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School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS) 

Entrepreneurship Special Track

Overview

The Entrepreneurship Special Track at Krea University is a practice-oriented, interdisciplinary pathway housed within the School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS). The Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE) plays a central role in the training, mentoring, and support of students enrolled in the track. Open to students from all disciplines, the programme complements majors in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and technology by fostering entrepreneurial thinking across diverse career paths—whether as venture founders, innovators within established organisations, or leaders in the social sector. The track equips students with the mindset, skills, and hands-on experience required to identify opportunities, design innovative solutions, and build scalable ventures. Students receive training in opportunity recognition, customer discovery, business modelling, entrepreneurial finance, legal frameworks, government regulations, and venture execution.

Students receive training in opportunity recognition, customer discovery, business modelling, entrepreneurial finance, legal frameworks, government regulations, and venture execution.

The programme also emphasises working under uncertainty, ethical decision-making, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving. Courses are taught by faculty drawn from both academia and industry, with a strong focus on applied learning and venture development. A distinctive feature of the track is the capstone Startup Launch Project, which enables students to conceptualise, validate, and launch a venture or venture-ready prototype. Through this project, students often engage with external mentors, investors, and industry partners, gaining first-hand experience in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Programme Structure

Total Courses

6

Credits per Course

4

Total Credits

24

Mandatory Experiential Component

8-credit Startup Launch Project

Concentration in Entrepreneurship

Upon completion of the four courses, students will be eligible to earn a concentration in Entrepreneurship. 

Required Courses 

The Entrepreneurship Track equips undergraduates with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience to ideate, launch, and scale ventures in the Indian context.


The curriculum blends foundational courses, applied projects, and incubation opportunities through Catalyst.

Course 1

Foundations of Entrepreneurship

Objectives 

Develop entrepreneurial mindset and opportunity recognition. 

Understand India’s startup ecosystem and policy environment. 

Learn from case studies of Indian entrepreneurs. 


Table of Contents 

Defining Entrepreneurship in India 

Opportunity Identification & Market Gaps 

Startup Ecosystem in India (Startup India, incubators, accelerators) 

Entrepreneurial Leadership & Ethics 

Case Studies: Flipkart, Byju’s, Zerodha 


Deliverables

Opportunity mapping exercise in local communities. 

Case study analysis of an Indian startup. 

Reflection journal on entrepreneurial mindset. 


Indicative References 

Nandan Nilekani, Imagining India 

Gopalakrishnan, The Case of the Bonsai Manager 

NASSCOM Startup Ecosystem Reports 

Course 2


Principles of Firm Finance and Venture Economics

Objectives 

Learn startup financial structures and valuation. 

Understand venture capital economics in India. 

Apply concepts to SMEs and startups. 


Table of Contents 

Basics of Financial Accounting for Startups 

Sources of Capital: Angel, VC, PE, Government Schemes 

Valuation Methods (DCF, multiples, comparables) 

Unit Economics & ARPU in Indian startups 

Exit Strategies: IPOs, acquisitions 


Deliverables

Financial model for a hypothetical startup. 

Pitch deck with valuation and funding strategy. 

Group project analysing a recent Indian IPO. 


Indicative References 

Aswath Damodaran, The Little Book of Valuation 

IIM Ahmedabad case studies on venture finance 

RBI & SEBI reports on SME financing

Course 3

Technology, AI, and the Future of Design

Objectives 

Explore AI applications in entrepreneurship. 

Apply design thinking to innovation. 

Analyse India’s digital transformation (UPI, Aadhaar, ONDC). 


Table of Contents 

AI & Emerging Tech in Indian Startups 

Design Thinking for Social and Commercial Innovation 

Sectoral Analyses: EdTech, FinTech, AgriTech, HealthTech 

Digital Public Infrastructure in India 

Ethical AI and Responsible Innovation 


Deliverables

Prototype using AI/tech tools. 

Sectoral analysis report (e.g., AgriTech in Tamil Nadu). 

Design sprint presentation. 


Indicative References 

Tim Brown, Change by Design 

NITI Aayog reports on AI in India 

Case studies: Paytm, Ola Electric, Agri startups

Course 4

Corporate, International, and Data Law

Objectives 

Understand legal frameworks for startups. 

Learn corporate governance in India. 

Explore international trade and data protection laws. 

Table of Contents Deliverables 

Compliance checklist for a startup. 

Mock legal contract drafting. 

Policy brief on data protection for startups. 


Indicative References 

Avtar Singh, Company Law 

Ministry of Corporate Affairs guidelines 

DPDP Act, 2023 

Course 5 & 6

Startup Launch Project I & II (8 Credits total)

A two-course, year-long immersive project in which students launch a startup or venture-ready initiative individually or in teams. Students are mentored by faculty and external entrepreneurs, and assessment is based on process, learning, execution, and reflection rather than commercial success alone.

Course 5 – Startup Project 1 
Objectives 

Apply entrepreneurial concepts to a real-world project. 

Develop a prototype or MVP. 

Engage with mentors and industry stakeholders. 

Table of Contents 

Ideation & Problem Identification 

Market Research & Customer Discovery 

Business Model Canvas Development 

Prototype/MVP Creation 

Pitch Preparation


Deliverables

MVP or prototype. 

Business model canvas. 

Pitch presentation to faculty/industry panel.  

Indicative References 

Alexander Osterwalder, Business Model Generation 

Eric Ries, The Lean Startup 

Startup India toolkit 

Course 5 – Startup Project 2
Objectives 

Apply entrepreneurial concepts to a real-world project. 

Develop a prototype or MVP. 

Engage with mentors and industry stakeholders. 

Table of Contents 

Ideation & Problem Identification 

Market Research & Customer Discovery 

Business Model Canvas Development 

Prototype/MVP Creation 

Pitch Preparation


Deliverables

MVP or prototype. 

Business model canvas. 

Pitch presentation to faculty/industry panel.  

Indicative References 

Alexander Osterwalder, Business Model Generation 

Eric Ries, The Lean Startup 

Startup India toolkit 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the Entrepreneurship Special Track, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate entrepreneurial thinking by identifying opportunities, evaluating risks, and acting creatively under conditions of uncertainty.


  • Apply design thinking and customer discovery methods to develop solutions that address real-world problems.


  • Develop and evaluate business models that  articulate value creation, delivery, and capture.

  • Apply financial and legal principles relevant to early-stage ventures including budgeting, funding, and compliance.

  • Launch and manage a startup or venture project progressing from idea to validated prototype or operational venture.

  • Work effectively in entrepreneurial teams demonstrating leadership, collaboration, and ethical responsibility.

  • Communicate entrepreneurial ideas persuasively through written plans, financial models, and oral pitches to diverse audiences.

  • Reflect critically on failure, learning, and impact using feedback to improve entrepreneurial outcomes.

Guided by the 
finest mentors

Professor Lakshmi Kumar

Professor, Economics

Dr Aishwarya Krishnaswamy

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Finance

Visiting Professor of Practice, Literature & the Arts

Dr Aishwarya Krishnaswamy

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Finance

Visiting Professor of Practice, Literature & the Arts

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