Innovation to Market A 2025 Summer I (UCSD)

Teaching Assistant: Iman Sayyadzadeh
Office Hours: By appointment

Class Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00-4:50 pm
Final Exam: Saturday, Aug 2nd, 3:00-5:59 pm
Makeup: Friday, July 11th, 2:00-4:50pm
Classroom: 1S114

Note: This syllabus may be updated and revised at a later date.

DESCRIPTION

• Innovation to Market A is the first course of a two-course sequence that provides the competencies to identify and transform technical and non-technical innovations into viable ventures that capture profitable market opportunities. The course will introduce students to the strategic and operational issues of developing an innovation into a competitive and sustainable business.
• This is a team-based project course in which students apply management principles, technology strategies, market opportunity assessment, validation strategies, and financing strategies to develop value propositions, business models, and business concepts for a potential new business or organization.
• Students will learn to perceive needs and propose unique products or services in a business concept that could satisfy those unmet needs. They will also learn about market segmentation, positioning, and market research techniques to test their ideas in a real-world context and identify potential customers, suppliers, and partners. From this, they will learn the definition of a business model and how it can represent the key operational design decisions an organization makes to address a market opportunity properly.
• Through industry examples and case discussions, the participants will learn the nuances of the different types of business models and the opportunities and challenges of refining and evolving business models as more information becomes available. They will demonstrate this learning through written and oral presentations of their research findings and selected business models.
• The course will utilize lectures, case studies, a project assignment, student oral presentations, and guest speakers from the industry. This quarter-length course is designed for upper-division undergraduate students.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Develop the knowledge and skills to create your own business.
2. Acquire knowledge and skillsets in:
   • Idea Generation
   • Business Opportunity Assessment
   • Market Research / Business Experiments
   • Business model development
   • Go to Market Strategy
   • Pitch
     
3. Acquire mindsets necessary for innovation.

MATERIALS

• Course Packet [CP]: Harvard Business School Publishing (Required)
  • A carefully selected list of readings is provided in the Course Reader.
  • Please purchase it.
• Self Assessment Tools
  • We will use self-assessment tools in the class.
  • Enneagram,  SCARF etc.
  • Materials and links will be posted on the Canvas.
• Selected PDFs and Assignment Templates
  • All on Canvas
• Textbook [NVC] (Optional)
  • New Venture Creation. 10th Edition, Stephen Spinelli, Jr. and Robert Adams McGraw-Hill, Irwin, New York New York
  • This is a required textbook by the department. However, I decided to make this an optional reading for this year to reduce the cost of textbooks for students.
  • This book is also available at the library.
  • This textbook will also be used for MGT 121B – Innovation to Market (B). If you plan to enroll in MGT 121B –  Innovation to Market B, I strongly suggest reading the recommended chapters,
  • To purchase the ebook version of this text, go to www.coursesmart.com and in the search box, type 0-07-802910-4

CLASSROOM PROCEDURE

• The course meets 10 times for 2 hours and 50 minutes, with a 10-minute break. Class sessions will begin and end on time. Please be punctual so you do not miss the initial thrust of the discussions or disturb others.
• If you need to miss a class, please post on the canvas forum in advance.
• Keep in mind class participation is part of your grade.
• Each student should be prepared and expected to participate in classroom discussions.

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

• Each student is expected to have completed all readings and assignments for each class before the class starts.
• Assignments will be submitted prior to each class through Canvas.
• There are individual and group assignments.
• For individual assignments, I recommend you work in study groups to discuss the individual assignments prior to completing your own write-up.

CLASS PARTICIPATION

• Every class session will involve interaction in the form of class discussion.
• I expect each student to be prepared at all times to comment on any class session.
• The direction and quality of the discussion are the collective responsibility of the class, not the sole responsibility of the instructor.
• You are expected to attend every class. You are responsible for the material covered in class whether you attend or not.

CLASS CONTRIBUTION

• The class contribution will be graded on your readiness, willingness, and the quality of your comments and their contribution to the discussion.
• The class contribution will be recorded based on the quality of your comments (Recorded by the instructor and TA for every session).
• The frequency (i.e., the quantity) of your class interventions is not a key criterion for effective class contribution.
• Some criteria used to evaluate class contribution are as follows:
  1. Is the participant deeply engaged in class? Using laptops and electronic devices for non-class purposes can negatively affect class participation and the learning experience.
  2. Is the participant a good listener? Are the points made relevant to the discussion? Are they linked to others’ comments? Do the comments show evidence of analysis of the case?
  3. Is there a willingness to test new ideas, or are all comments “safe” (e.g., repetition of case facts without analysis and conclusions)?
  4. Do comments clarify or build upon the important aspects of earlier comments and lead to a clearer understanding of the case?
• Formula: Class Contribution = Quality of the comment / Air-time

GROUP PROJECT

• Every student will participate in a group project. The group will be made up of 3-5 students. You will form a team by 2nd week of the quarter.
• The group assignments will be graded as a group.
• Each group will be responsible for interim group assignments and a final pitch. The templates for these assignments are on Canvas.
• The final pitch is evaluated based on the Business Idea Evaluation Sheet. I strongly recommend reviewing it carefully, as you will be expected to address each criterion outlined in it.

GRADING

• Extra Credit – Rady Behavioral Lab (5%)  – if exists
• Please check the scores and let TA know if there is any mistake. It is your responsibility to check the scores. If you did not claim by the end of the quarter, we take it as you agreed with your received scores.

SCHEDULE 2025 / TOPICS

• The integrity of scholarship is essential for an academic community. As members of the Rady School, we pledge ourselves to uphold the highest ethical standards. The University expects that both faculty and students will honor this principle and in so doing protect the validity of University intellectual work. For students, this means that all academic work will be done by the individual to whom it is assigned, without unauthorized aid of any kind.
• The complete UCSD Policy on Integrity of Scholarship can be viewed at:
  https://senate.ucsd.edu/Operating-Procedures/Senate-Manual/appendices/2

How the Honor Code applies to this course:

• You can work with anyone on class assignments. I suggest that you work in study groups on homework assignments.
• Your class preparation and assignments must not benefit from class materials from students who took this course in prior years or at other schools. Using course notes or PowerPoint slides you received from previous students of this class violates the UCSD Honor Code.
  

AI Policy  (adapted and revised from syllabus by Ethan Mollick)

• I expect you to use AI (ChatGPT or Generative AI tools, at a minimum) in this class. Learning to use AI is an essential skill, and I will try to provide tutorials on how to use it. I am happy to help with these tools during office hours, etc.
• Be aware of the limits of ChatGTP:
  • If you provide minimum effort prompts, you will get low-quality results. You will need to refine your prompts to get good outcomes. This will take work.
  • Don’t trust anything it says. If it gives you a number or fact, assume it is wrong unless you know the answer or can check in with another source. You will be responsible for any errors or omissions provided by the tool. It works best for topics you understand.
  • AI is a tool, but one that you need to acknowledge using. Please include a paragraph at the end of any assignment that uses AI explaining what you used the AI for and what prompts you used to get the results. Failure to do so violates academy integrity policies.
  • Be thoughtful about when this tool is useful. Don’t use it if it isn’t appropriate for the case or circumstance.
• Reference
  • Guides to using AI: https://oneusefulthing.substack.com/p/the-practical-guide-to-using-ai-to
  • Writing with ChatGPT: https://oneusefulthing.substack.com/p/how-to-use-chatgpt-to-boost-your
  • Generating Ideas with ChatGPT: https://oneusefulthing.substack.com/p/a-prosthesis-for-imagination-using

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

• A student with a disability or particular need who requires an accommodation to have equal access to the classroom must register with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). The OSD will determine accommodations and provide the necessary documentation to present to the faculty member.
• The student must present the OSD letter of certification and OSD accommodation recommendation to the appropriate faculty member to initiate the request for accommodation in classes, examinations, or other academic program activities. No accommodations can be implemented retroactively.
• Please visit the OSD website for further information or contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at (858) 534-4382 or osd@ucsd.edu.