Applied Digital Entrepreneurship
People
Flueckiger O.
Course director
Description
This course provides students with a comprehensive, practice-oriented overview of digital entrepreneurship by engaging with real founders, legal and financial experts, and investors, enabling them to translate scientific ideas into ventures through hands-on exercises, case discussions, and live startup interactions.
The course does not require students to found a startup; instead, it focuses on understanding and applying entrepreneurial decision-making in real-world contexts.
Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset and reflect on lessons from failure, team dynamics, and stakeholder engagement.
- Choose and justify Swiss legal/incorporation options, handle core IP/NDAs, and design fair founder and employee incentive schemes
- Build a go-to-market system: apply value-based pricing, design a sales funnel with conversion targets, and outline an early marketing & sales organization
- Manage startup finances, run scenario planning under uncertainty
- Evaluate and negotiate early-stage funding (convertible loans, SAFEs, priced equity), reason about cap tables and terms, and critically assess startup pitches using an evidence-based rubric
Teaching mode
In presence
Learning methods
The course combines lectures with interactive discussions, real-world case studies, group work, student presentations, and practical exercises. Students are encouraged to critically analyze current issues and apply theoretical concepts to real-life situations.
Examination information
Deconstruction of a startup pitch (group work)
Education
- Master of Science in Communication and Economics in Corporate Communication, Lecture, Thematic Area: Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Elective, 2nd year
- Master of Science in Communication and Economics in Marketing and Transformative Economy, Lecture, Thematic Area: Stategy and Entrepreneurship, Elective, 2nd year
- Master of Science in Communication in Media Management, Lecture, Thematic Area: Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Elective, 2nd year
- Master of Science in Economics in Management, Lecture, Startup Track, Elective, 2nd year
Study trips
- My First Pitch competition - USI Startup Centre, 03.12.26 - 03.12.26 (Compulsory)
