Students

MQBS8970 – Commercialisation & Entrepreneurship

2026 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Ralf Wilden
ralf.wilden@mq.edu.au
by prior appointment via email
Rania Salama
rania.salama@mq.edu.au
by prior appointment via email
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to GradCertResFoA or GradCertResFMHHS or GradCertResFSE or GradCertResMQBS or GradDipResFoA or GradDipResFMHHS or GradDipResFSE or GradDipResMQBS
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Innovation and entrepreneurship lie at the heart of societal wealth, economic growth, and firm success. However, the failure rates of new products and services as well as business ventures are high and highlight the importance of effectively managing the commercialisation process. This unit examines the multiple pathways that lead from idea generation via development to value creation in markets. It allows learners to identify the various actors necessary for lifting ideas emerging from basic and applied research to sustainable business models, which create personal, organisational, and societal value.

Through a combination of case studies, projects, and active learning, learners will gain valuable insights into the key stages of the commercialisation process. They will develop essential business skills such as strategic thinking, market analysis, business model design, financial analysis, and crafting market-based strategies.

This unit enables learners to go through the commercialisation and entrepreneurial process and identify the resources and skills necessary to develop and execute a business model. Its primary goal is to enable learners to develop a business case or proposal for a scientific discovery by effectively navigating the challenges inherent in relevant contexts.     

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Evaluate pathways of commercialisation.
  • ULO2: Identify and apply appropriate frameworks to commercialisation contexts.
  • ULO3: Develop and effectively communicate a business case for a new offering.

General Assessment Information

The following late penalty clause for written assignments should be inserted in this section. 

Late Assessment Submission Penalty  (written assessments)  

 If you submit your assessment late, 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each day (including weekends), up to 7 days. Submissions more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0. 

Example 1 (out of 100): If you score 85/100 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 5 marks and receive 80/100. 

Example 2 (out of 30): If you score 27/30 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 1.5 marks and receive 25.5/30. 

 

Extensions:  

Automatic short extension: Some assessments are eligible for automatic short extension. You can only apply for an automatic short extension before the due date. 

Special Consideration: If you need more time due to serious issues and for any assessments that are not eligible for Short Extension, you must apply for Special Consideration. Need help? Review the Special Consideration page for further details. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Professional practice: Business Case Development 40% No Week 8, Wednesday, 11:59 pm AEST Individual No Open AI
Professional Practice: Pitch for Commercialisation 30% No Week 13, in-class Group No Observed
Skills Development: Evaluating Commercialisation Strategies 30% No Week 14, Monday 11:59 pm AEST Individual No Open AI

Professional practice: Business Case Development

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Week 8, Wednesday, 11:59 pm AEST
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open AI

The purpose of this assessment is for you to gather and analyse information on a new product or start-up idea and communicate your insights in a professional business context.

You will be allocated a section of a case study and prepare a structured written business case, applying business model and value proposition frameworks, synthesising research findings, and demonstrating commercialisation thinking.

Skills in focus:

  • Communication
  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Discipline knowledge

Deliverable: Written Report (details provided on ilearn)

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate pathways of commercialisation.
  • Identify and apply appropriate frameworks to commercialisation contexts.
  • Develop and effectively communicate a business case for a new offering.

Professional Practice: Pitch for Commercialisation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 21 hours
Due: Week 13, in-class
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Group
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

The purpose of this assessment is for you to work collaboratively with your peers and present and communicate insights from a business case in a professional setting.

You will be allocated a case study and, as a team, prepare and deliver a structured oral presentation to your peers, demonstrating your ability to synthesise market information, apply business frameworks, and communicate commercialisation strategies.

Skills in focus:

  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • Discipline Knowledge

Deliverable: Oral presentation (details provided on ilearn)

Group Assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate pathways of commercialisation.
  • Identify and apply appropriate frameworks to commercialisation contexts.
  • Develop and effectively communicate a business case for a new offering.

Skills Development: Evaluating Commercialisation Strategies

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 14 hours
Due: Week 14, Monday 11:59 pm AEST
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open AI

The purpose of this assessment is for you to critically evaluate a peer’s business proposal and communicate your insights in a professional and collegial context.

You will review a peer’s submission, critique the value proposition and business model, and prepare a structured written review that reflects your understanding of commercialisation and innovation frameworks.

Skills in focus:

  • Communication
  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Discipline knowledge

Deliverable: Written Report (details provided on iLearn)

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate pathways of commercialisation.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • Academic Success for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Please refer to the unit content on iLearn.

Unit Schedule

Please refer to the unit content on iLearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/service-desk. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2026.03 of the Handbook