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ELEC5701: Technology Venture Creation (2020 - Semester 2)

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Unit: ELEC5701: Technology Venture Creation [not offered in 2021] (6 CP)
Mode: Normal-Day
On Offer: Yes
Level: Postgraduate
Faculty/School: School of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Unit Coordinator/s: Dr Shirvanimoghaddam, Mahyar
Session options: Semester 2
Versions for this Unit:
Campus: Camperdown/Darlington
Pre-Requisites: None.
Prohibitions: ENGG5102.
Brief Handbook Description: This unit of study prepares graduating students with insight and skills in how to turn a concept into a high technology startup company. The class will provide students with knowledge, practical experience and frameworks to assist in evaluating the market for a technology product or service, the design & viability of business models around it, the formulation of a funding-reading business plan & financials, capital raising options & process, venture capital, building distribution channels, intellectual property protection, putting together an A-grade management team, term sheets & funding documentation, technology sales models and going global. We will look at real world case studies of successful technology companies (and flame outs). Does Twitter have a viable business model? Will Facebook eat its lunch? Is YouTube just burning cash? Will Google rule the world?

During the period of the course, students will form teams and write a business plan around a concept they propose. Each student will assume a role in the team (CEO, CTO, CFO, VP Sales & Marketing). The plan will be judged by a panel of real world venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and angel investors to determine the final grade for the course.

Be warned that a serious commitment will be required in developing the concept into a viable business plan. The outcome, however, will be very rewarding to those students interested in starting the next Google.

This course is taught by instructors experienced in technology startups & venture capital. The course will include a number of guest lectures by industry.
Assumed Knowledge: None.
Lecturer/s: Mr Alexander, James
Timetable: ELEC5701 Timetable
Time Commitment:
# Activity Name Hours per Week Sessions per Week Weeks per Semester
1 Lecture 2.00 1 13
2 Workgroup 1.00 1 13
3 Independent Study 5.00 13
T&L Activities: Workgroup: Visiting professional or Teambased interaction exercise

Learning outcomes are the key abilities and knowledge that will be assessed in this unit. They are listed according to the course goal supported by each. See Assessment Tab for details how each outcome is assessed.

(6) Communication and Inquiry/ Research (Level 3)
1. Understand what venture project stakeholders requires of them and what they can require of others
2. Communicate with Financial, Design, Development, Marketing and Production Departments
(8) Professional Effectiveness and Ethical Conduct (Level 3)
3. Analyse the roles of engineers in creating productive, economic, successful venture projects in a variety of engineering projects
4. Analyse the social, ethical and legal issues that arise from venture economic activities.
5. Analyse the economic, social and ethical issues involved in any engineering project in which the student might become involved
6. Understand the requirements of financial, supply chain, development team, marketing and production interfaces
7. Understand the main operational requirements of a venture entrepreneur working in industry
8. Identify and record the intellectual property content of their work
9. Understand the requirements of a quality system
10. Understand the working environment of a project team
Assessment Methods:
# Name Group Weight Due Week Outcomes
1 Assignment Yes 5.00 Week 4 1, 2, 5, 8,
2 Assignment/quiz No 20.00 Week 9 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10,
3 Class Participation No 10.00 Multiple Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
4 Assignment (Pitch and Final Submission) Yes 65.00 Week 13 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
Assessment Description: The University has authorised and mandated the use of text-based similarity detecting software for all text-based written assignments

Late submission for assessment components other than Quiz and Final Exam:

1) There is no penalty for submissions until 11:59pm of the due day.

2) For submissions that are late than 11:59 of the due day, 15% penalty will be applied for each day. Submissions that are late for one week will be given ZERO marks.
Grading:
Grade Type Description
Standards Based Assessment Final grades in this unit are awarded at levels of HD for High Distinction, DI (previously D) for Distinction, CR for Credit, PS (previously P) for Pass and FA (previously F) for Fail as defined by University of Sydney Assessment Policy. Details of the Assessment Policy are available on the Policies website at http://sydney.edu.au/policies . Standards for grades in individual assessment tasks and the summative method for obtaining a final mark in the unit will be set out in a marking guide supplied by the unit coordinator.
Policies & Procedures: See the policies page of the faculty website at http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/student-policies/ for information regarding university policies and local provisions and procedures within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies.

Note that the "Weeks" referred to in this Schedule are those of the official university semester calendar https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Week Description
Week 1 Course Overview & Introduction to Technology Companies
Week 2 Evaluating Opportunities and Disruptive Technologies
Week 3 Startup Company Basics
Week 4 Tutorial 1
Business Models and Market Opportunities
Assessment Due: Assignment
Week 5 Discussion and Presentations
Tutorial 2
Week 6 Competitive Advantage & Marketplaces
Tutorial 3
Week 7 Tutorial 4
Founders and the Team
Week 8 Tutorial 5
Venture Capital and Terms
Week 9 Tutorial 6
Financial Plans & Startup Pitching
Assessment Due: Assignment/quiz
Week 10 Tutorial 7
Quiz
Week 11 Tutorial 8
Future of Capitalism and Intellectual Property
Week 12 Exits, Acquisitions & Initial Public Offerings
Week 13 Final Pitches and Assignment
Assessment Due: Assignment (Pitch and Final Submission)
STUVAC (Week 14) No lectures
Exam Period No Lectures

Course Relations

The following is a list of courses which have added this Unit to their structure.

Course Year(s) Offered
Biomedical Engineering / Law 2013, 2014
Biomedical Engineering / Arts 2013, 2014
Biomedical Engineering / Commerce 2013, 2014
Biomedical Engineering / Medical Science 2013, 2014
Biomedical Engineering / Science 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering / Arts 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering / Commerce 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Bioelectronics) / Arts 2011, 2012
Electrical Engineering (Bioelectronics) / Science 2011, 2012
Electrical Engineering (Bioelectronics) / Law 2012
Electrical Engineering / Medical Science 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering / Science 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Computer) / Arts 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Computer) / Commerce 2012, 2013, 2014, 2011
Electrical Engineering (Computer) / Science 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Computer) / Law 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Power) / Arts 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Power) / Science 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Telecommunications) / Science 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Biomedical Engineering (mid-year) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Biomedical / Project Management 2019+ 2019, 2020
Biomedical Engineering 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Biomedical / Arts (2022 and earlier) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Biomedical / Commerce 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Biomedical /Science 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Biomedical / Science (Health) 2018, 2019, 2020
Biomedical / Law 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Electrical / Project Management 2019+ 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Electrical Engineering 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Electrical / Arts (2022 and earlier) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Electrical / Arts 2023+ 2023, 2024, 2025
Electrical / Commerce 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Electrical / Commerce 2023+ 2023, 2024, 2025
Electrical / Project Management 2016, 2017, 2018
Electrical / Science 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Electrical / Science - Mid Year 2023, 2024, 2025
Electrical / Law 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Electrical / Law 2023+ 2023, 2024, 2025
Electrical Engineering (mid-year) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Software Engineering (mid-year) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Software / Project Management 2019+ 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Software Engineering 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Software / Arts (2022 and earlier) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Software / Arts 2023+ 2023, 2024, 2025
Software / Commerce 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Software / Commerce 2023+ 2023, 2024, 2025
Software / Project Management 2016, 2017, 2018
Software / Science 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Software / Science (Health) 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Software / Science - Mid Year 2023, 2024, 2025
Software / Law 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Software / Law 2023+ 2023, 2024, 2025
Software Engineering / Arts 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Software Engineering / Commerce 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Software Engineering / Medical Science 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Software Engineering / Science 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Biomedical / Science (Medical Science Stream) 2018, 2019, 2020
Master of Engineering (Advanced Manufacturing) 2025+ 2025
Master of Engineering (Biomedical Engineering) 2025+ 2025
Master of Engineering (Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering) 2025+ 2025
Master of Engineering (Civil Engineering) 2025+ 2025
Master of Engineering (Electrical Engineering) 2025+ 2025
Master of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) 2025+ 2025
Master of Engineering (2024 and earlier) 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Master of Engineering (Software Engineering) 2025+ 2025
Master of Engineering (Sustainability & Environmental Engineering) 2025+ 2025
Master of Professional Engineering (Accelerated) (Electrical) 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Master of Professional Engineering (Accelerated) (Electrical) 2025+ 2025
Master of Professional Engineering (Accelerated) (Intelligent Information Engineering) 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Master of Professional Engineering (Electrical) 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Master of Professional Engineering (Electrical) 2025+ 2025
Master of Professional Engineering (Intelligent Information Engineering) 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Software / Science (Medical Science Stream) 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Computer Engineering / Commerce 2010
Electrical Engineering (Computer) / Medical Science 2011, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Telecommunications) / Arts 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Electrical Engineering (Telecommunications) / Medical Science 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Course Goals

This unit contributes to the achievement of the following course goals:

Attribute Practiced Assessed
(6) Communication and Inquiry/ Research (Level 3) No 20.36%
(7) Project and Team Skills (Level 3) No 0%
(8) Professional Effectiveness and Ethical Conduct (Level 3) No 79.65%
(5) Interdisciplinary, Inclusiveness, Influence (Level 3) No 0%
(4) Design (Level 3) No 0%
(2) Engineering/ IT Specialisation (Level 3) No 0%
(3) Problem Solving and Inventiveness (Level 3) No 0%
(1) Maths/ Science Methods and Tools (Level 2) No 0%

These goals are selected from Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table 2018 which defines overall goals for courses where this unit is primarily offered. See Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table 2018 for details of the attributes and levels to be developed in the course as a whole. Percentage figures alongside each course goal provide a rough indication of their relative weighting in assessment for this unit. Note that not all goals are necessarily part of assessment. Some may be more about practice activity. See Learning outcomes for details of what is assessed in relation to each goal and Assessment for details of how the outcome is assessed. See Attributes for details of practice provided for each goal.