Startup Success: How to Launch a Technology Company in 6 Steps - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This course discusses the lessons learned by Michael Stonebraker and Andy Palmer during their start-up endeavors over a 30-year period. The lessons are distilled into six steps that any entrepreneur can follow to get a company going. Topics include the generation and assessment of ideas, the challenges of building a prototype, the recruitment of a talented team, the closing of the first financing round, and pursuing growth with the right business leadership.

What you'll learn

• Assess product ideas for rapid development and commercialization.
• Understand the start-up team, develop partnerships, and produce a prototype.
• Prepare and evaluate strategies to identify and court the vital first few customers.
• Anticipate organizational challenges to motivating and leading the start-up team.
• Develop key steps toward making a pitch and negotiating a deal with Venture Capitalists or Seed Investors