Exploring the venture ideas of entrepreneurial students

The entrepreneurial method begins with a value proposition - that is, a plan to deliver value to users and to harness that value to continue an innovating growth trajectory - and takes its first steps by mounting testable hypotheses through a sequence of experiments, rather than knowing in advance and with certainty what is the 'right' idea! The twin foundations of new ventures lie in value and learning, This repository was constructed to enhance both these objectives.

The vast majority of new venture projects that are mounted across multiple faculties and many courses on offer at UQ never make their way to market. Yet they embody interpretations of value and learning that may well benefit future learning communities. The repository is a catchall for these projects, where some good ideas and some not so good are stored and the idea authors reflect on the limits of their venture and the setting where that idea may well shine.

Using the repository

This database collects appraisals of past projects, labelled as autopsies, undertaken by the students who created them. Some of these projects may also include the original venture slide deck and a video where the team members outline emerging growth trajectories or other key strategic foundations of the venture. The choice to upload these components rests with the originating team. The autopsy provides a critical appraisal of the attributes or deficits of the project as conceived and the possible contexts or requirements where its potential can be more fully realised. Search the repository to find ideas that may align with your own and the pitfalls those with experience in that venture domain have identified, along with the steps that may help you avoid those same pitfalls.

This learning resource will continue to evolve and the development team welcome your feedback.