Description:

In this course, students work closely with selected startups to develop market entry and growth strategies along a structured strategic management process. Interdisciplinary student teams support the startups by analyzing markets, competitors, and stakeholders, and by developing future-oriented strategic options. Throughout the course, teams receive direct feedback from the founders, allowing them to continuously refine their assumptions and strategic recommendations.

A central element of the course is scenario analysis as a strategic forecasting tool. Students learn how to systematically explore uncertain futures, identify key drivers of change, and translate scenarios into robust strategic options. This approach encourages students to think creatively about the future while grounding their ideas in structured analysis and strategic planning tools.

The course emphasizes strategic work alongside ongoing technical developments. While participating startups may be in active phases of product or technology development, students focus on understanding application contexts, user needs, market dynamics, and stakeholder constellations that shape strategic decision-making. Technical details, functional principles, or sensitive information are not required; instead, the emphasis lies on translating technological developments into market-relevant positioning, future use scenarios, and coherent market entry strategies.

Technologies are addressed as strategic enablers of innovation across industries. Rather than focusing on specific technologies, students analyze how technological trends, digital infrastructures, and organizational capabilities influence business models, value creation, and competitive positioning. Digital tools and collaborative platforms are used throughout the course to support structured analysis, creativity, and teamwork.

Overall, the course equips students with the ability to think strategically under uncertainty, apply established planning frameworks to real-world entrepreneurial contexts, and translate future-oriented insights into actionable strategic recommendations.

Course Structure & Schedule (provisional)

The course is organized in three blocks over the semester.
All sessions take place from 10:00–16:00.
Dates and rooms are provisional and may change.

Block 1 – Foundations of Innovation, Strategic Management & Scenario Thinking

• Monday, 13.04.2025 – Room R09R01H02
• Friday, 17.04.2025 – Room R09R04H02

Block 2 – Scenario Analysis, Stakeholder Analysis & Strategic Option Development

• Monday, 04.05.2025 – Room R09R01H02
• Friday, 08.05.2025 – Room R09R04H02

Block 3 – Strategy Consolidation, Presentation & Reflection

• Monday, 01.06.2025 – Room R09R01H02
• Friday, 05.06.2025 – Room R09R04H02

Final Presentation Day

• Friday, 17.07.2025 – Room R09R04H02 (Project Presentations)

Learning Targets:

Students will be able to:

• Apply a structured strategic management process to real startup contexts
• Conduct market, competitor, and stakeholder analyses
• Use scenario analysis as a strategic forecasting method
• Develop and evaluate mid- to long-term innovation and market strategies
• Apply strategic planning tools (scenario matrices, roadmaps, option portfolios)
• Understand different types of innovation and their strategic implications
• Analyze how technological and environmental trends influence markets and business models
• Integrate sustainability and responsibility considerations into strategic thinking
• Collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams
• Translate analytical insights into clear strategic recommendations and narratives

Outline:

• Strategic Management & Innovation
• Future-Oriented Strategy
• Startups and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
• Team-based Strategy Development
• Scenario Analysis & Strategic Forecasting
• Market & Stakeholder Analysis
• Moonshot Thinking & Long-Term Vision
• Business Research & Strategic Decision-Making

Literature:

• Calvo, J. (2020). Journey of the Future Enterprise: How to Compete in the Age of Moonshot Leadership and Exponential Organizations. Libros de Cabecera.
• Carleton, T., & Cockayne, W. (2023). Building moonshots: 50+ ways to turn radical ideas into reality
• Chesbrough, H. (2006). Open innovation: a new paradigm for understanding industrial innovation. Open innovation: Researching a new paradigm, 400, 0-19.
• Christensen, C., Raynor, M. E., & McDonald, R. (2013). Disruptive innovation. Brighton, MA, USA: Harvard Business Review.
• Nambisan, S., Lyytinen, K., & Yoo, Y. (Eds.). (2020). Handbook of digital innovation. Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Purmal, K., Goldman, L., & Janzer, A. (2016). The moonshot effect: Disrupting business as usual. Greenleaf Book Group. 

Methods of Assessment:

Project Presentation, Project Report, Midterm Assessment