Entry requirements

130 credits, whereof at least 10 credits on an advanced level.

Learning outcomes

The overall objective of the course is that the student should get a good understanding of the principles behind R&D and Innovation management in, especially, large established biotech companies, but also in small start-up entrepreneurial companies.

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• describe the different steps in a business development process,
• describe the requirements and responsibilities put on management, board members and share holders in different development situations,
• briefly analyse a market situation,
• define the needs for resources as well as obstacles in the early stages of the development of a business,
• independently formulate a business plan based on a business idea in technology,
• plan and implement a development project in a team,
• describe the fundamentals of intellectual property rights and legislation, particularly in the biotech industry.

Content

The course covers the various steps in a business development process based on technological (innovative) ideas or new, internal or external, research results. The course discusses the challenges put on management and founders in a research-intensive company. In addition, obstacles and opportunities in bringing a new product to the market are discussed and analysed. The course has a focus on R&D and innovation processes in an established, larger company, but also the development problems of an entrepreneurial start-up enterprise are covered. Besides theoretical knowledge of innovation processes, methods for practical project management are identified and described. The course is a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials and limited project assignments.

The course is conducted in close cooperation with experienced entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business developers who share their experiences from business development in practice.

The course includes the following elements:

• Business concept, business plan, business development
• Early market development
• Financing R&D and new venture development in different business contexts
• Requirement for management in different situations in business
• Reward systems in knowledge-intensive companies
• Strategic alliances
• Intellectual property rights (IPR) and its role in research-based development projects
• R&D and innovation management in the biotechnology industry

Instruction

Lectures. Seminars. Project work and prepared case studies. An important feature is guest lectures by representatives from the biotech industry.

Assessment

The course examination consists of a written exam (7 cr) and written presentations of the project (3 cr). In order to pass the course, in addition to passing the exam and project presentations, participation at all mandatory activities of the course is required.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.