurship and innovation through exercises and interaction with experienced entrepreneurs and innovators.
EI 5000 Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Introduces the integrative new venture development framework, processes and tools applied throughout the program, and explores opportunities, resources available and the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
EI 5400 Management and Leadership for Entrepreneurs
Topics include: the essential attributes of a successful entrepreneur and innovation; development of effective networks and personal relationships; working with and blending the strengths and talents of others, group and team dynamics; effective leadership and management; the everyday challenges of creating, owning and running a new venture, and exploring the differences which arise due to the type and size of the new venture.
ECO 5560 Pharmaceutical Economics (undergraduate)
Topics include: Why are drug prices so high? How does big pharma develop life-saving drugs? Learn cost-effectiveness analysis. Public policies to reduce drug prices. Guest presentations. Winter 2023; Tues/Thurs; 5:30-7:10PM. B.A. Economics, B.S. Public Health, or General Elective. Questions? Contact: Fabrice Smieliauskas at fsmiel@wayne.edu.
EI 5900 Special Topics in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Topics to be announced in the schedule of classes.
EI 5950 Directed Study in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
EI 6000 Entrepreneurship and Innovation Capstone
Combines seminars with a project-intensive learning experience situated in the Detroit entrepreneurial ecosystem. Integrate and apply accumulated learning experiences from previous courses to the creation of a viable new venture and reach a decision whether or not to proceed, pivot, or terminate a new venture, and plan how to take these next steps.
ECO 6560 Pharmaceutical Economics (Graduate)
Topics include: Why are drug prices so high? How does big pharma develop life-saving drugs? Learn cost-effectiveness analysis. Public policies to reduce drug prices. Guest presentations. Winter 2023; Tues/Thurs; 5:30-7:10PM. Questions? Contact: Fabrice Smieliauskas at fsmiel@wayne.edu.
EI 7000 Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Exploration of entrepreneurship and innovation, introduces an integrative new venture development framework along with processes and tools applied throughout the certificate program; explores opportunities, resources available and the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.
EI 7400 Management and Leadership for Entrepreneurs
Topics include: the essential attributes of a successful entrepreneur and innovation; development of effective networks and personal relationships; working with and blending the strengths and talents of others, group and team dynamics; effective leadership and management; the everyday challenges of creating, owning and running a new venture, and exploring the differences which arise due to the type and size of the new venture.
EI 7600 Marketing New Ventures
Topics include: product development vs. customer development; market types; customer types; diffusion and adoption life cycle theories and concepts; market opportunity analysis and product/market fit; estimation of market size; value proposition; positioning statement; marketing strategy and plan to launch and sustain a new venture.
EI 7800 Special Topics in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
EI 7850 Directed Study in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
EI 7900 Entrepreneurship and Innovation Capstone
Combines seminars and discussions with a project-intensive learning experience situated in the Detroit entrepreneurial ecosystem. Integrate and apply accumulated learning experiences from previous courses to the creation of a viable new venture; reach a decision whether or not to proceed, pivot, or terminate a new venture; plan how to take the next steps and/or continue to pursue funding and achieve venture success.
FIN 7270 Entrepreneurs' Ecosystem
The course focuses on resources available to the entrepreneur, such as incubators and accelerators as well as on the various forms of financing the entrepreneur can access at different stages of growth. While examining the unique financial issues start-ups face, students are exposed to angel and superangel funding, microloans, crowdfunding, and various types of the venture capital funding avenues. From the entrepreneur's point of view, students gain experience in pitching a business idea and learn the anatomy of a successful business plan.
FIN 7280 Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital
Focuses on the venture capital (VC) cycle and understanding and analyzing the unique financial issues which entrepreneurial start-up firms face. Two distinct perspectives are provided: (a) issues that relate to the venture capitalist and (b) issues that relate to the entrepreneur. As a result, the course should be of interest to those pursuing careers in an entrepreneurial setting as well as those who are interested in a career in venture capital firm, management buyouts or private equity firm.
MGT 7660 Entrepreneurial Management
Nature of entrepreneurship and role of entrepreneur. Focus on problematic issues involved in creating and managing a small business. Emphasis on special knowledge and skills required of an entrepreneurial manager. Individual students may act as consultants to entrepreneurs or small business owner/managers.