Startup Ventures and Entrepreneurship

This course is a unique exploration of startup ventures and entrepreneurship from an Italian perspective. Topics introduce the factors involved in initiating new entrepreneurial ventures that have the enduring power to become a successful company. Essential building blocks to be examined are market analysis and strategy, innovation and management, product development, operations, financial frameworks, and competitor analysis. Case studies are drawn from the Italian economy with a local focus on Florentine and Tuscan companies from the perspective of Innovation, Tradition, and Evolution, in order to understand how enterprises in Italy are generating new ventures. The teaching method is a combined approach of lectures, visits, and laboratory activities enhanced by the active participation of involved companies. Coursework and projects will be supported by the EntrepreLearn Lab of FUA's International School of Business, which also features workshops, activities, and networking events. The overall aim of advancing entrepreneurial knowledge through an academically grounded approach and interaction with the local economy is to prepare students for transforming ideas and projects into concrete and viable startup projects from an international perspective.