Tech Startup Foundations for Non-Technical Founders
Managing Technology and Aligning Business Goals
Do you have a brilliant tech idea
but don't know how to code?
Do you have an idea for an app or a web-based business, but no idea how to build it?
In this course you will get an overview of the basic concepts you need to run or launch a tech startup as a non-technical founder from someone who has done it themselves. A non-technical founder’s job is not to learn to code, but to successfully manage the technology production process and make sure it aligns with business goals. To do this successfully, non-technical founders need to understand technology workflows, learn how to ask the right questions and collaborate with designers and developers.
Your instructor, Sophia Matveeva has taught this course at leading institutions, including London Business School, the Techstars x Blackstone Launchpad and the University of Bristol. Course alumni have used the course to build tech businesses, get funding for their startups and transition into tech careers.
Experts trusted by major media
In this five week course
you will learn
Commercialising innovation
How to know if the problem is worth solving
Who is your target customer?
Why the Silicon Valley approach doesn’t work for everyone
How to innovate with confidence
The product
lifecycle
Workflow: from idea to product. The steps to take and the professionals involved
How to learn what you really need and avoid the rest
Investors’ view
What product managers do and how that fits into the job of running a startup
Product Analysis
and AI
How to analyse your product for continuous improvement
Connect product analysis to business success
What data scientists really do
AI algorithm: not as hard as it sounds
Development
Back end vs front end
Why one costs more than the other
Back end and server basics
Intro to APIs and why they matter
User
traction
Get the first users on your product
Engage users to keep coming back
Bake user growth into your product from the start
UX
design
Why designing for users is different to designing for beauty
Introduction to protoyping & no code tools
How to connect design to code
How to hire & lead a tech team
What to look for: get the right resources
Where to look: platforms and recommendations
Do you need a CTO co-founder?
How to manage a tech team
Design
Thinking
Validate your idea
User research
How to test if users like and understand your designs
This course is great for:
Bahraini nationals who want to build technology products and technology startups but do not have technical backgrounds
Existing Bahraini business owners who want to add a tech product or service to scale their business
Bahraini Startup founders with tech ideas ready to commercialize, but no technical skills
Application deadline midnight on 14 November 2024.
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Learn core tech concepts to build your startup and how the Tech for Non-Technical Founders program can help you!
FAQs
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Yes! You will get a Certificate of Completion when you graduate from the program. In order to graduate, you need to have a functioning Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and a final test. Our students like to display their Certificates of Completion on their LinkedIn profiles, because it shows their successful efforts to a wider professional community.
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Expect to devote 2 days per week to the program for 5 weeks. These do not have to be two full days. Usually, students do some work on the program every day, and the total hours add up to two working days (16 hours). If your work or family commitments do not allow you to devote at least 2 days per week to the program, please do not apply for it. You will not be able to graduate from the program if you do not have a functioning MVP, and this requires time and effort. Instead, use the free lessons on the Tech for Non-Techies podcast and YouTube channel to work on your idea.
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Yes! We encourage you to apply with your co-founders, if you have them, but only if all the co-founders can attend the classes. If your co-founders cannot attend the classes, then apply anyway and share what you learn with them. Teaching your team what you’re learning will help you understand the material even better.
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Yes! We encourage solo founders to apply. Co-founders and founding team members often join when an idea begins getting some traction, or you have a promising MVP. This program can help you take a tech idea and to begin making it a reality. This will help you attract a team.
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In order to graduate from the program you will need to attend at least 8 / 10 classes. You will also need to have a functioning Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and a take home test.
