English   Danish

2023/2024  KAN-CBIOO1008U  Bioentrepreneurship

English Title
Bioentrepreneurship

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory (also offered as elective)
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Second Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Max. participants 50
Study board
Study Board for MSc. in Business Administration and Bioentrepreneurship
Course coordinator
  • Mercedes Delgado - Department of Strategy and Innovation (SI)
Main academic disciplines
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 03-02-2023

Relevant links
Learning objectives
In this course, students learn the central skills in science-based entrepreneurship in the biotech sector broadly defined (biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and foodtech). The course provides students with the necessary knowledge on how to bridge science and business and translate biotech concepts into commercial terms. It also enables students to understand the differences in issues and challenges in science-based industries related to entrepreneurship and innovation. Finally, students will develop the skills to successfully work in interdisciplinary teams to work on assignments related to business cases.
  • Understand readiness to found and team formation in biotech startups
  • Account for the theoretical approaches to business venture creation in biotech, and apply the theoretical perspectives in designing, understanding, and assessing business plans. On this basis, to validate the underlying working hypotheses in which the business plans of different startups are based on.
  • Discuss and assess the particular business conditions affecting commercialization of life sciences, hereunder, entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial strategy choices related to value creation and capture (team, competitors, technology and customers), business models, financing, regulatory affairs, engaging with local innovation ecosystems, and impact.
  • Be able to conduct a market-analysis and go to market analysis.
  • Understand IP strategies
  • Understand Artificial Intelligence strategies in biotech: applications to smart and sustainable supply chains, and applications in biotech innovation and business models (in particular in precision medicine).
  • Demonstrate understanding of the biotech and business concepts presented in the course curriculum and in lectures as well as an appropriate application of theories, concepts, and methods
Course prerequisites
This is a mandatory course for the MSc in Business Administration and Bioentrepreneurship. The course can be selected without former knowledge in BioBusiness, Innovation and entrepreneurship and is primarily aimed at students who have completed their first year of master (cand. Merc.) studies, and seek skills in science-based entrepreneurship and innovation management in the biotech industry.

To sign up send a 1-page motivational letter and a grade transcript to ily.stu@cbs.dk before the CBS registration deadline for elective courses. You may find the registration deadlines on my.cbs.dk ( https:/​​​/​​​studentcbs.sharepoint.com/​​​graduate/​​​pages/​​​registration-for-electives.aspx ). Please also remember to sign up through the online registration.
Examination
Bioentrepreneurship:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral exam
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Duration 20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Preparation time No preparation
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

The performance assessment of the exam will be based on the following criteria:

Demonstrated understanding of the biotech and business concepts presented in the course curriculum and in lectures as well as an appropriate application of theories, concepts, and methods. The exam may address any relevant part of the curriculum.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

As the biotech industry often builds on industry-academic collaboration the course prepares students for the advanced entrepreneurial environment of this industry by offering integrated insights into the entrepreneurial process, including both its technical aspects and its business perspectives. Students are trained to build the start-ups required for successful science-based entrepreneurship, while they build networks spanning different universities and industry. 

 

Students will have the opportunity to work in teams for in-class case discussions addressing founding team, technical and commercial aspects in launching and commercializing an invention and searching for viable business plans. They will also explore the Danish innovation ecosystem to find one biotech startup that they like and apply some frameworks used in the class (based on public information). 

 

Course includes lectures, coaching, case discussion on bio-entrepreneurship with primarily CBS faculty and industry guests, offering an integrated and effective framework for working on actual biotech innovations.
Description of the teaching methods
The course consists of 12 three-hour sessions
This course is conducted based on a combination of article-based lectures, case discussions, and guest lectures.
Each session offers both theoretical and practical approaches including blended learning methodologies and Nordic Nine elements of knowledge, values and action. Professors from CBS provide theory, methodology, and practical applications, and selected speakers from industry offer additional practical insights and company examples. Students will be working in groups of 4-6 members.
Feedback during the teaching period
Students will receive personalized feedback in multiple ways. First, the classes are interactive with in-class team exercises and Q&A time throughout each class. Second, there is an intermediate team presentation where they apply class frameworks to a bio startup. Third, there is a team peer grading exercise in-class as a preparation for the final oral exam. Finally, there are consultation/office hours.
Student workload
Lecture 36 hours
Preparation 156 hours
Expected literature
  • Jakobsen PH. (2019): Commercialisation of Biotechnology Research. Akademisk forlag. ISBN: 9788750055198. https:/​/​www.akademisk.dk/​commercialisation-biotechnology-research#
  • Wasserman, N. (2012), The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and avoiding the pitfalls that can sink a startup. 
  • Gans, J., E. Scott, and S. Stern (2018), “Do Entrepreneurs Need a Strategy?” Harvard Business Review.
  • Kolchinsky, Peter (2004). The Entrepreneur’s guide to a biotech startup. 4th edition, ch: The Big Picture, Evaluating the Idea, Raising Money – download at www.evelexa.com
  • Additional literature and cases will be announced in the course syllabus.
Last updated on 03-02-2023