Social Entrepreneurship

Readings

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Class 1: Definitions and Motivations for Social Entrepreneurship

This introductory class provides an overview of social enterprise and social entrepreneurship, the motivations for wanting to be a social entrepreneur, and some of the key tensions that social entrepreneurs encounter.

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Class 2: Identifying Key Issues in Social Entrepreneurship

This class focuses on providing an overview of some of the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time, and explores a few innovative approaches that entrepreneurs have taken to respond to these issues. Students will use this class as inspiration for starting on their major group assignment

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Class 3: Design Thinking – Part 1

This class will be run workshop-style, in partnership with the Thing Tank (formerly DDiMiT). Students will be exposed to the first three stages of the Design Thinking methodology, and will participate in an “idea jam” session where they present and openly brainstorm on their early-stage ideas to a group of experts from a range of disciplines.

Note that this class will be held at the Thing Tank lab – 376 Bathurst Street (basement unit), just north of Dundas Street West.

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Class 4: Business Modelling for Social Enterprise

This lecture focuses on providing an overview of the business modeling process. Students will apply this concept to building a business model around their entrepreneurial idea

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Class 5: Identifying Business Potential

Students will be exposed to methods for evaluating the “business potential” of their entrepreneurial idea, and evaluate some of the challenges associated with synthesizing market data and applying this data to business decisions

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Class 6: Financial Modelling

Part A: How to Conduct a Costing Analysis for Social Enterprise

Part B: Financial Considerations for Social Enterprise

The first half of this class will be run workshop style using data from a real social enterprise and using Microsoft Excel to develop a basic costing analysis. The second half will focus on identifying key financial considerations unique to social enterprise.

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Class 7: Operational Considerations

Part A: Operational and Human Resource Considerations
Part B: Legal Considerations
Part C: Marketing Considerations

This class will cover some of the key considerations social entrepreneurs face when launching and growing their social enterprise. Emphasis will be placed on operational, human, legal and marketing considerations

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Class 8: Case Study – Betterplace.com

The class will pay a visit to Better Place (betterplace.com), a global company focused on supporting the transition to electric powered vehicles.

Note that this class will be held at the Better Place office – 550 Bayview Avenue (at Evergreen Brickworks), Centre for Green Cities, Suite 502

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Class 9: Design Thinking – Part 2

This class will be a follow-up to the Design Thinking process started in week 3. Students will focus on the remaining two stages of Design Thinking, refining their social enterprise idea based on lecture content and research acquired to date.

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Class 1o: Product Validation and Scale Considerations

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Class 11: Managing for Social Impact

Students will learn about some of the key management challenges involved in running a social enterprise. Concepts to be covered include goal-setting and target-setting, identifying and measuring key metrics (both financial and social) and leading and inspiring a team

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Class 12: Student Pitches to Social Investors

Student teams will present their social enterprise pitch to a panel of social investors.

 

Class 13: Student Pitches to Angel Investors

Student teams will present their social enterprise pitch to a panel of Angel investors.