Full course description
Course Description
This intensive workshop is designed for experienced professionals, who seek to leverage their public-sector leadership skills and expertise to launch a new venture and/or create new career opportunities in the private sector.
The workshop will cover a rigorous, proven process for achieving rapid time-to-market and market success through a New Venture Playbook used for
- validating that a viable business opportunity exists,
- building an initial business strategy and model,
- understanding customer needs and ensuring product/market fit,
- developing and refining the product or service, and
- defining a go-to-market (GTM) strategy for successful new venture launch and rapid scaling
The workshop will illustrate the application of the New Venture Playbook with real-world examples of successful public-to-private-sector entrepreneurship successes, including:
- a regulatory tech venture enabling easier cross-border payments,
- a boutique cybersecurity advisory firm based on risk analysis expertise,
- a renewable energy climate tech venture, and
- a blockchain investment platform.
Based on the New Venture Playbook foundation and the applied examples, participants will leave with a roadmap for deepening their expertise in each course component and their ability to think strategically and analytically about new venture opportunities.
This workshop is particularly relevant for experienced professionals seeking to:
- Start a scalable, new private-sector venture
- Start a social enterprise venture (such as a B-Corp.)
- Start or scale a consulting firm, leveraging domain knowledge and professional network
- Scale a non-profit to achieve greater social impact
Learning Outcomes
- Learn how to scan for new business opportunities and define potential business concepts
- Learn how to validate the market viability of a business concept and define a preliminary business strategy, based on customer discovery and market analysis
- Learn how successful entrepreneurs ensure that the product or service under development meets customer requirements with iterative market testing and definition of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
- Learn how to translate the business and product strategy to a GTM strategy and plan for launch, working across functions.
- Make the New Venture Playbook relevant and immediately applicable by understanding successful new ventures launched by public-sector professionals
- Gain an overview of the critical next steps after the launch to scale the venture
Visit the New Executive Education Programs page for additional information.
This course does not convey academic credit and is not included on a JHU Academic Transcript. This course is intended for personal and professional skills enrichment. Any certificate earned for the successful completion of this course is intended for proof of completion only.
Location, Date and Time
- Format: In-Person
- Location: Hopkins Bloomberg Center, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC
- Date: Friday, January 9, 2026
- Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)
NOTE: Enrollment closes Monday, December 29 at 11:55 PM.
Course Lead
Raphael Carty, Scholar-Practitioner in Entrepreneurship
Raphael Carty is a Scholar-Practitioner in Entrepreneurship. His career spans more than three decades leading the commercialization of innovative technologies at start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, including DealerTrack (NASDAQ: TRAK), cybersecurity pioneer CertCo, 3D graphics category creator Silicon Graphics, Hewlett-Packard, smart-building startup Callida Energy, and Chase Card Services.
As an academic, he has taught the core marketing course in Harvard Business School’s MBA program, and he developed and teaches “Leading Innovation to Address Climate Change,” in the NYU Stern MBA program. Previously at Stern, he developed and taught “Disruption, Entrepreneurship, and Social Impact” for four years and co-taught “Tech Solutions: Leading Innovation.”
Raphael’s research and consulting interests emphasize entrepreneurship, technological disruption and adoption, and social impact. Since 2019, Raphael’s scholarship has been informed by continued practice, mentoring early-stage startups in new venture accelerators, and consulting on business strategy, product management and development, and GTM strategy and execution for startups.
He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and Applied Sciences/Computer Science from Harvard College.
Course Policies
JHU ALUMNI ENROLLMENT
JHU Alumni are eligible for a discount. If you are a JHU alum, please contact ExecEdSAIS@jh.edu* prior to enrollment for verification and to receive your unique promo code. NOTE: Non-SAIS alumni may be waitlisted if a course exceeds the registration cap.
Upon receipt, return to the course registration page to enter your promo code and complete the registration process.
Please do not use your JHU Alumni email to register for courses. This email account will not work with the registration platform. We recommend you register using a non-JHU email such as Gmail or Outlook.
LEARNING PREREQUISITES
None
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Hardware: laptop computer; webcam; microphone and speakers or headset. Software: current web browser; Canvas; Zoom web conferencing; Microsoft Office or similar; Email; course specific software
COURSE LIFECYCLE
After registering you will receive an email confirming your registration. You will be given access to a Canvas course that includes complete course information. You will have access to the Canvas course for the duration of the course.
PARTICIPANT CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY
No refunds will be issued for this event, however you may transfer your enrollment to someone else. Enrollment transfer requests should be emailed to ExecEdSAIS@jhu.edu*
COURSE CANCELLATION POLICY
Program dates, fees, and faculty may be subject to change. If a course must be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, SAIS Executive Education will refund the full program tuition. However, SAIS is not liable for travel, accommodation, or any other expenses incurred by the participant. Changes to the program or schedule will be communicated via email, and alternative program dates will be provided once available.
ACCESSIBILITY
JHU SAIS is committed to providing all participants with the opportunity to pursue excellence in their academic endeavors. This includes providing disability related accommodations and services in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and our goal of delivering accessible, inclusive experiences. If you require accommodations to complete this course, please reach out to EDT@jhu.edu*.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Direct all technical support requests to the SAIS Educational Design and Technology office email: EDT@jhu.edu*. We will respond to requests within 24-48 hours. Requests received on weekends, overnights and holidays will be responded to on the next business day.
ACCREDITATION
JHU is not approved by Middle States for direct assessment credentials for academic credit. This course results in a certificate of completion. It will not show on any JHU transcripts and does not count toward an academic record.
*Do not share any personal identifiable information (PII) such as social security number or grades in any messages to EDT@jhu.edu or ExecEdSAIS@jh.edu.