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ENTREPRENEURSHIP SIMULATIONTHE STARTUP GAME

FOR COURSES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

BY ETHAN MOLLICK, THE WHARTON SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

This multi-player simulation immerses students in the fundamentals of forming a new company. Students role-play as founders, investors, and potential employees who must negotiate deals, calculate valuation, find the right staffing mix, and debate financial gains versus organizational control. Designed for class groups of 20–86 students, the simulation can serve as an introduction or capstone to any entrepreneurship class.

A Variety of RolesThe simulation is based on a series of fictional startup companies and the founders responsible for getting those companies off the ground. Students play either founders, investors, or early employees. Each role has its own unique backstory, complete with a distinctive professional background, set of skills, goals, and perspective. To prepare, students read through their role information and watch a short video.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP SIMULATIONTHE STARTUP GAME

The Gameboard displays student decisions in real time in front of the class.

Administration tools on next page

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Negotiating Deals When the simulation begins, students physically move around the room to mingle, meet, and negotiate with their peers to achieve the best possible outcome for their role. Employees seek companies offering generous compensation and a good match for their skills. Investors look for startups that offer superior terms and a strong ROI. Founders try to successfully fund and staff their ventures without overcommitting equity or salary. As deals are struck, students enter the details into the simulation. Those details are then displayed on the Gameboard in front of the class.

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Class Debrief The simulation tracks players along a variety of dimensions that lead to startup success, including the interaction between hiring and strategy, the tradeoff between control and wealth, the skills needed to run a company, and the valuations that startups receive. The debrief section allows instructors to explore these topics using online scoreboards. Further real-world insight is provided through video interviews with Warby Parker founder Neil Blumenthal, venture capitalist Josh Kopelman, early eBay employee Bruce Brownstein, and author Ethan Mollick.

Each fictional company has its own unique backstory.

Investors and early employees enter the details of their agreements with founders.

A Free Trial allows full access to the entire simulation and is available to registered Educators on our website.Educator registration is a free service for faculty at degree-granting institutions and allows access to Educator Copies, Teaching Notes, Free Trials, course planning tools, and special student pricing.

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Product #M13870 MC207640118© 2018 Harvard Business School Publishing Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.

Printed on Recycled Paper

Administration Options and ToolsA comprehensive Teaching Note covers key learning objectives, including:

� Exploration of entrepreneurial strategies, focusing on valuation, determining an appropriate employee mix, matching strategies to early HR practices, and equity retention.

� Illustration of the dynamics involved in a startup and the qualities that separate a success from a failure.

� The exercise of strategic planning, hiring practices, growth management, creative problem solving and analytical skill sets, and negotiation tactics in a competitive environment.

� Exposure to the complexity of entrepreneurial management.

IN THIS SIMULATION

Simulation SetUp: The simulation offers a simplified setup experience. Instructors set the simulation duration, manually or auto-assign roles to players, and then click “Start Game.”

Debrief Tools: The administrator section features a Leaderboard screen and information on 4 main reporting areas: Skills, Diversity, Rich vs. King, and Funding. Each debrief topic includes a short video to provide students with seasoned insight about a particular teaching point.

Teaching Materials: A detailed Teaching Note reduces the time required for faculty to learn the simulation.

Supporting Videos: Fourteen videos help instructors and students understand, prepare for, and debrief the simulation. The videos include screen captures of the simulation, footage of in-class play, commentary from the author, and interviews with Warby Parker visionary Neil Blumenthal, venture capitalist Josh Kopelman, and early eBay employee Bruce Brownstein.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP SIMULATIONTHE STARTUP GAME

Customer Service: 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekhbsp.harvard.edu/customerservice

The simulation offers a simple setup process for instructors.

PRODUCT #WH0001

Multi-player: Groups of 20–86 students Seat Time: 60 minutes

BY ETHAN MOLLICK, THE WHARTON SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA