On Tuesday, I attended my first lecture in the three-semester course called Tech Ventures. My first impressions are as follows:
- This class will be truly inspiring. While the first semester of class is mostly theory and background infomation on new “hi-tech” ventures, the next two semesters are spent doing something truly real: Real in the sense that you are constructing a real business plan that could really work and really become a company.
- With that being said, not all of the student run companies survive or thrive. In fact, most of them will fail. This is not a bad thing though because it is an excellent portrayal of real life. Most start-ups do not go anywhere, but the process teaches you how to do it better next time.
- We will be meeting some very interesting, influential, powerful, and downright cool people. Through the course we have the opportunity to meet venture capitalists, business leaders, inventors, legal teams, and a group of highly motivated students.
- Dr. Rod Shrader, our professor, is incredibly knowledgable on the ins-and-outs of starting a business, as well as the strategy that goes into positioning a business. I believe he will prove to be an excellent mentor throughout this process.
Today, my class gets a chance to meet the alumni from the tech ventures program in a networking/dinner event. It will be quite interesting to hear about their companies and where they are now. Stay tuned for more info on my journey through this course.
For more information on the Tech Ventures program click here!