AI2163 Start-up Business Case 12.0 credits

This 12-credit module forms an integral part of the structured learning in entrepreneurship at KTH. The program provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to immerse in Stockholm’s entrepreneurial environment by undergoing a 1-year internship at a technology-based company.

It involves writing a business case on the start-up process and challenges faced by the companies. It is intended to be a channel for

• the application of concepts and frameworks learned in entrepreneurship courses to document the key process and challenges faced by real companies,
• sharpening student’s observation, learning by questioning, and raising awareness of the broader business and strategic context, and
• documentation of application of learning.

The module aims to

• train the students in applying the entrepreneurship concepts and knowledge that they have learned in the classroom to real start-up companies,
• sharpen the students’ understanding of the entrepreneurial process through interviewing senior managers of start-up companies and observing and understanding the challenges and issues faced by real start-up companies, and
• crystallize their learning through writing a case.

Selective cases written by students may be used as teaching cases.

After passing the course, the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• ​Describe a deeper understanding of the internship company, through exploring and analysing its history.
• Describe some common problems/challenges/issues that can be generalized to most startups, based on the experiences in the internship company (the teaching case).

Skill and ability 

• Apply the concepts and frameworks learned in entrepreneurship courses to document the key processes of companies in the real world
• Orally and in writing provide an in-depth discussion and recommendations for the company in terms of the problems/challenges/issues that are detected in the teaching case (the case analysis)
• Write a good business case

Judgment and approach

• Based on the experiences gained, reflect on the ethical issues as well as possibilities for sustainable development identified during the course

Only students who have been selected for studies in KTH’s entrepreneurship program for exchange students may qualify. These students must have attained at least 120 credits.

• PRO1 - Project assignment, 12.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability. The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students. If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.