Spring 2025 FSE301

To complete the Entrepreneurship competency I enrolled in FSE301: Entrepreneur and Value Creation. Throughout this course we developed a business idea via researching marketing insights, gathering in customer opinions, and developing a pitch deck. To develop a better understanding of venture development and startups, we also watched and/or instructional material on various case studies and business models. This also included writing reflection posts on what we learned from the instructional material, and engaging with my classmates' posts. 

My business venture was a mobile app that scanned the QR codes of various grocery store products to print the product's information on allergies, religious dietary restrictions, or ethical sourcing. After conducting interviews to gain customer opinions, it was extended to also include a community forum discussing alternatives to products that do not fit customers' dietary restrictions. My interviews encompassed a variety of different circumstances, such as standard allergies, lactose intolerance, religious restrictions, and simply trying to improve eating habits. I also conducted a competitive analysis to see existing products on the market and saw that other apps either did not provide information on products beyond their allergens or gather community insight on product alternatives.

My venture's mission to create dietary inclusivity was reflective of my theme of sustainability, as this would contribute to improved diet experiences for users and ultimately make their eating goals more attainable. In this way, FSE301 was related to my theme of sustainability. Furthermore, sustainable practices are always important in startup business ventures to help with reducing operational costs as well as attract investors and employees.

FSE301 was very valuable to my professional career. Because computer science is a rapidly developing field with the introduction of AI, there is a prominent startup scene within the tech industry. Developing an understanding of the business side of startups through this course was valuable to my professional development and my preparation to enter the industry.