EarCheck

Babson Professor Dennis J. Ceru, Ph.D., Case Director and Writer

Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship

©Babson College, 2009.

Abstract

EarCheck is a story of a technology in search of a market. It traces the evolution of the EarCheck ‘product’ from conception in 1984 by a Pediatrician and his Scientist brother, through the tumultuous and sequential ownership by a Research University, a Venture Technology Consortium, a Start-Up Firm, a large Medical Supply Firm, a Marketing and Sales specialty firm, a ‘new-age’ Business and Technology Broker, and two aspiring Entrepreneurs in search of an opportunity to commercialize.

EarCheck is a story of a technology in search of a market. It traces the evolution of the EarCheck ‘product’ from conception in 1984 by a Pediatrician and his Scientist brother, through the tumultuous and sequential ownership by a Research University, a Venture Technology Consortium, a Start-Up Firm, a large Medical Supply Firm, a Marketing and Sales specialty firm, a ‘new-age’ Business and Technology Broker, and two aspiring Entrepreneurs in search of an opportunity to commercialize.

It covers the topics of:

  • A technology alone does not make a product
  • Firms large and small both create and block innovation and opportunity
  • Opportunity, team, resource and a lead entrepreneur/champion are essential · The potential to buy versus build a business
  • The inter-relationship and inter-dependency of many internal and external factors with the progression of an opportunity

Learning Goals and Objectives

  • To understand how organizations large & small inhibit and support innovation
  • To identify barriers and supports in organizations
  • To consider initial steps to overcoming the barriers
  • To understand the relationship between ideas and opportunities
  • To assess personal readiness for entrepreneurial thinking and innovation

Key Words: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Management, Marketing, Obstacles to Success, Opportunity Recognition, Marshalling Resources; Key Hires; Managing a New Enterprise; Marketing; Shopping for Opportunity; Market and Industry Forces

Teaching Notes

There is an 8-page teaching note available for this case written by Professor Dennis Ceru.

DVD

There is no DVD available for this case.