Program Overview

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Introduction to the Program

The program focuses on creating an innovative ecosystem within organizations, including the platforms, open innovation tools, and techniques that can be adopted to foster corporate entrepreneurship. Participants will generate their own innovation plan.

Presentation

The course offers a comprehensive overview of key aspects in innovation and corporate entrepreneurship, enabling businesses and individuals to innovate more quickly, frequently, and successfully. The pedagogical strategy combines theoretical aspects addressed by a teaching team with a panel of experts sharing their experience (success stories) in managing innovation.

This program has a practical orientation:

• Throughout the itinerary, students are required to apply what they have learned in their organization. By the end of the program, all students will have an action plan that they can execute in their companies.

Objectives

To accelerate transformation, this program commits to:

• Providing a comprehensive view of how to innovate and facilitate entrepreneurship in organizations.
• Inspiring students with local success stories and their protagonists.
• Practicing in the classroom, training students in the use of the most effective tools and methodologies.
• Accompanying each student in reflecting on and applying what they have learned in their organization.

Distinctive Values

Agility

• Short sessions, organized in a compact calendar, in a face-to-face and online format to facilitate the program's inclusion in professionals' agendas.
• Presentation of success stories close to the students, with the participation of the protagonists to address technical aspects and those of personal and professional career management in innovation.

Realism

• Program based on professionalizing activities: real tasks of an innovation manager, applied in real environments like the company. Only activities that are delivered with practical sense and are useful for the person and the organization are required.

Community

• Upon completing the course, all students can become part of the network that includes teachers, professionals, students, and alumni experts in innovation.
• This community continues the work of inspiration and accompaniment in each student's professional career.

Methodology

• Online with synchronous sessions via Zoom. Students will have access to the Virtual Classroom.
• The program is completed in 3 months (12 weeks with 3 teaching hours per week). Total teaching hours: 36 hours.
• The program combines various methodologies to enrich the learning experience.
• The program is organized by weeks, each week considering 3 blocks of work:
  • Preparation before the session: activities aimed at working on the content defined for each week. They are carried out through the Virtual Classroom.
  • Synchronous session: combines theoretical content with interactive group dynamics and the participation of guest experts who share success stories.
  • Work after the session: debate and analysis through the Virtual Classroom.

Accreditation

Upon completing the program, students will receive a Certificate of University Extension in Business Innovation, worth 3 ECTS credits, issued by the Institute of Continuing Education IL3 of the University of Barcelona.

Directed to

This program aims to be useful to professionals who have the responsibility and urgency to innovate, transform, or undertake new projects in their company.

Depending on the size of the organization, this role can be played by students of different kinds:

• CEO, General Directors, and Business Unit Directors.
• Members of the Management Committee responsible for the innovation function (Marketing, Human Resources, IT, etc.).
• Directors and Responsible for Innovation, R+D, and Business Development.

Teaching Staff

• Albert Torruella: Responsible for Corporate Venturing at Acció.
  • Specialized in entrepreneurship, both from the teaching point of view and from direct advice to entrepreneurs. Recently, he has focused more on knowing experiences about corporate innovation in medium and large companies in Catalonia, especially open innovation and corporate venturing.
• Fernando Ozores: Consultant, project director at Buenaidea.
  • Specialist in creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He is a consultant and teacher, in addition to accompanying entrepreneurs in their first steps. His experience in projects includes various sectors and company sizes, from multinationals (SEAT, Roca, Zobele, etc.) to SMEs, emerging companies, and the public sector (Barcelona Activa, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, etc.).
• Carlos Solana: Digital Business & Innovation Lead at Mediapro.
  • A unique profile combining perspectives and experiences of a multinational and entrepreneurship in the first person. He has worked in various sectors: large consumption, retail, fashion, and entertainment, among others. He is a specialist in innovation, corporate venturing, marketing, communication, and people management.

Program

The program is structured into 6 themes:

1. Introduction to Innovation
   • Design of an innovation system (stages, activities, and teams)
   • Planning of innovation projects
   • Concretion of innovation objectives
   • Financing of innovation
   • Innovation KPIs
2. Innovation Management
   • Design of an innovation system (stages, activities, and teams)
   • Planning of innovation projects
   • Concretion of innovation objectives
   • Financing of innovation
   • Innovation KPIs
3. Open Innovation
   • Innovation ecosystems
   • Main agents
   • Innovation platforms
   • Collaboration methodologies with start-ups
4. Tools and Methodology
   • Creativity and facilitation of creative groups
   • Market studies and ethnography
   • Rapid prototyping and validation through experiments
   • Design Thinking
   • Agile methodologies: Lean Start-Up, Design Sprint, Agile Scrum
   • Service Design and UX Design
   • Elevator Pitch
5. Corporate Entrepreneurship
   • Business Model Canvas
   • How to elaborate a business plan
   • Analysis of various business models
   • Criteria for establishing prices
6. Innovation Culture
   • Design of innovative organizations
   • Organization of physical spaces
   • Information systems and departmental structures
   • People management: talent retention and management, leadership, and communication
   • Systematization of key processes

Request More Information

For more information about the program, please contact the Institute of Continuing Education IL3 of the University of Barcelona.