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Module 01 | Startup Essentials & Founder Persona Development

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About Course

This class introduces learners to the core building blocks of entrepreneurship while emphasizing the role of founders in shaping a startup’s journey. Participants will learn how startups differ from SMEs, explore essential concepts such as idea generation, market validation, and funding, and then dive into founder personas—the characteristics, skills, and mindsets that determine entrepreneurial success. By the end of this session, students will not only grasp the essentials of building a startup but also reflect on their own entrepreneurial identities.

Speakers:

Prosun Bepari
Resident Mentor, Accelerating Bangladesh
Founder, Dhaka Digital Marketing Services
Topic: Startup Essentials

Tarif Mohammed Khan
Head of Communications, Dekko ISHO Venture Capital
Topic: Building Founder Persona

Key Topics Covered

  1. Entrepreneurship Fundamentals

    • Role of entrepreneurs in combining land, labor, and capital

    • Factors of production and value creation

  2. Types of Entrepreneurs

    • Survival entrepreneurs

    • Expertise-driven entrepreneurs

    • Capital-based entrepreneurs

    • Opportunistic entrepreneurs

  3. The Startup Journey

    • Idea generation and validation

    • Business model development

    • Transition from SME to startup

  4. Startup Essentials

    • Characteristics of startups vs. SMEs

    • Innovation, scalability, and risk

    • Digital startups and customer journey

  5. Founder Persona Development

    • Traits of effective founders (creativity, resilience, leadership, risk-taking)

    • Personal motivation (innovation, improvisation, solutions, self-satisfaction)

    • Balancing vision with execution

  6. Growth and Challenges

    • Scaling operations and culture

    • Talent acquisition and market competition

    • Funding sources (bootstrapping, angels, VCs, crowdfunding, grants)

    • Common mistakes and how to avoid them

  7. Startup Financial Planning

    • Revenue projections and cost structure

    • Cash flow, profit & loss, break-even analysis

    • Sensitivity analysis for risk management

  8. Core Traits of Founders

    • Creativity and innovation

    • Resilience under uncertainty

    • Risk-taking balanced with wisdom

    • Leadership and teamwork

    • Negotiation and sales ability

    • Lifelong learning mindset

    Motivational Drivers

    • Innovation: solving unique problems

    • Improvisation: adapting existing ideas to new contexts

    • Solution-focus: addressing specific needs effectively

    • Self-satisfaction: pursuing passions and personal fulfillment

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Course Content

Entrepreneurship Fundamentals
Entrepreneurship is the process of organizing land, labor, and capital—the three factors of production—to create and deliver value. Entrepreneurs are risk-takers who innovate, bringing goods or services to the market more efficiently than before. Their role goes beyond combining resources: they identify opportunities, solve problems, and contribute to economic and social growth.

Types of Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs can be classified into four broad categories. Survival entrepreneurs operate small-scale businesses out of necessity, like street vendors. Expertise-driven entrepreneurs leverage their professional knowledge to build ventures, such as doctors starting clinics. Capital-based entrepreneurs invest their wealth or retirement funds in businesses. Opportunistic entrepreneurs seize emerging trends, like launching apps during remote work booms. Each type reflects different resources, goals, and risk tolerance.

The Startup Journey
The entrepreneurial process moves from inspiration to execution. It starts with inspiration, followed by idea generation, then assessment and validation to test feasibility. Promising ideas are expanded and shaped into sustainable business models. This structured journey helps reduce risk while ensuring that the final product or service solves a real market need.

Startup Essentials
Startups differ significantly from SMEs. While SMEs are small, locally focused, and stable, startups are designed for rapid growth and scalability. They often use innovative business models, rely on venture capital, and thrive in high-risk environments. Digital startups, in particular, harness technology, global reach, and agile processes to disrupt industries and deliver scalable solutions.

Growth and Challenges
As startups expand, they face both opportunities and obstacles. Growth requires scaling operations efficiently, hiring and retaining talent, and competing in crowded markets. Challenges also include maintaining company culture, meeting regulatory demands, securing capital, and adapting technology. Success depends on balancing speed of growth with sustainable management practices.

Startup Funding
Funding is the lifeblood of startups. The journey usually begins with pre-seed and seed funding, progresses to Series A for market scaling, and later to Series B/C for global expansion. Sources include bootstrapping, angel investors, venture capitalists, crowdfunding, bank loans, and government grants. Each has advantages and trade-offs in terms of risk, ownership, and growth potential.

Startup Financial Planning
Sound financial management is crucial for survival. Startups must project revenue, analyze cost structures, and manage cash flow to maintain liquidity. Tools like profit & loss statements, break-even analysis, and sensitivity analysis guide decision-making. By understanding financial health, founders can anticipate risks, attract investors, and scale responsibly.

Founder Persona Development
Beyond strategies and funding, founders themselves shape the destiny of startups. Effective founders combine creativity, resilience, leadership, and negotiation skills. Their motivational drivers—innovation, improvisation, problem-solving, and personal fulfillment—define how they approach challenges. By reflecting on their own strengths and weaknesses, entrepreneurs can build self-awareness and craft a growth path that aligns with both business goals and personal values.

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