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Entrepreneurship for Computer Scientists and Engineers

Entrepreneurship

Our course, "Entrepreneurship for Computer Scientists and Engineers," at Amirkabir University of Technology explores how computer scientists and engineers can transform innovative ideas into sustainable ventures. The course blends theory and practice, covering the fundamentals of startup creation, business model design, market validation, and value creation in technology-driven environments.
Students learn how to form teams, identify market opportunities, develop Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), and navigate the challenges of building scalable, ethical, and impactful startups.

Course Objectives

This course aims to:

  • Equip students with a scientific and practical framework for starting, executing, and growing a new venture.
  • Develop the ability to identify market opportunities and conduct data-driven market research.
  • Cultivate entrepreneurial mindset and teamwork skills essential for interdisciplinary collaboration.
  • Enable students to design business models, pricing frameworks, and MVPs using lean startup principles.
  • Enhance understanding of the ethical, financial, and managerial aspects of entrepreneurship in the tech ecosystem.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Form complementary startup teams and create an innovative organizational culture.
  • Conduct in-depth market segmentation and calculate Total Addressable Market (TAM).
  • Design and test MVPs using the build–measure–learn feedback loop.
  • Analyze customer acquisition cost (COCA) and lifetime value (LTV) to determine business viability.
  • Understand venture financing, corporate structures, and exit strategies.
  • Communicate and pitch business ideas effectively through pitch decks and presentations.

Course Outline

Startup

1. Introduction to Entrepreneurship

  • What is entrepreneurship?
  • Myths and realities of startups
  • Entrepreneurship vs. management
  • The entrepreneurial mindset

2. Founding Team Dilemmas

  • Passion and motivation for founders
  • Solo vs. team founding
  • The “Three Rs” framework: Relationships, Roles, Rewards
  • Equity splits and decision-making structures

3. Market Segmentation and Research

  • Brainstorming potential markets and customers
  • Building the Market Segmentation Matrix
  • Conducting primary and secondary research
  • Selecting the Beachhead Market
  • Calculating total addressable market (TAM)

4. Idea Generation

  • Morphological box
  • Design thinking
  • Other thinking methods

5. Business Models and Pricing Frameworks

  • Types of business models (transactional, subscription, freemium, franchise, etc.)
  • Designing a value capture strategy
  • Dynamic pricing frameworks and real-world examples
  • Balancing customer acquisition and profitability

6. Engineering Economics

  • Time Value of Money
  • Simple and Compound Interests
  • Cash Flow Diagrams
  • Technique of Equivalence
  • Unit Economics

7. Business KPIs

  • Lifetime value (LTV) of an acquired customer
  • Cost of Customer Acquisition (CoCA)
  • Conversion and churn rates
  • Net Promoter Score

8. Finance, Accounting, Growth, and Exit

  • Funding sources and venture capital
  • Engines of growth: viral, paid, sticky
  • Understanding financial statements
  • Exit strategies: acquisition, IPO, or continuation

9. MVP Development and Validation

  • The Lean Startup methodology
  • Prototyping and early testing
  • Metrics for product–market fit
  • Iterating through feedback loops

10. Business Plan and Pitch Deck

  • Writing business plans
  • Pitch deck presentations
  • Elevator pitch
  • Marketing

Team

Instructor

Morteza Zakeri † Ph.D. in Computer Science, Amirkabir University of Technology, ACM Member (zakeri[at]aut.ac.ir)

Teaching Assistants

  • TA Head (Fall 2025): Javad Besharati-far
  • TA (Fall 2025): Bardia Sabbagh Kermani
  • TA (Fall 2025): Roza Ganjipour
  • TA (Fall 2025): Hossein Zarei
  • TA (Fall 2025): Hamed Ghoreyshi
  • TA (Fall 2025): Samina Arbabi
  • TA (Fall 2025): Leila Mohseni
  • TA (Fall 2025): Mahdis Emami
  • TA (Fall 2025): Sara Aghamohammadi
  • TA (Fall 2025): Amirsalar Abedini

Additional Information

  • Prerequisites: No prior business experience is required. Familiarity with technology and a passion for innovation are recommended.
  • Assessment Methods: Graded through problem sets, reading and tutorial-making assignments, MVP project, and presentations.
  • Project Phases:
  • Idea Generation and Validation
  • Business Model and Plan
  • Prototype and MVP Development
  • Beta Launch and Final Pitch
  • Evaluation Policy: Dynamic challenge-based scoring — participation and teamwork heavily influence the final grade.

References

Main References

  1. Bill Aulet, Disciplined Entrepreneurship: 24 Steps to a Successful Startup, 2024.
  2. Noam Wasserman, The Founders' Dilemmas, 2012.
  3. Eric Ries, The Lean Startup, 2011.
  4. Peter Thiel, Zero to One, 2014.
  5. Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg, How Google Works, 2014.
  6. Laszlo Bock, Work Rules!, 2015.

Resources