NUvention Web | Todd Warren

Course Philosophy

NUvention Web teaches the full lifecycle of startup creation—from ideation through product-market fit. Students work in small teams to launch real ventures in 20 weeks, learning practical business and technical skills alongside entrepreneurial mindset.

Topics Covered

• Startup ideation and validation
• Business model development and validation
• Lean product development
• Web and mobile product design
• Go-to-market strategy
• Fundraising and pitching
• Agile team dynamics
• Metrics-driven iteration

Example Projects

→ Group restaurant selection app for social hosts and their guests
→ Homecare management tool for families
→ Inventory management platform for early-career artists
→ Social networking app for fitness accountability
→ Collaboration marketplace for global filmmakers
→ Shopping browser extension for collaborative online shoppers
→ Health travel app for international travelers
→ CRM platform for independent physical therapists

Public Artifacts & Links

About This Course

Overview

NUvention Web (later NUvention Web and Media) was an intensive, hands-on course across two quarters where multi-disciplinary student teams conceptualize, build, and launch real web and mobile ventures within a single quarter (20 weeks). NUvention Web is part of Northwestern University’s Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The course is no longer running as of 2022. It ran from 2010 to 2022; I co-designed with Mike Marasco and co-taught with a rotating cast of talented industry practitioners over the years.

Program Goals

Launch a working product to real users
Develop practical entrepreneurial skills
Understand product-market fit and iteration
Build a functional startup team

What Makes NUvention Unique

Real ventures with a product, customers, and market validation
Small team sizes for meaningful ownership
Expert mentorship from practitioners
Tight feedback loops and rapid iteration

Who Should Enroll

Computer Science students interested in entrepreneurship
Design students interested in rapid customer innovation
Business and Economics students who want an immersive startup experience
Journalism and Media students interested in startups

Course Materials & Resources

No materials yet for this course. Check back soon!