PRD-358: Designing Startups

Design entrepreneurs can now start companies in their garages, the way tech entrepreneurs do, helped by 3D printing and low startup costs. Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is an advanced cross-disciplinary entrepreneurship course that asks designers to become CEOs for the term, by building a company around an existing idea they bring to class. During the course, their initial product changes and pivots, requiring the students to develop a prototype based on real world data that comes from other class deliverables such as costing and financials, as well as market and mentor feedback. The resulting package (brand identity, pitch deck, website, and Minimum Viable Product, backed by financials) allows students to pitch real investors for capital, and helps them decide if this company is "the one" they want to commit to and marry for the next 5 years. The class draws on all of Art Center's top notch resources: at least mid-level studio skill set, all applicable Art Center labs, in-house Art Center Advisors, and external business coaches, in an "all hands on deck" environment.