EIN8099 : Venture Creation in Action
Offered for Year: 2026–27
Module Leader(s): Dr Elaine Tan
Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs from programme to programme.
Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 20.0
Aims
Entrepreneurship involves identifying opportunities, creating value, and developing solutions that address real-world challenges. This module introduces students to the processes involved in developing and testing new ventures through practical, hands-on experience.
The module focuses on the ideation, planning and de-risking of entrepreneurial ventures. Students will explore how value can be created for different stakeholders while considering responsible and sustainable business practices. Through the application of entrepreneurial tools and techniques, students will learn how to design, test and refine a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Students will also engage with digital tools and AI platforms that support venture development, enabling them to explore emerging technologies in entrepreneurial practice.
The aims of this module are to:
- provide experience in identifying, evaluating and exploiting opportunities for new ventures
- develop awareness of value creation from diverse stakeholder perspectives
- enhance understanding of responsible and sustainable entrepreneurial practice
- enable students to apply a wide range of entrepreneurship and business analysis tools
- develop entrepreneurial behaviours, skills and attributes
- support the design, testing and iteration of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) informed by stakeholder feedback
- introduce digital tools and AI platforms relevant to venture development
Outline Of Syllabus
Ventures: characteristics, challenges and opportunities
- Ideation, market trends and opportunity identification
- Market, social and environmental problem framing
- De-risking through market research and customer discovery
- Stakeholder mapping, including personas, market segmentation and competitor analysis
- Internal and external strategic analysis tools
Value creation and business modelling
- Social and environmental impact
- Value Proposition Canvas
- Triple Bottom Line Business Model Canvas
- Business planning
MVP design and experimentation
- Lean start-up principles and MVP Canvas
- Digital tools for prototyping, including AI-enhanced tools
- Experiment design and hypothesis testing
- Data collection and analysis techniques
- Pivot or persevere decision-making
Resourcing for ventures
- Human capital, including team formation and roles
- Social capital, including networks and partnerships
- Financial capital, including funding pathways and basic financial modelling
- Technological and digital capital
Communicating entrepreneurial value
- Entrepreneurial marketing and digital promotion
- Communication strategies and investor pitching
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | Introduction to entrepreneurial growth, lean innovation and MVP development |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Workshops | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Application of tools such as Business Model Canvas and Value Proposition Design |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Drop-in / surgery | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Optional formative support sessions |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 40 | 1:00 | 40:00 | Background reading |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 2 | 36:00 | 72:00 | Preparation of group business plan and MVP portfolio |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 252:00 | 252:00 | Self-directed learning, experimentation and reflection |
| Total | 400 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures introduce key concepts, theories and frameworks relating to entrepreneurial growth, lean innovation and venture development. Workshops provide practical opportunities for students to apply analytical tools and develop their business concepts.
Drop-in sessions offer additional support and feedback on business planning and MVP development. Independent study allows students to conduct research, test ideas, gather data and refine their venture concepts through experimentation and reflection.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners.
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report 1 | 1 | M | 50 | Group Business Plan and Pitch |
| Report 2 | 2 | M | 50 | Individual MVP Development Portfolio and reflective commentary |
Formative Assessments
Formative assessment helps develop your skills in being assessed, provides feedback, and prepares you for summative assessment. However, it does not count towards your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report 1 | 1 | M | In-class sessions with group interaction and feedback |
| Report 2 | 2 | M | In-class sessions with group interaction and feedback |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The module includes two summative assessments.
1. Group Business Plan and Pitch (50%)
Students work collaboratively to develop a viable and strategically informed business concept. The group produces an investor slide deck and delivers a pitch that demonstrates opportunity recognition, market positioning and value creation. This assessment forms the foundation for subsequent individual venture development.
2. Individual MVP Development Portfolio and Reflective Commentary (50%)
Building on the group business plan, students design and test a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). The portfolio documents assumptions, experimentation, data analysis and revisions to the business model. A reflective commentary enables students to critically evaluate their learning and decision-making throughout the process.
If students are eligible for a second attempt, the resit will be an assignment and the resit calculation will be based 100% on the submission.
Timetable
Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/