Exploring Entrepreneurship: From Dreaming to Doing

Catalog description

Where do ideas come from — and how do you know if one is worth you pursuing? We often notice patterns, problems, and possibilities, but may not have the tools to translate those observations into actionable ideas. This intensive course bridges that gap by teaching practical, hands-on methods for idea generation and evaluation. Students will receive hands-on experience generating, developing, and evaluating entrepreneurial ideas at the earliest stage. Across three sessions, students will start from curiosity — identifying problems, needs, or opportunities they see in the world or in their studies — and learn simple, practical methods to turn those sparks into testable ideas. They will move from observation to idea sketching, assumption mapping, low-cost testing, and decision-making. Every session emphasizes doing: students work in teams, give and receive feedback, and apply tools immediately to their own emerging ideas. By the end of the course, students will have: Discovered opportunities for innovation connected to their Gallatin concentration or personal interests; translated those insights into a concrete idea; run a small real-world test; and gained a set of lightweight tools for evaluating any idea in the future.