The Ronald & Carrie Ludwig Duke in Silicon Valley program provides an intensive experience in new venture creation in the nation’s hub for entrepreneurial enterprise. The four-week, one-credit program will be delivered virtually during Summer Term 1 in 2021, allowing you to experience Silicon Valley’s evolving hybrid environment from wherever you are in the world.
Over four weeks, you’ll learn the resources, skills, and planning required to launch a new product or service. Guest speakers will include founders and leaders from many of the country’s most innovative companies, while co-programming engagements will connect you with employees at startups and established firms headquartered in the Bay Area. These experiences together with lectures, case studies, and simulations will provide an in-depth understanding of how new enterprises are formed, inspiring you as you work with teammates to create and pitch your own venture.
Coursework and co-programming will be Monday through Friday for up to 3 hours of synchronous time, with areas of focus including innovation and design thinking, prototyping and product design, competitive strategies, value-based negotiation, venture financing, team dynamics, and ethics in entrepreneurship. You’ll also explore the dynamics that created Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial culture, how other startup hubs are developing around the world, and the legal and regulatory issues currently facing some of Silicon Valley’s most successful ventures.
Coursework
In I&E 271A (Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise), students will develop an understanding of the resources, skills, and planning required to launch a new product or service. Through lectures, case studies, and visiting talks, the course addresses critical factors such as: ideation, competition and competitive advantage, financing requirements, corporate culture, product positioning, customer identification, and market segmentation.
