For UBC MBA student Matthew Tong, one of the highlights of his education so far has been a tech entrepreneurship course offered by Creative Destruction Lab – Vancouver (CDL) at the UBC Sauder School of Business. Available to graduate students and fourth-year undergraduate students, the Applied Methods in Technology Start-ups at CDL course provides participants with the opportunity to work with entrepreneurs on emerging technology and science-focused start-ups.
What made you want to take this course?
As someone drawn to entrepreneurship, the CDL course was a great steppingstone in my exploration of my own entrepreneurial pursuits after graduation. Knowing that I’d get to learn about what it’s like to be a start-up founder firsthand, while also getting the venture capital perspective, was very appealing to me. I wanted to better understand the thought process behind funding decisions, which is something this course offers that few others do.
What were your top three takeaways from the course?
I’d say getting immersed in the start-up ecosystem and making connections with founders. This was an invaluable component of the course. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, supportive and friendly and I had the opportunity to learn firsthand from industry experts what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur – both from the founder and venture capitalist perspectives.
Secondly, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to pitch Lite-1, a venture that is introducing clean colourants created by micro-organisms. I did my pitch in front of the class to a panel of experienced investors. Gaining insights into the unique needs of a start-up and leading a discussion surrounding potential investment, and seeing that work pay off with an actual investment, was incredibly rewarding.
My third takeaway was experiencing how business acumen is an essential part of building a successful start-up in a real-world scenario. This solidified how much I value my UBC MBA experience. From doing start-up evaluations in my entrepreneurial finance class with Richard McKeller to understanding go-to-market strategies through my entrepreneurship class with Fraser Pogue, I was able to apply key learnings from my UBC MBA to this course.
How do you see these experiences adding value to your professional career?
I know I’ll be able to apply many practical skills I learned in this course, such as simplifying complex ideas and marketing them strategically to others, writing and designing a strong memo, and researching topics outside of my expertise. Overall, I learned so much from being immersed in the start-up ecosystem and building connections with founders and ventures, and I completed the course more confident and excited to pursue entrepreneurship myself.
This course offers an opportunity to change the world by working with founders who have created a product designed to offer a better future for everyone. In addition to learning practical skills to support my career goals, I left the course feeling inspired. On top of that, I learned that blending cutting-edge technology with a solid growth strategy can propel a start-up to the next level. I’m keen to apply all these lessons to my own entrepreneurial aspirations.
What advice would you give to a prospective UBC Sauder student about finding experiential learning opportunities that helps them achieve their goals?
My advice would be to practice the fearlessness of an entrepreneur. Look for experiential learning opportunities like the CDL course that provides real-world experience that you can apply to achieving your goals right away. It’s a great environment where you can make mistakes and learn along the way, so you can take the next steps in your career with more confidence. And on top of that, if you choose to take the CDL course, it's an opportunity to change the world by working with founders and industry leaders who want to see a better future for everyone.
