• Description

Every day new business opportunities appear to respond to previously non-existent or unsatisfied needs or to improve the existing offer. In addition, organizations increasingly value having an entrepreneurial organizational culture and encourage employees to have an entrpreneurial attitude. Because, it has been shown that there is a positive relationship between entrepreneurship and the development of a country or a region. 

 Among other characteristics, entrepreneurship contributes to economic growth, it is a source of innovation, promotes job creation and contributes to social cohesion and dynamism. Thus, the subject entrepreneurship aims to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of techniques for software development sutudents  by introducing the main elements that make up the entrepreneurial process. We will delve into the ideation, validation and presentation of a viable and sustainable entrepreneurial project while developing the skills of creativity, innovation and teamwork.

• The subject within the syllabus as a whole

Entrepreneurship is a compulsary subject of 6 ECTS of the the Bacheor's Degree in techniques for software application development.

• Professional fields to which it applies

The subject is specially addressed to students interested in the entrepreneurial phenomenon or with an interest in becoming entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs in in the future.

• Prior knowledge

It does not require any specific prior knowledge. 

• Learning objectives and results

Competencies

• Use and apply ICTs in academic and professional spheres.
• Communicate in a foreign language.
• Work in a team.
• Design people-centred solutions.
• Conduct and submit a project in the field of software development and defend it before a panel of experts.

Learning outcomes

• Identify the main characteristics and differences of entrepreneurial projects
• Recognize the characteristics of entrepreneurs, the differentiating factors regarding gender and culture and the main characteristics of the founding team.
• Apply appropriate techniques to identify potential problems in society.
• Devise innovative solutions to real problems.
• Design a business model.
• Have basic knowledge of how to ensure an economically viable and socially sustainable project
• Present a project in a short  and convincing way according to a specific audience.

• Content

1. Entrepreneurship and business

1.1. Key concepts

1.2 Entrepreneurs and founding teams

1.3 Gender and entrepreneurship

1.4 Entrepreneurship in other cultures

1.5 Learning to undertake

1.6 Innovate and undertake. Focus method

2. The inspiring problem

2.1 Trends, industries and technologies

2.2 Getting to know the sector that motivates us

2.3 Inspirational problem

2.4 Validation. Problem interview

3. The innovative solution

3.1 Ideation. Lateral thinking and creativity

3.2 Minimum viable product and prototyping

3.3 Validation. Solution interview

4. The business model

4.1 The SCOPE business model

4.2 Applications of the business model

4.3 Other tools to develop a  business model

5. Numerical issues of the entrepreneurial project

5.1 Marketing and sales. Demand estimation 

5.2 Traction. Analytics and indicators 

5.3 Economic and financial issues

5.4 Financial plan. Agility and viability

5.5 Funding the start up

6. Project's communication

6.1 Objective of the communication

6.2 Target audience

6.3 Effective presentations

• View the UOC learning resources used in the subject

• Additional information on support tools and learning resources

In this subject the learning resources and support tools are structured in  didactic modules, teaching videos, reports and other readings or webs that will be provided in each activity. The following learning resources are the most important: 

• Entrepreneurship and business (module) 
• The inspirational problem (module)
• The innovative solution (module)
• The business model (module)
• Numerical issues (module)
• How to communicate your business idea (videos and websites)

• Guidelines on assessment at the UOC

The assessment process is based on students' own work and the assumption that this work is original and has been carried out by them.

In assessment activities, the following irregular behaviours, among others, may have serious academic and disciplinary consequences: someone else being involved in carrying out the student's assessment test or activity, or the work being not entirely original; copying another's work or committing plagiarism; attempting to cheat to obtain better academic results; collaborating in, covering up or encouraging copying; or using unauthorized material, software or devices during assessment.

If students are caught engaging in any of these irregular behaviours, they may receive a fail mark (D/0) for the assessable activities set out in the course plan (including the final tests) or in the final mark for the course. This could be because they have used unauthorized materials, software or devices (e.g. social networking sites or internet search engines) during the tests, because they have copied text fragments from an external source (internet, notes, books, articles, other student's projects or activities, etc.) without correctly citing the source, or because they have engaged in any other irregular conduct.

In accordance with the UOC's academic regulations , irregular conduct during assessment, besides leading to a failing mark for the course, may be grounds for disciplinary proceedings and, where appropriate, the corresponding punishment, as established in the UOC's coexistence regulations.

In its assessment process, the UOC reserves the right to:

• Ask the student to provide proof of their identity, as established in the university's academic regulations.
• Request that students provide evidence of the authorship of their work, throughout the assessment process, both in continuous and final assessment, by means of an oral test or by whatever other synchronous or asynchronous means the UOC specifies. These means will check students' knowledge and competencies to verify authorship of their work, and under no circumstances will they constitute a second assessment. If it is not possible to guarantee the student's authorship, they will receive a D grade in the case of continuous assessment or a Fail in the case of final assessment.
  For this purpose, the UOC may require that students use a microphone, webcam or other devices during the assessment process, in which case it will be the student's responsibility to check that such devices are working correctly.

• View the assessment model