Lectures in Entrepreneurial Leadership (5-8 Feb 08)

Course Materials

DownloadProgram Announcement (PDF, 16.2 MB)
DownloadFinal Schedule - Speakers (PDF, 66 KB)
DownloadSchedule "ZURICH" (PDF, 56 KB)
DownloadEntrepreneurial Game Description (PDF, 42 KB)

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

DownloadRisk Management: Mild versus wild risks (PDF, 3.1 MB)
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

DownloadLeadership Decision Making (PDF, 1.7 MB)
Dr. Dave Snowden - Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd

DownloadRisks Management (PDF, 653 KB)
Dr. Gabriel Dondi - SwissQuant

DownloadThe Donation-Payment Prepaid Card (PDF, 611 KB)
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

DownloadWhat is Risk? (PDF, 199 KB)

DownloadExposure (PDF, 2.6 MB)
DownloadInsurance and Risk (PDF, 155 KB)
DownloadInsurance and the London Market (PDF, 20 KB)

DownloadEntrepreneurial Opportunities in Complex Systems - You-Tube (PDF, 447 KB)
Dr. Riley Crane - Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks ETH

DownloadExperiences of an Entrepreneurial Geek in Industry (PDF, 606 KB)
Suresh Pillai - Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks ETH

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

Google Workshop
Kristen Morrissey - Google Inc.

DownloadManaging Risk in my career and investing in start-ups (PDF, 275 KB)
Brigitte Baumann - Go Beyond Ltd.

February 7

"ZURICH" Day

February 8
Group Presentations:

DownloadCampuseuro– We connect talent with opportunities (PDF, 226 KB)

Downloadwww.ecoclick.com (PDF, 211 KB)

DownloadElectroGym (PDF, 351 KB)

DownloadETH Store– Social Entrepreneurship (PDF, 493 KB)

DownloadGolden Age Ltd– Residential Estate for Swiss retirees in Thailand (PDF, 155 KB)

Downloadnanotech- Cleaner Air with Puricles (PDF, 6.2 MB)

DownloadSUIT UP– An individualized way to make shopping more desirable (PDF, 434 KB)