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MITx: Becoming an Entrepreneur

4.3 stars
77 ratings

Learn the business skills and startup mindset needed to embark on your entrepreneurial path from the premier program for aspiring entrepreneurs, MIT Launch.

6 weeks
1–3 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Free
Optional upgrade available

There is one session available:

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Starts Nov 20
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Becoming an Entrepreneur

About this course

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Curious about entrepreneurship, but not sure where to start? Becoming an Entrepreneur is designed in partnership with MIT to guide people of all ages and backgrounds through the process of founding a company. With enrollment in the hundreds of thousands, this course is as engaging and accessible as it is informative.

Becoming an Entrepreneur will provide you with inspiration to explore an entrepreneurial path and tools to overcome the initial challenges of building a business.

From developing new business ideas and doing market research to designing and testing your offering and pitching, this course follows LaunchX’s successful approach to entrepreneurship that leverages MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship, lean methodologies, and design thinking. There will be a combination of short videos and activities that will challenge you to get you away from your computer screen and into the community to make a real impact.

No previous business or entrepreneurship experience needed. Join us to embark on your entrepreneurial journey.

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated skills:Market Research, Lean Methodologies, Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking

What you'll learn

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  • Overcoming the top myths of entrepreneurship
  • Defining your goals as an entrepreneur and startup
  • Identifying business opportunities
  • Performing market research and choosing your target customer
  • Designing and testing your offering
  • Planning your business logistics, plus pitching and selling to customers

Learner testimonials

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“A very well done course that was very informative! I had a lot of fun taking it and it really got me thinking. Some of the assignments were tough but really led to some great outcomes. I would highly recommend this course for anyone interested in starting a business." - Chris Jantzen

“Amazing take on entrepreneurship, easy to follow and extremely enjoyable. Recommendable as both an introduction to the theme and a follow up or a guide. Useful information, well presented.” - Joana Torres

Frequently Asked Questions

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Will I definitely have a super successful business if I take this course?
Of course! Just kidding… This course gives you the foundation to start a successful business by understanding what is important for success in the startup world, and the steps you need to take to be successful. There are no guarantees of a successful business, but we do expect you to have some fun and learn what it takes to be successful.

If I already have a business, should I take this course?
You may learn something new here or there, but it would be mostly review for you. Have a look at the syllabus first, then perhaps skip to parts that are of most interest to you.

Do I have to pay for a verified certificate?
Nope – feel free to take it for free through the audit track. We love making the course accessible to everyone!

What is the value of the verified certificate?
People who get the certificate are more likely to complete the course, can post it to their LinkedIn and other social media to show off their accomplishments, and are supporting edX to continuing doing great work in the field of education.

Who are the instructors?
Laurie Stach is your main instructor, who will be accompanied by Frank, a goofball startup founder who will be going through the entrepreneurial process alongside you.

Who can take this course?

Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.

Ways to take this course

Choose your path when you enroll.

Certificate

Free

Price

$69 USD

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Access to course materials

Unlimited

Limited

Expires on Jan 1, 2025

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edX support

Shareable certificate upon completion

Graded assignments and exams

Read our FAQsin a new tab about frequently asked questions on these tracks.

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