This course is suitable for students interested in pursuing careers in strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, new product development, and economic development policy. The course will introduce students to a framework for developing an entrepreneurial strategy. This involves the key choices of customer, competition, technology and identity as well as whether ventures pursue a control versus execution focus. The course will also provide a discussion of intellectual property strategies for technology entrepreneurs.

As part of the preparation for the CDL Advanced course, this course will also introduce you to the business of artificial intelligence. You will explore what machine learning is, what its economic properties are, how it impacts on strategy, its risks and legal implications. As most ventures in the Toronto CDL have AI cores, this will be essential preparation for that as well as an introduction to AI in the real business world.

This course is a prerequisite for students wanting to apply for the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) Advanced Course RSM2013Y/ RSM498Y1 where students will have the opportunity to work directly with a CDL venture. Interested students should familiarize themselves with the Creative Destruction Lab and its various activities prior to registering for this course. You can find more information from our website at www.creativedestructionlab.com.