Research Guides: BUS 110-Clean Start Project: Assignment

Clean Start Business Simulation

Students are required to play the simulation and write a report detailing your strategy, your results and your learnings. See attached grading rubric and sample report at the bottom of this box.

About: Web-based free simulation, where students play the role of the founder of a new start-up company in the exciting and competitive clean tech sector. Each quarter students must set prices, decide how many engineers and sales people to hire, and set compensation, including salary, stock, options and profit sharing. Students must also make financing decisions such as debt level, equity level and overall cash management. Winners will be determined by the student that generates the highest cumulative profit over a simulated 10 years.

Learning Objective: To allow players to experience the challenges of building a startup company in a demanding competitive environment. Students must make quarterly financial, human resource, product development, pricing, and other decisions.

Required: Students must complete the game and submit report (5-6 paragraphs see example attached) on their strategy, results and learnings.

Getting Started: The videos to the right of this box explain how the details of how to play the simulations. The first video is from MIT and goes into complete details of the game. The second video is specific to our class. Advice: do not skip the videos.

BUS 110 Project Rankin (Word Doc)
This is the Word document explaining the BUS 110 project.
BUS 110 Clean Start Sample Report (Word Doc)
This is the Word document that contains a sample of how your report on the BUS 110 project should be formatted.
BUS 110 Project Clean Start Grading Rubric (Excel Worksheet)
This is the Excel worksheet that contains the grading rubric for the BUS 110 project.

Once at site: select Play Simulation (you may need to scroll down the page) > Play as Part of a class

ID: Use your Wake Tech Email Full Address
Password: 4444

CleanStart: Simulating a Clean Energy Startup (opens in a new window)

Please watch full videos linked to below on how to play the simulation.

Warning: students who wait until near the due date will become very frustrated with this project. The project was developed and played at MIT. This project requires substantial effort and planning, to be successful and to maximize your learning. "This is far more than googling a bunch of information and re-wording into a report" – commented one former student. Below is a suggested timeline to keep you on pace with the project.

By Week 2: Reviewed the project and videos.
By Week 4: Attempted log in and played the game once.
During Semester: Webinar on how to play game.
Week 6: First Leader Board will be issued.