Foundations of Entrepreneurship serves as the gateway course to the entrepreneurship curriculum at CBS. The class is designed to provide a broad survey of concepts and skills that will benefit aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as students who want to work for a startup, operate entrepreneurially within a more mature organization, invest in new ventures, or some combination thereof.

Each class session is devoted to a particular topic, which we cover through a combination of lecture, case-based, discussion, and in-class activities. Specific topics covered include: characteristics of successful startups and entrepreneurs; techniques for generating, identifying, and evaluating new ideas; forming and maintaining effective partnerships; customer discovery and acquisition; entrepreneurial finance, valuation and deal-making; entrepreneurship in international contexts; startup culture; exits; career tradeoffs; and learning how to pitch yourself and your business. Most class sessions also include a guest speaker, ranging from recent CBS alum entrepreneurs to high-profile VC's and angel investors. Over the course of the semester, students will work in teams to develop an idea for a new business, culminating in an end-of-term pitch and final paper.

Please note that, while all are welcome, this course is designed for students who have limited-to-no experience in the startup ecosystem. This course also serves as a pre-requisite for Launch Your Startup.

Michael Mauskapf

Assistant Professor of Business

Michael Mauskapf is an Assistant Professor of Management at Columbia Business School, where he studies the dynamics of creativity, innovation, and success in cultural markets, especially the music industry. His research has been published in the American Sociological Review, Academy of Management Review, and the Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, and it has been featured in a number of popular press outlets, including...

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