INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative is designed to allow students to complement their technical knowledge with tools and skills that prepare them to be successful in the workplace - as founders of their own new ventures or leaders in existing companies.
Specifically, the initiative's goals are to help students learn how to:
1. Create innovative solutions by thinking entrepreneurially.
Students will learn tools and practices that reveal what problems customers want solved, how to generate innovative solutions to tackle these problems, and how to build these solutions incrementally, using customer feedback.
2. Communicate their ideas.
Students will learn how to effectively communicate their ideas and solutions to various audiences (e.g., customers, managers investors, partners, recruiters, etc.)
3. Be effective teammates, problem solvers and leaders.
Students will learn and practice strategies to develop their self-confidence, resilience, and ability to build strong relationships in the workplace.
Current Programs
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Collaborations with ECS faculty to bring entrepreneurial thinking into the classroom.
Students learn about and practice various aspects of entrepreneurial thinking, such as brainstorming ideas for class projects, creating customer interview guides, crafting an elevator or investor pitch, and examining the business model behind a proposed new product or service.
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Innovation and Entrepreneurship Academies
Students can immerse themselves in a set of ideas by participating in an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Academy - a collection of workshops organized around a specific theme, such as generating innovative ideas, building resilience, or creating and delivering effective presentations. Each academy offers ample opportunities for hands-on practice to allow students to learn through experience.
Meet the ECS "entrepreneur in residence"
The initiative is being led by Dr. Atul Teckchandani, the ECS "entrepreneur-in-residence" and a Professor of Management at the College of Business and Economics at Cal State Fullerton.
He teaches a variety of classes and workshops on entrepreneurship and innovation, incorporating cutting-edge tools and processes from the lean startup and design thinking communities to help students learn the most effective ways to build new products and services. He also conducts research on (1) how the different types of organizations in a community collectively affect economic outcomes and entrepreneurial activity, and (2) how to improve the instruction of entrepreneurship and management topics in the classroom.
