Lectures in Entrepreneurial Leadership (5-8 Feb 08)

Course Materials

Program Announcement
Final Schedule - Speakers
Schedule "ZURICH"
Entrepreneurial Game Description

Overview of the week February 5-8, 2008

Each February, the Department of MTEC organizes a week-long lecture series on entrepreneurial leadership. The course targets the most talented Master's students and involves between 20-30 participants selected based on academic excellence and work experience. Students are international and have diverse backgrounds, mainly in management, engineering and hard sciences.

This year was a special program focused on bringing together world-class academic lecturers, several CEOs and entrepreneurs from successful start-ups, and leaders from Google, investing, and insurance industries. The lectures varied from topics of risk-taking and risk management to founding a start-up to angel investing. One of the highlights of the week was the day spent with the CEO, James Schiro, and other top-level employees at Zurich Financial Services, one of the largest insurance companies in the world. The day's discussion ranged from challenges faced by insurance companies to climate change. Students were able spend 2 hours with Mr. Schiro asking questions about managing business and managing life.  It was truly a unique experience!

In addition to this busy week, the students applied the knowledge they obtained in the course to "found'' their own companies. This involved pitching the idea to "investors'' in addition to performing a thorough risk-analysis of the proposed venture. Each student then "invested'' in the companies, with the winning team receiving a prize.

Highlights from the week (quotes from students)

    "...the lectures and speakers are inspiring"
    "...unique experience interacting with CEOs"
    "...the course brings out the innovative strategies that Europe
    is implementing and really gives a hands-on knowledge of how the
    industry works, evolves and grows."
    "...we had opportunities to build great networks in industry".
    "...interesting presentations by successful people that
    definitely know what they're talking about"
    "...8 CEOs in one week!"
    "...I was able to ask the questions I always wanted to know
    about"
    "...the day at Zurich was a really valuable experience..."
    "...it was a great program, excellent speakers, good opportunity
    to get many insights..."

    "...the course opens your mind to different directions..."

    "...it was fascinating coming face to face with the CEO"

Program February 5 - 8, 2008

February 5

Introduction Prof. Didier Sornette

Risk Management: Mild versus wild risks
    Prof. Dr. Didier Sornette - Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks ETH

VaR-based Risk Management: Sense and (non)-sensibility
    Prof. Dr. Paul Embrechts - Finance Competence Centre RiskLab ETH

Leadership Decision Making
    Dr. Dave Snowden - Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd

Risks Management
    Dr. Gabriel Dondi - SwissQuant

The Donation-Payment Prepaid Card
    Dr. Riley Crane - Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks ETH

February 6

Risks and the insurance industry

    Dr. Peter Taylor - Future of Humanity Institute - University of Oxford

What is Risk?

Exposure
Insurance and Risk
Insurance and the London Market

Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Complex Systems  - You-Tube
    Dr. Riley Crane - Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks ETH

Experiences of an Entrepreneurial Geek in Industry
    Suresh Pillai - Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks ETH

Example Investor's Pitch: Concretum
    Dr. Martin Bäuml - Concretum

Google Workshop
    Kristen Morrissey - Google Inc.

Managing Risk in my career and investing in start-ups
    Brigitte Baumann - Go Beyond Ltd.

February 7

"ZURICH" Day

February 8
Group Presentations:

Campuseuro – We connect talent with opportunities

www.ecoclick.com

ElectroGym

ETH Store – Social Entrepreneurship

Golden Age Ltd – Residential Estate for Swiss retirees in Thailand

nanotech - Cleaner Air with Puricles

SUIT UP – An individualized way to make shopping more desirable