Pratt: Teaching Design Entrepreneurship

Category
Professional Trainings
About This Project

 

Empowering socially-minded design students to start their own businesses.

 

Pratt University created its Certificate in Design Entrepreneurship (CDE) specifically for forward-thinking designers desiring a clear personal strategic plan and business pitch. Pratt’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies began offering the program in 2013, recruiting TYTHEdesign to teach a ‘Building a Social Impact Business’ week long intensive.

 

OUR STRATEGY

 
TYTHE’s course focused on providing students with a solid understanding of social entrepreneurship, and the fundamentals for creating their own purpose driven business. The studio-based class included a combination of lectures, individual working time, critiques, and group discussion. Throughout the week, we supported students in discovering their purpose, clarifying their mission, identifying their market, and delving into the complex issues of building a business with positive change in mind.

 

THE OUTCOME


New Skills for Designers
Students gained skills in human-centered design research, the business model canvas, financial principles, marketing and branding, and tools for measuring impact to bring to their future business endeavors.

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A Personal Plan for Success
TYTHE’s course equipped each student with a personal business plan to start their own social enterprise.

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Client: Pratt Institute School of Continuing and Professional Studies

 

Collaborators: Kristina Drury

 

Year: 2013, 2016