COURSE NUMBER: BA295C.3

COURSE TITLE: Opportunity Recognition: Technology and

Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley

UNITS OF CREDIT: 3

INSTRUCTOR: Drew Isaacs

E-MAIL ADDRESS: isaacs@haas.berkeley.edu

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION (HTTP URL): TBA

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Wednesdays 2:00 - 5:00 pm

PREREQUISITE(S): None

CLASS FORMAT: Lecture/discussion/seminar

REQUIRED READINGS: Extensive readings, several cases, no text.

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE:

Two group projects with papers, class participation,

no exams.

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:

This course is intended to provide the core skills

needed for the identification of opportunities that

can lead to successful, entrepreneurial high

technology ventures, regardless of the individual's

"home" skill set, whether technical or managerial.

We examine in depth the approaches most likely to

succeed for entrepreneurial companies as a function

of markets and technologies. Emphasis is placed on

the special requirements for creating and executing

strategy in a setting of rapid technological

change and limited resources. This course is

open to MBA, Engineering and SIMS students (who enroll

through their respective colleges), and is

particularly suited for those who anticipate

founding or operating technology companies.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Drew Isaacs is Executive Director of UC Berkeley's Management of Technology

Program, a joint venture of Berkeley's Haas School of Business, College of

Engineering, and School of Information Management and Systems. He teaches

two courses in the MBA program at Haas, "Marketing for High Tech

Entrepreneurs" and "Opportunity Recognition: Technology and

Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley".

Mr. Isaacs is also President of California Technology International, Inc.,

a consulting firm he founded in 1990. CTI grew rapidly, and in 1994 and

1995 was ranked among the fastest growing companies in Silicon Valley.

CTI's offices in Silicon Valley and Tokyo specialize in strategy and

marketing for US and Japanese high tech companies. Over the last decade,

CTI's engagements have included more than 50 leading US and Asian

technology firms, from multinationals such as Hitachi to Silicon Valley

start-ups.

Prior to founding CTI, Mr. Isaacs was Vice President of Sales and Marketing

at Kevex Instruments, Inc., a Silicon Valley instrument manufacturer

chaired by Nobel Laureate Glenn T. Seaborg. At Kevex, he was responsible

for growing worldwide market share from #4 to #1 within their industry.

Prior to Kevex, Mr. Isaacs held the position of Senior Scientist at the

NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, working on Space Shuttle engineering

projects and basic planetary research.

Mr. Isaacs has published extensively in the technical literature, and

lectures in the US and Japan for university and business groups. He holds

BS and MS degrees in Geochemistry from the University of Michigan, and

currently serves on Michigan's Corporate Advisory Board.