Courses

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Great companies, like great homes, can be built in many ways. Outstanding entrepreneurs, like outstanding architects, can learn much from the achievements of their predecessors. Designed for the budding entrepreneur, this course will introduce you to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, advisors, and investors, and the varied ways in which they’ve constructed successful startups.

During the course, numerous guest speakers will assist us in addressing these and other key questions: How can you overcome the critical challenges founders face, such as assessing your own unique goals, skills, and capabilities; forming a complementary core team; creating a breakthrough product; and raising initial capital? What are the advantages and disadvantages of different kinds of companies, whether big or small, technology- or market-focused, a traditional for-profit startup or a novel social enterprise? Which development path would be best to get your company off to a strong start? Should you go it alone, apply to an incubator or accelerator, or begin pitching venture firms immediately? What are effective ways to raise growth capital from a variety of sources? With rapid growth, what new organizational, managerial, and competitive challenges might your company face? What are useful metrics for measuring a startup’s progress? And, if all goes well, what is the IPO process like? Finally, what vital technological, educational, cultural, and other resources does Silicon Valley offer startups today?

Guest speakers tentatively include:

Neerav Berry, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Payplant

Adam Cheyer, Co-Founder and Vice President of Engineering, Viv Labs

Adam Draper, Managing Director, Boost VC

Timothy Draper, Founder, Draper Associates and DFJ

William H. Draper III, General Partner, Draper Richards LP, and Co-Chairman, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

Ambarish Malpani, Vice President of Engineering, Edmodo

Ted McCluskey, Chief Medical Officer, Finance Technology Leverage

Jessica McKellar, Director of Engineering, Dropbox

Alan Mendelson, Partner, Latham & Watkins, LLP

Jan Møller Mikkelsen, President and CEO, Ascendis Pharma A/S

Daria Mochly-Rosen, The George D. Smith Professor of Translational Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine

Camilla Olson, Founder and CEO, Savitude

Cecily Anne O’Regan, Patent Attorney, Shartsis Friese

George G.C. Parker, Dean Witter Distinguished Professor of Finance, Emeritus, Stanford Graduate School of Business

Rob Reis, Founder and CEO, Higher Ground

Elton Sherwin, President and Founder, Sherwin Advisors

Glenn Winokur, CEO and Co-Founder, Syapse

This course may not be taken for a Letter Grade.



WHAT MAKES OUR ONLINE COURSES UNIQUE:

• Course sizes are limited.
  You won't have 5,000 classmates. This course's enrollment is capped at 100 participants.
  
  
• Frequent interaction with the instructor.
  You aren't expected to work through the material alone. Instructors will answer questions and interact with students on the discussion board and through weekly video meetings.
  
  
• Study with a vibrant peer group.
  Stanford Continuing Studies courses attract thoughtful and engaged students who take courses for the love of learning. Students in each course will exchange ideas with one another through easy-to-use message boards as well as optional weekly real-time video conferences.
  
  
• Direct feedback from the instructor.
  Instructors will review and offer feedback on assignment submissions. Students are not required to turn in assignments, but for those who do, their work is graded by the instructor.
  
  
• Courses offer the flexibility to participate on your own schedule.
  Course work is completed on a weekly basis when you have the time. You can log in and participate in the class whenever it's convenient for you. If you can’t attend the weekly video meetings, the sessions are always recorded for you and your instructor is just an email away.
  
  
• Opportunity to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
  Students who take the course for Credit or a Letter Grade will earn CEUs. CEUs allow the student to receive an official transcript and a grade report as proof of completion.
  
  
• This course is offered through Stanford Continuing Studies.
  To learn more about the program, visit our About Us page. For more information on the online format, please visit the FAQ page.