Syllabus

Class 1

Intro
Our idea culture
- Factuality vs facticity
- Problems vs solutions
- Idea narratives: why, what, wha?
- Why "ideas are cheap", and why ideas aren’t cheap
- Uni, tags, and details (see the glossary)
Where ideas come from
- Product and markets, existing and speculative
- This class: existing markets
  - ineedthis
  - youneedthis
Exercise: ineedthis ideation
Critical thinking
- Quizzes
Red tape
- Course wiki
- Time commitment
- Grades
- Policies

Critical thinking exercise
Idea highlights
Where ideas come from
- This class: speculative markets
  - mything
  - whatsnew
  - sameold
Critiquing and improving startup ideas
- This class: bigness
  - Bigger detail (see product potential radar graph)
- How to critique
  - Threat vs embrace
  - Angel detail
  - Devil detail
  - What If detail
Exercise: Angel and Devil critique

Critical thinking exercise
Idea highlights
Critiquing and improving startup ideas
- Reasons why startups fail, among others
  - Bad market
  - Wrong product
  - Bad product
  - Bad timing
- This week: timing
  - Why Now detail
How to pull together a great team
- Attributes of well-composed and highly-competitive teams
- What investors are looking for in great teams and founders
- How to attract complementary teammates
- Review of team formation and startup idea rules for Startup Studio
Types of startups
- growth
- value
- purpose
Exercise: teaming

Critical thinking exercise
Idea highlights
Where ideas come from
- This class: speculative products
  - technologyinsearchofaproblem
  - featureinsearchofaproduct
  - rememberwhen
Critiquing and improving startup ideas
- This week: novelty
  - Disruptive detail
  - Comparable detail
  - Is It Possible detail
  - Desirable detail
Exercise: Disruptive "new who" critique

Critical thinking exercise
Idea highlights
Critiquing and improving startup ideas
- This week: sizing
  - Market Size detail
Exercise: Market Size critique