From West Coast to Gold Coast

1. From West Coast to Gold Coast Teaching a Capstone Entrepreneurship Course in Ghana based on the Lean LaunchpadDr. Sena Ageypong – Ashesi Universityand Todd Warren – Northwestern

2. Ashesi: A world-class, 4-yr African university • Entrepreneurial Venture Launched in 2002 • Mission: Educate the next generation of African Leaders • 631 current students, Over 600 graduates • 14 African Countries, 48% Women • Majors in Computer Science, Business, and MIS • Ethics, Critical Thinking, and Liberal Arts Core • 95% stay in Africa, Many start businesses • Launching Engineering in Fall 2015 • Freshman Design and Entrepreneurship

3. Course was Based on ‘Lean Launch Pad’ • US NSF Curriculum, Also Stanford and Berkeley • Follows ‘Startup Owner’s Manual’ (Blank and Dorf) • Supported by a Udacity MOOC • Software Support via ‘LaunchPad Central’ • Heavily based on Interviewing “getting out of the building” • Advisory Board members paired with teams

4. Ashesi Learning Goals Scholarship ● Citizenship ● Leadership

5. Course Outline

6. The Teams

7. Instructors Perspective

8. What is was like: Todd • I loved working with Sena! • Sena understood the local context and could help me translate • She had a better understanding of the students, including subtle relationships between people in the class • Sena had better class room control: 60 close-knit Ashesi Seniors can be tough! • Sena was instrumental in tirelessly recruiting a first class set of advisors • We would push each other to get material done • Sena brought a different ‘bag of tricks’ I could learn from as an instructor

9. What it was like: Sena • My first attempt at team teaching and it was a career enhancing opportunity. • Todd has been great from the very first time we shook hands. • His command over the methodology and his personality made it easy for us to work well together. • Our different backgrounds helped us to bring different perspectives to critique sessions. In my view, our strengths were complimentary which helped us achieve most of our objectives. • The students were great, and eager to work on the projects so it was easy to push them to succeed. • In my opinion, team teaching is better than individual teaching if structured well and the personalities involved are compatible.

10. What worked • Doing team formation in class • Using the MOOC + Text Book • Focus on case studies/ learning the business model canvas up front • Having students “Get out of the Building”, doing interviews • Berekuso location is tough… • Tracking in launcpadcentral • Adding a writing component at Midterm and Final • Engaging a local advisory board to pair with teams • Though difficult to get them to travel to Berekuso • Need to work on teams to manage the relationships well

11. What didn’t work • Industry Analysis • Should be a larger part of the course • Should focus on more divergent ideas • Need more analysis of good ideas • Launchpad central for critique • Internet problems • Counter to No-laptop Ashesi norm • Ashesi Students engage more in critique than US students • Quizzes are a ‘must have’ to insure students do the reading/watch the MOOC • Hard to implement ‘Minimum Viable Product’ concept without engineers • Method is not well geared to capital intensive businesses • Number of moving parts can make things hard to manage

12. Purpose of the 2nd Semester • Goal was to focus on Execution • Customer Creation • Company building • But… • MVPs needed more testing • First 3 weeks of semester was used for this

13. Successes • Stronger conviction and belief in their businesses. They speak about it with confidence, they believe in it • Interacting with students, some seem to think entrepreneurship is a career as well • Valuing their businesses improved their investor pitches significantly • Some teams with challenges in first half had new leaders step up---teams realize the CEO is a serious role.

14. Shortfalls • We did get advisors, but some are not responsive and some not in the direct area. • Students need more structure / coaching on engaging with advisors • By mid-semester, teams are getting fatigued. We did not do a good job of painting a good picture of the journey of the entrepreneur • More team dynamics challenges in second half

15. What We Would Change • It’s a year class, so there is no reason to rush • Insure they understand more fundamentals before jumping into teams • More exploration up front • Greater Industry Analysis • More speakers/analysis of successful ventures • Greater idea generation • More Exposure to local social and for-profit entrepreneurs • Wait until the week before mid-term break to form teams • Delay canvas creation until value proposition, customer segment, and customer journey are clear • More focus on pitches rather than presentations • Develop a process flow for the business • Do back of the envelope cost analysis early • This is more of an issue in Ghana and for Capital intensive businesses • Consider other ways of getting advisory board to see final pitches • Perhaps do in Accra? • Provide funding support to the teams as going outside the building and testing the MVP is capital intensive.

16. Key Takeways in adapting LLC to a new geography • Team teaching with someone who knows the method and someone who knows the local environment • For non-venture funded startups, understanding cash requirments and alternatives is essential. • Get input from a local advisory board. Cast a wide net.

17. Thank You!