Introduction to Entrepreneurship

Aims of the course

• To introduce the key concepts, theories, and practices underpinning entrepreneurship, including its role in innovation, value creation, and economic growth.
• To gain the knowledge and tools to identify and evaluate opportunities, develop viable business models, and understand the processes involved in launching and managing new ventures.
• To cultivate entrepreneurial thinking and behaviours, such as creativity, problem-solving, and resilience, enabling learners to approach venture creation with confidence and adaptability.

Course content overview

The course introduces the entrepreneurial process from opportunity recognition to venture growth, combining practical frameworks with real-world examples.  Learners will explore what drives entrepreneurs, the social and economic impact of entrepreneurship, and how to generate and test ideas.  They will also examine core elements of venture creation including market and competitor analysis, financing, marketing strategy, and operations management.

Interactive sessions and online discussions guide learners through topics such as:

• The definition, traits, and motivations of entrepreneurs.
• Opportunity identification and idea generation.
• Analysing markets, customers, and competitors.
• Business model development and venture planning.
• Growth strategies and entrepreneurial leadership.

The course draws on examples from start-ups, social enterprises, and corporate innovation to illustrate key principles and practices.

Target audience

This course is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs, early-stage founders, professionals exploring self-employment, and anyone seeking to understand how new ventures are conceived, developed, and grown.  It is also suitable for intrapreneurs within established organisations who want to foster innovation or launch new initiatives. No prior academic or business experience is required, but curiosity and a proactive mindset will help you get the most from the course.

Welcome week (Week 0)

Purpose:

• personal introductions
• introducing the course
• useful reading
• personal objectives

Learning Outcomes:

By studying this week, the students should have:

• grasped navigation around the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and from VLE to links and back
• tested their ability to access files and the web conferencing software, and sorted out any problems with the help of the eLearning Helpdesk
• learnt how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
• used forums to introduce themselves to other students
• contributed to a discussion forum to introduce themselves to other students and discuss why they are interested in the course, what they hope to get out of their studies and also to respond to News items sent out on behalf of the tutor

Teaching Week 1: The Entrepreneurial Landscape

Purpose:

This week introduces the fundamental concepts of entrepreneurship, exploring its role in society, the economy, and innovation:

• We will examine different types of entrepreneurs, motivations, traits, and the mindset required for entrepreneurial success. 
• The goal is to build a solid conceptual foundation for understanding how entrepreneurship drives innovation and value creation.

Learning outcomes:

• Explain key concepts, roles, and types of entrepreneurship within societal and economic contexts.
• Identify and evaluate the traits, motivations, and behaviours of successful entrepreneurs.
• Analyse real-world entrepreneurial examples to understand their impact on innovation and change.

Teaching Week 2: New Venture Sustainability and Viability

Purpose:

This week focuses on assessing the feasibility and sustainability of new ventures:

• We will learn how to analyse markets, understand financial and operational considerations, and evaluate strategies that enhance the long-term viability of entrepreneurial initiatives.
• Ethical and societal considerations are also integrated to ensure sustainable approaches.

Learning outcomes:

• Assess the viability of entrepreneurial ventures using market, financial, and operational criteria.
• Evaluate strategies that promote sustainability in new ventures.
• Demonstrate critical thinking in analysing risks, challenges, and opportunities for venture success.

Teaching Week 3: Innovation, Marketing, and Evaluation (Part A - Launch):

Purpose: 

This week focuses on translating entrepreneurial ideas into actionable launch plans:

• We will explore creativity, ideation techniques, and marketing strategies to bring products or services to market effectively.
• Emphasis is placed on the initial stages of venture creation, including validating ideas, designing offerings, and preparing for market entry.

Learning outcomes:

• Apply creativity and ideation techniques to develop viable business ideas.
• Construct launch-focused marketing strategies tailored to target markets.
• Evaluate initial feasibility and potential challenges for new ventures.

Teaching Week 4: Innovation, Marketing, and Evaluation (Part B - Control)

Purpose:

This week emphasises monitoring, evaluation, and control of entrepreneurial ventures post-launch:

• We will learn how to use metrics, key performance indicators, and feedback loops to assess venture performance.
• The focus is on adapting strategies, managing risks, and iterating offerings to ensure continuous improvement and sustainable growth.

Learning outcomes:

• Develop evaluation frameworks to monitor venture performance and progress.
• Apply control mechanisms to manage risks and optimise operational efficiency.
• Use feedback and data to iterate and refine products, services, or business strategies.

Teaching Week 5: Expanding Horizons: growth and entrepreneurship

Purpose:

The final week addresses growth strategies and the broader context of entrepreneurship:

• We will explore scaling, resource management, leadership evolution, funding options, and global entrepreneurial ecosystems.
• The emphasis is on long-term strategic thinking and understanding how ventures can expand their impact socially, economically, and internationally.

Learning outcomes:

• Analyse strategies for scaling ventures and managing growth effectively.
• Evaluate funding, leadership, and resource considerations in expanding entrepreneurial initiatives.
• Examine the role of entrepreneurship in social, economic, and global contexts to inform strategic decisions.

Week 6: what next? 

• sharing of students’ work among peers
• assessment of student learning
• assessment of student satisfaction
• encouragement of further study

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.  

Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences. 

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language to get the maximum benefit from the course. 

Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours of self-study time, for example, reading materials, although this will vary from person to person. 

While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material). 

Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the VLE so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (using discussion boards etc).

Fees 

The course fee includes access to the course on our VLE, personal feedback on your work from an expert tutor, a certificate of participation (if you complete work and take part in discussions), and access to the class resources for two years after your course finishes. 

Concessions 

For more information, please see our concessions information page. 

Alison Fordham Bursary

University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education is proud to offer the Alison Fordham bursary, which is awarded to students who wish to study on one of our short online courses via our VLE, reducing the fee paid by 50%. The bursary is limited to a single award for each set of online courses. 

Application criteria:  

• applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study
• applicants who can demonstrate financial need 

For more information, please see our bursaries information page.

A certificate of participation and a digital credential will be awarded to those who contribute constructively to weekly discussions, exercises and assignments for the duration of the course.