WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Founders who already understand the fundamentals of entrepreneurship—value proposition, business model, customer identification, and financial basics—and are now preparing for the next stage of venture development. Many participants will have completed ENT 101 or gained equivalent experience through early customer discovery, prototyping, or initial market testing.
THE CHALLENGE THEY FACE
They are building their ventures within an underdeveloped entrepreneurship ecosystem, where advanced supports—legal and governance guidance, investment readiness, negotiation expertise, partnership structures, and scale‑up strategy—are limited, inconsistent, or inaccessible. They have navigated the earliest stages, but now face decisions that require deeper business acumen and more sophisticated tools.
OUR SOLUTION
A one‑day intensive ENT 102 workshop for founders preparing to scale, raise capital, or formalize governance. This advanced program equips participants with the knowledge, frameworks, and practical skills needed to make informed decisions about ownership, funding, partnerships, and organizational growth. It builds directly on the foundations of ENT 101 and supports founders as they enter the next phase of company development.
Agenda and topics are below.
ENT 102: Universal Agenda
8:30 – 9:00 Welcome, Objectives, and Advanced Founder Mindset
Facilitators: Lead Instructors
Focus:
What changes when a startup moves from “idea” to “organization”
How governance, capital, and scale reshape founder responsibilities
ENT 102 learning goals
9:00 – 9:30 Startup Governance Contracts: What They Are & Why They Matter
Facilitator: Governance Expert
Topics:
Founder agreements
Equity splits & vesting
Decision‑making authority
Avoiding common governance failures
9:30 – 10:00 Types of Governance Structures
Facilitator: Corporate Structures Specialist
Topics:
Individual ownership
Multi‑founder companies
Cooperatives
How structure affects control, liability, and growth
10:00 – 10:30 Community Ownership Models
Facilitator: Community Innovation Expert
Topics:
Community‑based enterprises
Shared ownership models
When community ownership accelerates adoption
Governance implications
10:30 – 10:45 — Coffee Break
10:45 – 11:30 Term Sheets Demystified: How Venture Capital Really Works
Facilitator: Investment & Funding Expert
Topics:
Anatomy of a term sheet
Valuation, dilution, liquidation preferences
Example: Series A investment walkthrough
Founder protections vs. investor protections
11:30 – 12:15 Negotiation Skills — Interactive Class Exercise
Facilitator: Negotiation Instructor
Topics:
BATNA, ZOPA, anchoring
Negotiating with investors, partners, and suppliers
Role‑play negotiation scenario
12:15 – 1:15 — Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:00 Partnerships, Mergers & Acquisitions: What Founders Must Know
Facilitator: Senior Entrepreneur / M&A Specialist
Topics:
Strategic partnerships
When to consider M&A
Risks and opportunities
Cultural and operational integration
2:00 – 2:45 Value Chains: Supply Chain Strategy, Resilience & Management
Facilitator: Operations & Innovation Expert
Topics:
Mapping your value chain
Supplier risk and resilience
Local vs. global sourcing
Operational bottlenecks
2:45 – 3:00 — Coffee Break
3:00 – 3:45 Scale‑Up, Growth & HR Strategy
Facilitator: Organizational Growth Specialist
Topics:
Stages of organizational growth
Hiring strategy & talent pipelines
Processes and systems for scaling
Founder role evolution
3:45 – 4:15 Business Continuity, Cybersecurity & Operational Resilience
Facilitator: Technology & Risk Expert
Topics:
Continuity of operations
Cybersecurity basics for startups
Risk mitigation
Crisis response planning
4:15 – 4:30 Wrap‑Up, Reflections & Next Steps
Facilitators: Lead Instructors
Focus:
Key takeaways
How to apply ENT 102 concepts immediately
Pathways to mentorship, funding, and IEEE Entrepreneurship programs
FAQs
Can Non-IEEE Members Attend?
Participants will receive lodging for three or four nights, according to their travel plans, in shared rooms at the venue hotel in Gammarth, plus three meals and coffee breaks. The rooms are double rooms, so please know that you will be assigned a roommate of the same gender. Your room assignment will be provided upon check-in. ALL other travel costs to attend the workshop will be the responsibility of the participants – IEEE will not reimburse any travel-related costs.
YES. You do NOT have to be an IEEE member to apply and/or attend.
Expectations?
We expect full and professional participation in every aspect of the program if accepted. This includes, but is not limited to:
1) Confirming your participation as early as possible for planning purposes,
2) Being present at every virtual and in-person session outlined in the agenda above,
3) Using the tool(s) being offered in the class (e.g. Smartsheet Board)
4) Being an engaged and professional team member
5) Participating in the post-event survey in order to get your certificate of completion
How Much does it Cost?
The workshop itself is free, but all attendees are responsible for covering their own travel costs to and from the workshop. These expenses will not be reimbursed by IEEE.
What is Included?
* Subject to change. The following is typically provided for each ENT 102 Workshop:
Lodging for up to 1-2 nights (depending on travel plans) at a venue hotel in a shared room and three meals plus coffee breaks the day of the workshop. All other travel costs are the responsibility of the participants and IEEE will not reimburse any travel-related costs.
Contacts?
Volunteer Leaders: Daniel Renner (daniel@atacamalight.com) or Surya Raghu (sraghu@ieee.org)
IEEE Staff: Lauren Beighley (l.beighley@ieee.org) or Caitlin Zubrowski (c.zubrowski@ieee.org)
You can also email IEEE Entrepreneurship at entrepreneurship@ieee.org