Essentials of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, & Design
BUSA-40962
Learn How to Think, Not What to Think
Are you a Creative, Disruptor, Manager, Individual Contributor, Changemaker, or...? Whether you are creating something new or want to improve processes in business, projects, or development, this course gives you the tools to view problems in a different way, validate solutions with customer discovery, and pitch ideas to stakeholders.
Essentials of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, & Design provides an introduction to critical knowledge and skills related to creating new business and product ideas. In this course, you will discover new ways of thinking, learn to drive innovative initiatives, and approach business challenges with a fresh perspective. By the end of the course, you will be able to understand the principles and methods of idea generation and development.
FROM DREAM TO REALITY: HOW OUR ALUM TURNED ENTREPRENEUR
Discover how Kussy Mackenzie took what she learned from this course and started her own sustainable fabric business Domestic Phoenix.
Course Details
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Understand design thinking and ideation;
- Understand business models and connect innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives to organization objectives and goals;
- Develop knowledge and skills to use Lean Startup methodology in customer development and discovery;
- Understand how to communicate, finance, or market a new idea, product, or initiative.
COURSE TOPICS
Each class session covers a different aspect of the journey to creating a new venture. Several guest lecturers will join the instructor to share their experience and knowledge on particular topics.
- Introduction to Design Thinking and Opportunity Framing
- Business Modeling
- Customer Discovery
- Financing Your Startup
- Leadership, Culture, and Team Design
- Intellectual Property
- Putting Purpose into Practice
- Presentation Skills and the Power of the Startup Narrative
IN-PERSON FORMAT
Lectures will be delivered in-person on the UC San Diego campus in the Design & Innovation Building, conveniently located next to the UC San Diego Central Campus trolley station. The course is highly interactive, using exercises and group-based work. There is no remote/online option.
Registration
ENROLLMENT DEADLINE
The enrollment deadline for Spring Quarter 2025 is March 28, 2025. No enrollments will be accepted after this date. Due to limited space available, enrollment may close before this date if the classroom's seating capacity is met.
EARN AN AWARD OF COMPLETION
Participants who attend 8 out of 10 of the sessions will earn an award of completion.
INFORMATION FOR UC SAN DIEGO AFFILIATES (STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF)
Currently-enrolled/currently-employed UC San Diego students, faculty, and staff may register at a $50 rate. To request the discount code, please contact Nathan Owens at nowens@ucsd.edu and provide your student or employee ID number.
For matriculated students, this course is co-curricular record (CCR) approved. To receive CCR credit, you must complete 8 of 10 sessions and submit a request through the MyCCR portal.
HEAR MORE ABOUT THE COURSE FROM ITS CREATOR, GREG HOROWITT
Excerpted from the Five Stages of Design Thinking & Entrepreneurship webinar, November 19, 2020.
Contact for Questions About the Course
Nathan Owens
Associate Director, Strategic Iniatives
nowens@ucsd.edu
Course Information
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
All class meetings held in-person according to published location, dates and times. Students may be expected to engage with course content online during the published course dates.
Textbooks:
No textbook required.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 4/8/2025
Schedule:
| Date | Day | Start | End | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/1/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 4/8/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 4/15/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 4/22/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 4/29/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 5/6/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 5/13/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 5/20/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 5/27/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
| 6/3/2025 | Tue | 4:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Room 208, Design & Innovation Building, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla |
Instructor:
Jacques Chirazi, M.A.
Certified Energy Manager (C.E.M.), Renewable Energy Professional (R.E.P.)
Jacques Chirazi is a seasoned sustainability expert with a strong focus on biomimicry and circular economy. His extensive background encompasses design thinking, entrepreneurship, strategic consulting, finance, marketing, public policies, and data visualization. Jacques’ expertise spans, climate change mitigation and adaptation, renewable energy, biofuels, advanced transportation, circular economy, distributed energy systems, smart cities, and machine learning.
Jacques serves as the Director of Student Entrepreneurship at the University of California, San Diego. In this role, he oversees the daily operations of the Basement and, which includes managing grants, fostering partnerships, and developing entrepreneurial programming. He is also responsible for creating and delivering educational courses and workshops that cultivate entrepreneurial skills among students from various disciplines, facilitating the translation of innovative ideas into market-ready solutions.
Through his collaboration with the Biomimicry Institute, Jacques has designed and launched the Biomimicry Launchpad, an accelerator program that supports early-stage entrepreneurs in bringing nature-inspired innovations to market. With a deep passion for the natural world and a vision for its transformative potential in business, Jacques employs a unique biomimicry approach to nurture the next generation of sustainable entrepreneurs and their groundbreaking ventures.
Jacques serves as a faculty at Arizona State University's College of Global Futures, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and the Sustainable Design School (BESIGN). He has served on several advisory boards, including the San Diego Green Building Council, Cleantech San Diego, and the International Organization for Standardization. Jacques is a Certified Energy Manager (C.E.M) and a LEED Green Associate (LEED-GA).
