Care: The First Step in Tech Innovation for Entrepreneurs (Coursera)

This course is part of the Technology & Entrepreneurship Specialization.

What you'll learn

Students will understand the tenants of evidence-based entrepreneurship, identify and work on problems, and assess the value of intrapreneurship.

Syllabus

Course Introduction

Welcome message: Welcome to Course 2: Care, which is the first—and most important—step in the process of innovation. By the end of this course, you will be able to explain the tenets of evidence-based entrepreneurship, understand the power of a problem-solving approach, identify problems worth solving, and assess the hallmarks and value of intrapreneurship. Let’s dive in!

Module 1: Evidence-based Innovation

Welcome to Module 1! This module is Evidence-based Innovation. It might seem that brilliant ideas just pop into an innovator’s mind. Though that could happen, it is unlikely. Innovative solutions, the type that changes the world and improves lives, do not just happen. They are built on a deep understanding of evidence. Evidence is information gathered by being involved in the world around you. A key skill for any innovator is to be able to understand and use the tenants of evidence-based entrepreneurship. In this module, you will work with the tenets of evidence-based entrepreneurship as you look at how they are used for success.

Module 2: Work the Problem

Welcome to Module 2! This module is Work the Problem. To become an efficient problem solver, you’ll need to be able to interpret lean startup and similar innovation methodologies. Your problem is the reason for all of your entrepreneurial work. Working step-by-step will help you identify and understand the problem you aim to solve. In this module, you will learn about working a problem, which includes the steps you take and how working the problem has impacted successful ventures.

Module 3: Problems Worth Solving

Welcome to Module 3! This module is Problems Worth Solving. Not every problem needs a solution, and some problems need to be solved right away. Being able to judge a problem’s merit and find problems that need to be solved is part of the innovator’s toolkit. Problems need to be described and analyzed before they can have an approach or solution design. An entrepreneur must know how to Identify problems worth solving. In this module, you will work to identify a problem that is worth solving and in doing so, examine how other ventures have approached this stage of innovation.

Module 4: Intrapreneurial Pathways

Welcome to Module 4! This module is Intrapreneurial Pathways. Throughout this course, we’ve discussed entrepreneurship. Not everyone wants to or will work with a startup, so you may find that intrapreneurship may be a better fit for you. Intrapreneurship is a way of harnessing the innovator’s mindset and tools within an existing organization to create solutions. As you learn about this form of innovation, consider the hallmarks and values of intrapreneurship. In this module, you will examine the idea of intrapreneurship and how it adds value to organizations and ventures.