Creation of a Product Development and Innovation Course

Western New England College, 2008 - $24,000.00

This grant will help create a three-credit elective course on product development and innovation for seniors in the Schools of Business and Engineering at Western New England. Each spring, up to forty students will gain hands-on experience with the early stages of product development, yielding a realistic marketing plan and prototype of their design. Juniors in marketing and engineering already participate in a four-week experience, where they create a design of a new product and a viable marketing plan. The implementation of this new elective course will allow for a much deeper exposure to the product development process.

Besides other assessment and feedback given throughout the term, the Western New England College Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship will formally assess the E-Teams. Students will have access to information from the center's resource library regarding contracts, choice of entity, and other start-up legal issues.