THE

FRAMEWORK
A GUIDE FOR
ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET
This is the engineer
we need: One with an
Entrepreneurial Mindset
that is coupled with
Engineering Thought
and Action, Expressed
Through Collaboration
and Communication, and
founded on Character.

Engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset

transform the world. Educators have a role
in developing this mindset in the rising
generation of engineers.

01
A Conceptual
Framework

Entrepreneurial
Mindset (EM) Curiosity Connections

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Creating

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Value

ortuni
O pp ty

Engineering Skillset
Adding Opportunity and
ct

Impact to Design De
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Entrepreneurially
Minded Learning EML
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The KEEN Framework is an adoptable, adaptable

guide to entrepreneurially minded learning. With it,
faculty can create educational materials and teaching
concepts that equip engineering students with an
entrepreneurial mindset.
02
You know
the design
process well.
Design has been billed as the ultimate
act within engineering. But these skills portunity
Op
are not enough to equip engineers
to transform the world. Design
skills must be complemented with
opportunity recognition and impact
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Framework.
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WHAT'S MISSING
FROM DESIGN?

By adding opportunity to ΖPSDFWLVVLJQLȴFDQFH

design, ?@A01:@?/-:>1Ȱ:1/;:/1<@?x
think more broadly about the world around
them, and understand the customer who
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opportunity skills, streamlining the process
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courseware that reinforce the development of
an entrepreneurial mindset.
multiplied by scale. Coupling
impact skills to opportunity recognition and
design implementation will equip students
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outcomes to develop students’ impact skills.
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solution in economic terms, validating market
interest, identifying supply chains distribution
methods, and communicating an engineering
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03
By adding opportunity and impact to your design skills, students will be
able to apply creative thinking to ambiguous problems, convey engineering
solutions in economic terms, evaluate technical feasibility, and understand
the motivations and perspectives of team members and stakeholders.

OPPORTUNITY DESIGN IMPACT

Communicate
Identify Determine an engineering solution
an opportunity design requirements
in economic terms

Communicate
Investigate Perform an engineering solution
the market technical design
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Create Analyze Validate

a preliminary business model solutions market interest

Evaluate
technical feasibility Develop
customer value
Develop partnerships and
new technologies (optional)
?;/51@-8.1:1Ȱ@? build a team
economic viability

Test Identify
Create supply chains
concepts quickly via customer
a model or prototype
engagement distribution methods

Assess Validate Protect

policy and regulatory issues functions intellectual property

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an entrepreneurial mindset.

04
 Let's talk about Mindset.
The entrepreneurial mindset consists of three key
elements: Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value—the
3C’s. This emergent understanding came from years of
work with KEEN faculty, students, and industry.

DEFINING THE 3C'S

Curiosity Connections Create Value

In a world of accelerating Discoveries alone are not Innovative solutions are

change, today’s solutions are
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Since discoveries are made
by the curious, we must
empower our students
to investigate a rapidly
changing world with an
insatiable curiosity.
enough. Information most meaningful when
only yields insight when they create extraordinary
connected with other B-8A12;>;@41>?wȿ1>12;>1x
information. We must teach students must be champions
our students to habitually of value creation. As
pursue knowledge and educators, we must train
integrate it with their students to persistently
own discoveries to reveal anticipate and meet the
innovative solutions. needs of a changing world.

05
Skillset + Mindset
A Tandem Development
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they couple their skills
with a mindset to create
extraordinary value for others.
The key is an entrepreneurial
mindset. Through educational
interventions, you can equip
students to understand
opportunities, make an impact,
and create value for themselves
and others.
 Curiosity Connections Creating Value
Demonstrate constant Integrate information Identify unexpected

Entrepreneurial Mindset curiosity about our

changing world
from many sources to gain
insight
opportunities to create
extraordinary value

Explore a contrarian view Assess and Manage risk Persist through and learn
of accepted solutions from failure

COUPLED WITH

Apply creative Apply systems Evaluate technical Examine societal

Engineering Thought and Action thinking to thinking to complex feasibility and and individual
ambiguous problems economic drivers needs
problems

EXPRESSED THROUGH

Collaboration Form and Work in teams Understand the motivations and perspectives
of others

AND

Communication Convey engineering solutions in Substantiate claims with data and facts
economic terms

AND FOUNDED ON

Identify personal A8Ȱ88 Discern and Pursue Contribute to

Character passions and a plan commitments in a ethical practices society as an active
for professional timely manner citizen
development

07 08
 +
ENGINEERING
UNLEASHED
Transforming Engineering Education

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have the shared mission to graduate engineers
with an entrepreneurial mindset so they can
create personal, economic, and societal value
through a lifetime of meaningful work.

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to sharing and expanding these ideas. It is open to
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501-?-:081->:5:39;>1-.;A@4;C@41
Framework is being applied. Learn more at
EngineeringUnleashed.com