Wharton Entrepreneurship Capstone

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/wharton-entrepreneurship-capstone

Introduction

### Course Review: Wharton Entrepreneurship Capstone If you're an aspiring entrepreneur or simply someone looking to improve your skills in business pitching, **Wharton Entrepreneurship Capstone** on Coursera is an indispensable course designed to guide you through the intricacies of developing a compelling pitch deck for a new venture. This project-based course provides not only the theoretical foundation but also practical applications that are vital for anyone looking to attract investors or stakeholders. #### Course Overview The Wharton Entrepreneurship Capstone is structured to culminate in the creation of a pitch deck—an essential tool for entrepreneurs when seeking funding or executive buy-in for their ideas. Throughout the course, you will focus on the key components of a pitch, including identifying customer needs, articulating your concept, presenting financial data, and much more. Additionally, you will gain insights into the evaluation methods used by actual venture capitalists, allowing you to understand what makes a pitch successful from the perspective of potential investors. #### Syllabus Breakdown **Start Here** In the initial module, you are welcomed to the course with an overview of the tasks ahead. You’ll go through readings that outline the resources and timelines necessary to craft an effective pitch. By taking the Project Scope Quiz, you ensure your understanding, as you’re required to achieve a perfect score before moving on. The provided materials include case studies of entrepreneurs who successfully launched their products, offering inspiration and practical insights. **Building Your Pitch Deck** In this module, you’ll spend time assembling the critical components of your pitch deck. The emphasis here lies on impactful presentations rather than mere length. With guidance from Professor Mollick’s videos and supplemental resources from prior courses in the specialization, you will learn to construct each section of your deck with robust evidence and analysis. **Preliminary Pitch Deck** After putting your initial pitch deck together, you’ll submit it for preliminary feedback. This peer-review process is incredibly beneficial; it allows you to gain differing perspectives on your work, which can highlight areas needing improvement. Additionally, you’ll review others’ projects, which helps you refine your critical evaluation skills and may provide you with fresh ideas for your own pitch. **Revision Week** The next phase emphasizes refining your pitch. With peer feedback in hand, this module encourages you to revisit the elements of your presentation, ensuring that all components meet the requirements established in the rubric. You’ll explore the narrative of your pitch, making sure that it resonates with potential investors and tells a compelling story. **Final Project Submission** The course wraps up with the final revision and submission of your pitch deck. After submitting, you’ll review three peers' work, continuing the cycle of feedback and improvement. By the end of the course, you will not only have a polished pitch deck ready for potential investors but also practical skills that can be applied in various real-world scenarios, from presenting to your current employer to leveraging your pitch during job applications. #### What Sets This Course Apart? 1. **Practical Application**: The hands-on approach with peer review creates a collaborative learning environment that enriches your experience. 2. **Expert Insights**: Insights from renowned professionals like Reid Hoffman offer real-world perspective, enhancing the credibility of the course materials. 3. **Comprehensive Skill Development**: From financial analysis to storytelling, the course addresses every aspect necessary for a successful pitch. #### Recommendation I highly recommend the Wharton Entrepreneurship Capstone course for anyone serious about entrepreneurship or business development. Whether you are a novice eager to learn how to present your ideas or a seasoned entrepreneur looking to refine your pitch skills, this course provides valuable insight and will lay a solid foundation for your entrepreneurial journey. With its structured syllabus, practical feedback, and expert guidance, you’ll be well-equipped to take your entrepreneurial endeavors to the next level. Prepare yourself to not only create a compelling pitch deck, but to potentially change the world—one pitch at a time. Good luck!

Syllabus

Start Here

Welcome to the Entrepreneurship Capstone Project! This project-based course is designed to provide you with the resources and tools you need to develop a pitch deck for a start-up, which you will submit as your Capstone Project. Please study the readings below, which provide you with the resources and timeline you need to complete a successful pitch deck. Then, please take the Project Scope Quiz. You must score 100% to pass the quiz, but you have multiple opportunities to retake the quiz until you score 100%. If you're looking for some inspiration, you can learn about how some entrepreneurs got their ideas off the ground. We've also reposted lectures from the courses that will be particularly helpful for you to review.

This week, you will spend time assembling the elements of your pitch deck so that you can submit it for preliminary review next week. Good pitch decks vary in length, but they are all impactful. Take the time this week to put together all the sections of your deck, making sure that each one is supported by evidence, analysis, and/or research when applicable. Watch Professor Mollick's video on pitch decks. As a refresher, we've also included some key videos from the Specialization courses talking about pitch decks or the components you are to include in your project. The videos and guidelines below will help you assemble your deck.

This week, you will submit your pitch deck for preliminary review. Your peers will have a chance to give you feedback on where your pitch succeeds and where it needs work. You'll also have the opportunity to review the work of your peers and to give feedback. Evaluating the work of your peers will provide you with a new way of looking at your own work, which you may see differently after providing feedback. You might also want to spend some time this week brushing up on the financing and financial statement coursework you completed.

This week, you will spend time revising your pitch deck for final submission next week. Review the rubric to make sure you have all the required elements, and that each of those elements is backed by evidence, analysis, and research. You may also want to look at Reid Hoffman's comments on his own pitch deck for LinkedIn for an example of evaluating your own work. In thinking about your revisions, you may also want to consider this question - does my pitch deck tell a story?

This week, you will finish your revisions to create a final version of your pitch deck and submit it for peer review. You'll then be asked to review the work of three of your peers. Once you have gotten feedback on your deck, you may use it to pitch your product or service to a funder, or as an example of a strategic presentation at your current job, or as a work sample when you are applying for a new one. A successful pitch can change the world, even if it's just a little. Good luck!