COURSE NUMBER:  MBA290T.2, Cross-listed with COE and SIMS

 

COURSE TITLE: The Entrepreneurial Business of Software

 

UNITS OF CREDIT:  3

 

INSTRUCTOR:  Kurt Keutzer

 

E-MAIL ADDRESS:  keutzer@eecs.berkeley.edu

 

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION:  Look for it on bspace.berkeley.edu 

 

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME:   Tuesday and Thursday, 4:00-5:30PM

 

PREREQUISITE(S): none

 

CLASS FORMAT Lectures and Cases

 

REQUIRED READINGS:  case studies 

  

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE:

20%     Class participation (small class, speak up!)

40 %     Case study questions (7 assignments x 8 points each)

40 %     Project - one of the particularly promising earlier assignments will be chosen for in-depth exploration

 

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:

Never in history has a single individual been able to accomplish so much with so little as today's software developer. This not only makes software the most interesting industry of our time -- this makes software the most interesting industry of ALL time. This course is aimed at teaching entrepreneurial individuals how to exploit the perennial opportunities in software:

  • Identifying key software industry trends
  • Identifying attractive software market opportunities
  • Identifying the right product for the market

The course will address how to create a successful software company by:

  • Identifying, creating, and managing a successful management and development teams
  • Matching the funding options (bootstrap, angel, VC, corporate) to your opportunity
  • Matching the exit option (IPO, acquisition target, cash cow) to the opportunity

The course will address how to address the perennial challenges of the software industry:

  • Turning value into revenue - getting customers to pay for something that is intangible
  • Changing buying behaviors in a pre-defined market segment
  • Making the distinction between a technology, a product, and a market-maker
  • Finding the right distribution channel for your software product
  • Learning how to minimize and manage software support costs
  • Creating barriers of entry for your competition

This course is not for armchair entrepreneurs. Last time this course was taught students identified a new start-up opportunity. Today that opportunity has matured into a fast-growing and profitable start-up company. You can do it too.  

  

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Prof. Kurt Keutzer

* Professor,  University of California, Berkeley (1998- present)

Managing   a research program of  8  doctoral students 

*  Senior Vice-President and CTO, Synopsys, Inc  1991-1998

Oversaw the technology of 25 software products, developed corporate technology strategy. Was an integral part of business development team responsible for over a dozen acquisitions.   Line manager for the development of two successful software products

 * Investor and advisor 1997 - present 

 -  Advisor, investor, and (sometimes board member) to five software companies that have already found successful exits Simplex, Right Track CAD,   Everest Design Automation, Cadabra , and 0-in Design Automation 

- Active in formation/investing/advising to a number of other start-up companies :  Tensilica (upside hot 100), Catalytic  Inc , Stretch Inc,  Rio Design Automation, CommandCAD, and Coverity (identified in 290MOT class project in 2003) 

-  Regular advisor to several VC firms