L'insegnamento sarà incentrato sulle nuove forme di imprenditorialità nel settore della moda. La start-up verrà concepita come nuova ipotesi competitiva da testare sul mercato.L'obiettivo dell'insegnamento è quello di introdurre il concetto di start-up (nuovo modello di business, organizzazione temporanea, start-up e relazione con gli eco-sistemi aziendali, nuova imprenditorialità nel settore della moda; lean start-up, nuovo coinvolgimento dell'utente nella start-up).
Nella seconda fase del corso gli studenti saranno coinvolti nel concepire e progettare le proprie start-up.

Lo studente:
- conosce e comprende le strategie di marketing per innovazioni design-driven e di gestione dei processi d’innovazione tramite start-up;
- è in grado di pianificare strat-up legate all'imprenditorialità nel settore della moda.

The improved flexibility of supply and demand chain processes, access market intelligence and the availability of a wide range of “crow-based” platforms, have offered fashion entrepreneurs new avenues for creating innovative start-ups ventures. The fashion industry in particular has seen the emergence of a wide range of new technology-based solutions (products and services), customer-centered experiences and new retailing models which have radically reshaped the way customers understand fashion and shop for fashion products. This course will explore new forms of innovation-based entrepreneurship in the fashion industry, by focusing on the role that fashion-tech (fashion technology) start-ups are playing in reconfiguring the boundaries of the wider sector. In the first part of the course, students will explore the principles and practice of innovation management and its relationship to design thinking. In the second part, students will be exposed to the concept of entrepreneurial marketing and analyse how start-ups can use EM strategies and tools to develop pathways to innovation. In the second part, students will also be involved in conceiving and designing their own start-ups cantered on concept of fashion-tech.

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:

(1)   Understand the main trends in innovation and design management;

(2)   Grasp the main differences in terms of role, required mind-set, goals and logic of action of management and entrepreneurship;

(3)   Identify and assess the critical success factors that fashion entrepreneurs should consider when developing and launching new business ventures; 

(4)   Develop and implement a compelling business proposition.

Nessun pre-requisito richiesto per la frequenza di questo insegnamento

The module is assessed with the following two elements:

Element 1 - Group-based coursework: fashion start-up project (30% of Total Module Grade)

Your Task

Working in teams of 4 students, you will research and present an innovative, original and commercially sound business idea that will be the focus of a fashion tech (fashion technology) start-up venture.

There is no common definition of fashion-tech. In 2013, the think-tank Third Wave Fashion, defined Fashion Tech as the growing universe of “tech start-ups that are focused on the fashion world” but immediately admitted that the concept is not that simple and straightforward to define.

Further industry-led definitions of fashion tech include:

“technology that enables a fashion experience when you wear it or interact with it” (Tito Chowdhury, Owner & Executive Producer of FashioNXT)

“the merging of two industries to find new ways of exploring each industry. By introducing technological advancements to the world of fashion, we get to create deeper and more interesting conversations in what both technology and fashion can accomplish” (Michael Roderick, Founder & CEO of Small Pond Enterprises)

“pushing the boundaries of traditional ways of thinking about things, opening up unique avenues for fashion, technology, and design.  It uses the technology of the future to redefine our relationships with online and offline stores, brands, consumers, publishers, social communities, and ourselves” (Stephanie Benedetto, Founder & CEO of Queen of Raw).

You might find the following resources useful:

• Third Wave Fashion, What is Fashion Tech?: http://thirdwavefashion.com/2013/01/what-is-fashion-tech/
• Open Source Fashion, What Does Fashion Tech Mean In 2016?: https://os-fashion.com/fashion-tech-2016/
• The Business of Fashion – Fashion Tech: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/fashion-tech 
• The Startup Universe: https://visual.ly/vizbox/startup-universe/

Coursework Submission Requirements

You will submit a presentation of maximum 15 slides documenting the process of research, idea generation and initial development of your proposed idea for a fashion-tech start-up. Your presentation should include:   

(1)   Cover Slide: state title of the project, module title, students’ ID, full name/surname, course of study;

(2)   Table of contents / overview of the structure of the presentation;

(3)   An overview of the relevant market context and of the focus of your proposed idea for a fashion-tech start-up, including the key parameters or “boundaries” (i.e. a problem you are trying to solve, an opportunity you are taking advantage);  

(4)   An overview of key consumer and technology insights relevant to the focus of your project;

(5)   An analysis of potential competitors’ analysis;  

(6)   A description of the key components of the proposed business idea. Reflecting on the elements of the Business Model Canvas and the Value Proposition Canvas will help in structuring this section of your portfolio;

(7)   Reference List;

General Requirements

• Format: presentation document (e.g. single PDF file, PPT presentation) of maximum 15 slides;
• Any sources referred to must be cited in the text and listed in the Reference List, following the Harvard Referencing conventions;

Marking Criteria

Element 2 – 70% of Total Module Grade

By building on the experience of developing and implementing the business idea as part of the coursework, students will be asked to reflect on the relevant theoretical concepts, models and frameworks discussed in this module or presented in the recommended. Students will be marked individually.