Entrepreneurship and innovation are increasingly important in all areas of business and government. Entrepreneurial start-ups galvanise the economy by identifying new opportunities and redirecting resources to them. Established firms innovate in order to outmanoeuvre or respond to their competition. And in the public sector, the need for effective policies to deal with new challenges and for increasing service delivery with declining budgets also places a premium on innovative thinking. The course focuses on the skills necessary for the planning, development and launch of entrepreneurial and innovative ventures. The material covered includes the foundations of entrepreneurship, techniques for creative thinking, and processes for developing, planning and launching a new venture including protecting intellectual property, evaluating markets, developing innovative business models, budgeting, and raising finance. The major piece of assessment is the writing of a comprehensive business plan.