What is it like to take a Wharton class? Here’s a look inside “Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in the New Space Era,” a one-of-a-kind elective led by Management Prof. Rahul Kapoor.
Course Overview
With Prof. Rahul Kapoor
Who can take this course?
Wharton MBA students.
What is it about?
Over the past five years, humanity has taken a massive leap into a new Space Era. My course offers a synthesized understanding of how technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship are shaping this emerging sector. We’ll explore present business opportunities and challenges, as well as their effects on society and the planet.
Why teach it?
To prepare students to understand the disruptive changes that the Space sector is currently undergoing, and learn how they could apply their knowledge in the pursuit of future opportunities in space.
How are you teaching it?
As a 5-day intensive course. We have 20 guest speakers representing entrepreneurial startups, incumbent space companies, and leaders in public agencies, as well as investors.
Key Learnings
With Arie Kouandjio, WG’23
Why did you take this course?
According to research from Morgan Stanley, the space industry is expected to grow from a $350 billion industry to a $1 trillion industry from 2020 to 2040. “New space” is a rapidly growing industry with massive potential. I took this course as a natural fit for refining my understanding and realistic potential of the industry.
What was your biggest takeaway?
My biggest takeaway from this course is that though space tourism gets the majority of media attention in “new space,” there are many aspects of space like in-space manufacturing and mining that are much realer and closer than I thought. Such capabilities are being worked on now, and the ecosystems and business cases around them are further along the technological development curves than I previously believed.
Who would you recommend this course to?
I would recommend this course to someone that’s been exposed to the popular career paths like banking, private equity, and consulting, but doesn’t feel they’ve found a calling in them. Even if a career in space ultimately isn’t their calling, they may get the ball rolling on thinking through other “outside-the-box” career ideas.
— Ariana Bedoya Mansilla and Gloria Yuen
Posted: June 3, 2022
