Courses/Technology Product Entrepreneurship

Technology Product Entrepreneurship

CS9.424

Ramesh Loganathan + Prakash Yalla•Monsoon 2025-26•4 credits

Sample Papers/TPE Mock End-Sem Paper 1 (Foundations focus)

TPE Mock End-Sem Paper 1 (Foundations focus)

Duration: 120 min • Max marks: 100

20 marks

1.State Steve Blank's definition of a startup.
2.Name the three pillars of Startup DNA.
3.Define FOMO in investor psychology.
4.Define FOLS in investor psychology.
5.Name the three components of the 3C framework.
6.Name the five stages of the Gartner Hype Cycle in order.
7.Which stage of the Hype Cycle is the founder's sweet spot?
8.State the formula for the 'Generalize' dimension of the Idea Hexagon.
9.State the formula for the 'Fusion' dimension of the Idea Hexagon.
10.State the formula for the 'Find the Nails' dimension.
11.State the formula for the 'Find the Hammers' dimension.
12.State the formula for the 'Add an Adjective' dimension.
13.State the formula for the 'Do the Opposite' dimension.
14.State the single question that comprises the Oxygen Test.
15.Name the Five Filters of the Crucible.
16.Name the deliverable of Phase 1.
17.Name the deliverable of Phase 2.
18.Name the deliverable of Phase 3.
19.Name the deliverable of Phase 4.
20.What percentage of startups fail because there is no market need (CB Insights)?

20 marks

1.Distinguish a startup from a small business and from a corporate clone, using the three pillars of Startup DNA.4 m
2.Explain why the founder's sweet spot on the Hype Cycle is the Slope of Enlightenment and not the Peak.4 m
3.Why is the Idea Hexagon described as 'Idea Stretching' rather than 'Idea Generation'? Give one example illustrating the distinction.4 m
4.Explain why each of the Five Filters acts as a veto rather than as a vote.4 m
5.Explain how an investor pitch addresses FOMO in Act I and FOLS in Act II. What happens if a pitch addresses only one of the two?4 m

30 marks

1.Apply the Idea Hexagon to the seed idea 'a wearable device that monitors air quality.' Generate one variant per dimension. Label each variant with its formula and a one-line description.10 m
2.Take the idea 'IoT-enabled retrofit kit that reduces water purifier electricity consumption by 60% in Indian homes.' Walk it through the Oxygen Test and then through each of the Five Filters. For each filter, state the verdict (pass / fail / conditional) and justify with specific numbers or named entities.10 m
3.A founder claims her startup is on the Slope of Enlightenment for 'AI-powered real-time language translation earbuds.' Critique this placement: is it correct? If not, where on the Hype Cycle does it currently sit, and what does that placement imply for her go-to-market timing and competitive landscape?10 m

30 marks

1.You are advising a final-year student in IIIT-H who wants to build a deeptech startup but has only a vague hunch ('something with IoT, maybe agriculture'). Walk her through the complete Phase 1 pipeline — from reading the landscape, through generating variants with the Idea Hexagon, to filtering with the Crucible. Be specific: name the frameworks, draw the diagrams, and produce three defensible hypotheses by the end of your walkthrough. Include at least one cross-framework connection (e.g., how the Hype Cycle stage informs the Solution Filter's verdict).15 m
2.Critically evaluate Steve Blank's claim that 'a startup is a temporary organization in search of a repeatable, scalable, and profitable business model.' Dissect each of the four key words ('temporary', 'search', 'repeatable', 'scalable / profitable'). Explain why this definition rules out small businesses, clones, and corporations as 'startups,' and tie this to the three pillars of Startup DNA. Close with one observation about how this definition shapes the structure of the course (Phase 1 → Phase 4).15 m

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