Entrepreneurship Education for Engineers: Technology Evaluation and Commercialization through Project-based Learning

Engineers can benefit from gaining skills and knowledge associated with the commercialization of technology and start-up formation as part of the business planning process. This includes understanding how to evaluate emerging technologies towards formulation of new products and services as well as wider practical and transferable skills, such as understanding financial management, risk management, intellectual property and other commercial considerations associated with developing new technologies. This research study provides insights gained from the delivery of technology entrepreneurship education for students as part of graduate level engineering programs. This involves students working in project-based teams to evaluate emerging technologies and subsequently prepare a business plan for new venture creation. The experiential learning model is augmented with teaching material and theoretical content on both technology management and business management. The study builds on a supporting literature review to provide an exploration of the main elements of this model for technology entrepreneurship education for engineers, including insights on the pedagogical aspects as well as the unique combination of business and technological focused content. The study concludes with a summary of lessons learned from this application of entrepreneurship education for engineers, which can help practitioners to deliver related programs and inform future research studies.